Cardinals Stun Panthers and Advance to N.F.C. Title Game

Before this postseason, the Cardinals had a total of one playoff victory since winning the N.F.L. championship in 1947. That came in 1998.

But all of that is history. And so are the Carolina Panthers.

The Cardinals thoroughly outplayed heavily favored Carolina for a 33-13 victory Saturday night in front of a stunned crowd of 73,695 at Bank of America Stadium. Arizona, which beat Atlanta in the first round, reached the National Football Conference title game for the first time since the league began holding conference championships.

“It’s huge,” Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner said. “We haven’t been here in a long time. It just shows the progress that we’re making.”

The Cardinals will play the winner of Sunday’s game between Philadelphia and the Giants.