Ryan Lehrman: With a regular season record of 7-8-1, the Panthers had an unlikely shot at the playoffs, yet y’all still made a run. How would you describe your second experience in the postseason compared with your debut?

Luke Kuechly: Playoff games are different than regular season games. I talked with some of our younger guys about it this year. It’s kind of like the jump from preseason to regular season. Obviously it’s amped up more than that but the similarities are there. I tried to let them know what it was going to be like.

Last year we played San Francisco and this year we had a couple games. Just the experience from my second year to this year really helped us along in that first game.

The Carolina defense solidified late in the season, going on to set an NFL playoff record by holding Arizona to only 78 yards in the Wild Card round. What clicked?

We had to replace a lot of guys on that defense. Our secondary was pretty much all new this year — we didn’t really have many returning starters from the previous year. I think it just took us a while to get on the same page but about halfway through the season, maybe 10 games through the season, guys kind of figured out how each other played, what each other was good at and how everybody sees different plays and coverages. I think it was just a process of, early on in the season, getting used to people on the team and then as the playoffs rolled around, I think we were really hitting on a high note.

You were one of two players (tight end Greg Olsen) on the Panthers named to the Pro Bowl this year. What does that accomplishment mean to you?  

It was great. Anytime you can get recognized it is an awesome deal. We had a lot of fun down here this weekend. Obviously you don’t get to that position without the other guys on your team. Greg and I both had a good time, but we both acknowledge the fact that we didn’t get there by ourselves.

Bummed that you didn’t get to cover Greg more?

I got to cover him a couple of times. They didn’t throw the ball to him, fortunately for us we didn’t have to tackle anyone or anything.

Who’s the hardest player to tackle in the league?

We played Seattle twice this year, I think Marshawn Lynch is an exceptional player. I think he is strong. He runs well, he has good quicks. He is able to get to where he wants to. He is strong, he is built low to the ground and has good balance. I think he is just an overall pretty good player to play against.

Many athletes who are top performers in college have a hard time adjusting to the game at the pro level. How have you been able to sustain your competitive edge on the bigger stage of the NFL? 

I think fortunately for me, when I first got to Carolina we had some linebackers who had been there for a while. Jon Beason and Thomas Davis are both older veteran guys who have played exceptionally well in their first seven, eight years in the NFL, and those guys helped me along my rookie year. A lot of credit goes to those guys for taking me under their wing and showing me how to get things done in the NFL.

Super Bowl Predictions?

I’m a defensive guy and I think Seattle’s defense is playing extremely well right now, so I think they got the nod from me. But anytime you have Tom Brady as your quarterback — and the Patriots have been there before — I think they got a legit shot.

A few months ago you got ejected in a Green Bay game after making contact with an official. The NFL ultimately decided the call was bogus and dropped the fine. You seemed to take it pretty cooly, all things considered. Is there ever a time when you really freak out, like if someone deleted your Madden account?

(Laughs) I try to keep my cool. You got your highs and your lows, and guys are out there to compete and the energy is always high, but at the end of the day you got to understand that in order to do my job to the best of my ability I got to keep my cool. Play within my game. Really concentrate on what I’m supposed to do each play.

Obviously you’re going to get excited or energized flying around, but for me I’m at my best when I’m really concentrating on my job and doing what I’m supposed to do.

Your four-year rookie deal expires after next season. Granted the Panthers resign you — they’d be fools not to — what’s the first gift you’ll buy yourself after locking down the long-term deal? 

I don’t even know, I’m probably going to go get something to eat. Honestly, that is the first thing I would do, go find somewhere to eat, get myself ready to go.

Advice to people in their early 20s?

Just have the goals and set them high. When you reach them, know you still got room to go. I think that is what I try to do for myself, is set high goals and put your head down and work as hard as you can, because you’re young only for a certain amount of time and you got to take advantage of it.

You were the only defensive player who had a jersey in the top 25 of all jersey sales in the league. How would you describe the home support in the Bank of America stadium?

It’s been great, the fans in Carolina are awesome, they’re everywhere. It is a cool little deal, DICK’s put that Jersey Report out there and it is cool to see that. We got a lot of support, Cam [Newton] and I and some of the other guys in the top ten from the team, it’s a pretty good deal for us.