The Carolina Panthers will travel to Century Link Field to take on the Seattle Seahawks. This will be the second meeting between the two this season. The first one took place in Carolina with the Seahawks emerging victorious winning 13-9. Seattle will be 11-point favorites over Carolina this week in the Divisional round. Carolina has been a team on a mission reeling in 5 straight wins making this betting line appear a bit steep. Although when taking the Seattle perspective, this team is absolutely dynamite at home and will be looking to make a statement as defending champs. The Legion of Boom will do everything in its power to make Carolina’s winning steak come to a bitter end.
WHY THE SEATTLE SEAHAWKS WILL WIN
- Seattle Does Not Lose at Home – Period
Over the past three seasons, the Seahawks are 24-2 at home. That stadium is loud and often becomes disruptive to opposing offenses. Let’s also mention the fact that Seattle has rattled off 6 straight wins coming in red-hot. The Percy Harvin trade with the Jets may have been exactly what the team needed. Wide outs Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse have stepped up their game since Percy has left the team. Carolina will have to slow down halfback Marshawn Lynch to have any shot at winning the football game. The chances of that happening in Seattle after losing nose tackle Star Loutulelei is slim to none. Star broke his foot during practice this week effectively ending his season. Panther’s coach, Ron Rivera will need to call a perfect defensive strategy to keep Seattle in check. Riverboat Ron should assume he can likely give up no more than 13 points to have a chance at winning. Points will be hard to come by in this wild atmosphere.
2. The Legion of Boom Will Erase Every Passing Threat
Richard Sherman leads the Legion of Boom being regarded as the league’s top corner. Earl Thomas is Sherman’s most trusted sidekick as the free safety. The trust between the two is second to none making sure no one beats them on the right side of the field. Kam Chancellor is the strong safety and most feared member. Chancellor is known as the big hitter laying punishing blows. Byron Maxwell is the secondary corner and forgotten man. Maxwell is coming off a career year and will receive a hefty raise in free agency. Bad news for Panther fans is the team sports one of the worst wide receiving core. Kelvin Benjamin leads the group being only a rookie. Benjamin will develop into a great target in the future but needs time to develop first. Philly Brown and Jericho Cotchery are the other targets that strike fear in absolutely no one. For the Panthers to steal this one Cam Newton will have to be a one man wrecking crew. Newton will have to literally turn into superman, but then again it’s the NFL, anything can happen.
WHY THE CAROLINA PANTHERS WILL WIN
1. The Panthers Integrate a Similar Playing Style Capable of Pulling off the W
Seahawks pass rusher Michael Bennett had this to say about playing Carolina this week,
“It’s kind of weird playing them, because it’s almost like you’re looking in the mirror,” Bennett said this week, according to The Daily Herald. “It’s a team that has similar attributes all over, similar qualities — both quarterbacks are both mobile, big receivers — well we don’t have any big receivers, but we have big-hearted receivers — powerful running backs, great defensive lines and linebacker play. So it’s a good game.”
“It’s so much alike, man. It’s like you look at a girl who looks like you, and you find out it’s your cousin, so you can’t go on a date with her even though you’d like to, because she looks like you,” Bennett said. “But then you see her friend, and her friend’s really hot, and you’re like, ‘That’s not my cousin,’ so it’s good.”
Did Bennett just call Carolina an attractive cousin? The two teams are awfully aware that they play a similar style of football. Normally when this occurs the gap becomes narrow when the two will be fighting for much of the same things. If Carolina can keep it close, you have to think Newton and the running game have the ability to quite the ruckus crowd.
2. The Carolina Rushing Attack Can Quite The Crowd
When a team falls behind Seattle, the comeback becomes impossible due to that crowd noise. If a team can run the ball well, it bores the crowd eliminating a vast majority of the fans excitement. Jonathan Stewart has quietly been healthy giving the Panthers a much-needed weapon out of the backfield. Cam Newton is also the best dual threat quarterback in the league with his rushing ability. Cam has 33 career touchdowns in his four-year career. Mike Shula son of hall of fame coach Don Shula is the play caller for Carolina. Shula will need to keep Seattle on its toes with a balanced running attack. Shula loves to call designed quarterback keepers, something the hawks will be aware of.
Why You Should Avoid Picking The Panthers
I’m taking the Seahawks in this one. There is a reason Carolina is only 8-8-1 on the season and will prove they are truly the inferior team. In terms of betting this game, I would likely stay away from it. The 11 points seems like a steep price to pay, but I would expect Seattle to win somewhere in that range. A preferred action for a gambling man would be to take a two-team teaser, which would reduce the line to a much safer 6. If you’re still considering picking Carolina out right consider the following. You forgot that Marshawn Lynch is on the opposite and will turn into full rage beast mode once the second half starts. You forgot that Seattle is 24-2 at home in the last three seasons. You forgot that the Seahawks are the defending Super Bowl champs and will likely not be once and done this year. You also forgot that Carolina is playing against Russell Wilson this week compared to Ryan Lindley.
Prediction Seattle 27-16
