Seattle remains on a hot streak
These two teams entered the game in very different trajectories. The Seattle Seahawks ended the season winning 9 out of 10 games. The Carolina Panthers on the other hand, barely squeezed into the Wild Card round by winning the NFC South title at 7-8-1 and got past the struggling Arizona Cardinals to make it to Seattle for this NFC Divisional matchup.
The game started out defensively oriented, with both teams bringing the pressure and stopping the run, while getting at their quarterbacks. It wasn’t until the end of the 1st quarter when the Seahawks finally got on the scoreboard off a Doug Baldwin touchdown from Russell Wilson.
But the Panthers came right back in the middle of the second quarter when Cam Newton found rookie Kelvin Benjamin on a crossing pattern. Things were starting to heat up.
Jermaine Kearse caught a bomb from Wilson and took it to the house 63-yards, putting the Seahawks up by a touchdown in the 2nd quarter. Things remained relatively the same and by halftime, the teams were evenly matched, going to the locker room at 14-10.
In the second half, Seattle broke the game wide open and never looked back. Well, at least they did in the 4th quarter when it really counted anyway.
The Seahawks started the quarter with a field goal by Steven Hauschka, then scored again when Luke Willson bullied his way to a 25-yard touchdown. But the play of the game came on defense when the Panthers were driving and looked like they were poised to make a comeback.
Killa Cam took Carolina the length of the field, making great completions to the likes of Greg Olsen and Kelvin Benjamin and the Panthers were sitting in the red zone ready to score. Then about 6 minutes left in the game, Newton looked towards the goal line and Kam Chancellor read the play all the way, completing the Pick 6 and taking it 90 yards to the house.
It was the nail in the coffin for Carolina.
Wilson ended the game throwing for 268 yards and 3 touchdowns, while Marshawn Lynch was held to a quiet 59 yards on the ground. On the other side of the ball, Newton threw for 246 yards and had 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in the game.
Seattle now awaits the winner of the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers tomorrow, on their road to another Super Bowl repeat.