A rematch of last season's divisional round playoff game was set up when the Seahawks received a gift from the Vikings. A missed field goal in the waning seconds on Sunday allowed Seattle to make another cross-country trip, this time to the No. 1 seed Panthers, who have won 11 straight at home and knocked off the Seahawks on the road earlier this season.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Carolina Panthers -3
Seattle Seahawks +3
Over/Under 44
ODDS ANALYSIS
Carolina ended the regular season with four straight cover wins and went 8-0 SU and 6-2 ATS at Bank of America Stadium. Dating back to last season and including the playoffs, the Panthers are 11-0 SU and 7-4 ATS in their past 11 home games.
KEY INJURIES
Marshawn Lynch - All indications were he would play last Sunday before informing the team the day before that he couldn't go because of the abdominal injury that's kept him out since mid-November. Seattle's ground game remains a bit of a mystery, as does Lynch, who is listed as questionable. Christine Michael started in his place with Fred Jackson taking a few snaps.
Luke Willson - Did not play Sunday due to a concussion and is questionable to return against Carolina. Cooper Helfet started at tight end for Seattle with Chase Coffman also seeing action.
Charles Tillman - Was put on injured reserved last week after sustaining a torn ACL in the season finale against Tampa Bay. The Panthers are down a pair of cornerbacks now with Bene Benwikere going on injured reserve last month with a broken leg. Robert McClain is likely to get the start opposite Josh Norman in Carolina's secondary.
KEY MISMATCH
Seattle is the least likely lower seed to be intimidated on the road, with the swagger built by consecutive Super Bowl appearances, a wealth of Pro Bowl players and the momentum this season they rode to an 8-2 finish. Then there's that last minute loss to New England in the Super Bowl last season they've been determined to overcome. The last game the Seahawks lost before they started to hit their stride in late October was, interestingly, at home against the Panthers, when they squandered leads of 20-7 and 23-14 in the second half of a 27-23 defeat. Russell Wilson was sacked four times that day by a defense that ranked sixth in the league and first in the NFC with 44 sacks. But the protection down the stretch was much better as Wilson flourished with the best passing performances of his stellar career. The Panthers ought to be prepared to handle this, with their defense that placed sixth in both yards and points allowed.
KEY STAT
+20 - Carolina's league-leading turnover margin. The Panthers had the most takeaways in the NFL with 39 and go against a Seahawks team that had a plus-6 turnover differential.
BETTING ANGLE
The Panthers have created the kind of home-field advantage the Seahawks had in reaching the Super Bowl the past two seasons. They have a league-best 11-game home winning streak, including a playoff victory against Arizona last season. They were 8-0 at Bank of America Stadium this season with an average margin of victory by a score of 33-17. Quarterback Cam Newton has a passer rating of 104.6 at home compared to 94.5 on the road with five more touchdown passes on his home turf than on the road. Securing home field is why coach Ron Rivera played his starters into the fourth quarter of the regular season finale. He didn't want to take any chance of losing it.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
The Panthers exorcised some demons by knocking off the Seahawks in Week 5 with a come-from-behind 27-23 win in Seattle. Of course that means nothing now, but it was important then, since Carolina had lost the previous five meetings, including a divisional round matchup in last year's playoffs. There's something to be said about having a first-round bye, getting players much-needed rest is critical, but when you're as hot as Seattle, playing games is important. The Seahawks' defense was stifling in Minnesota and they caught a break when the potential game-winning field goal from 27-yards sailed wide left. Wilson and the offense did enough and the D, with some help, took over. Seattle has to make another long trip for this one and that could be troublesome, but come playoff time good teams overcome those minor obstacles. Besides, it beats the alternative. The road teams swept the Wild Card round and Seattle is playing good football, particularly on defense. I don't think the Seahawks will be letting Cam Newton dance in the end zone this time around.
Seattle 22, Carolina 17
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