Panthers S Harper on Seahawks: ‘We are the better team’

Newton rushed seven times for 30 yards and a TD, and TE Greg Olsen caught 7 balls for 131 yards and the game-winning score.

The home victory for the 12-4 Seahawks previous year in the playoffs wasn’t shocking, as Seattle had gone 7-1 at home, and were up against a Panthers team who had gone 7-8-1 in the regular season.

Next up is a trip to Carolina to take on the Panthers (15-1) in a rematch of a Week 6 game won by the Panthers in Seattle, 27-23. Who would you rather win this game?

“Nah, it’s not payback”. It’s a tough decision to make, but home field advantage will play a big role in this one.

Or maybe none of this means anything, and as coaches and players often remind us, the game is played on the field and what’s happened in the past doesn’t mean anything.

Who’s Hot: The Seahawks scored all 10 of their points in the fourth quarter and held off a late rally to beat the Vikings 10-9 in frigid conditions on Sunday.

Cam Newton is a year older and a year better behind a better offensive line.

K.J. Wright and Bobby Wagner both eclipsed 100 tackles on the season, combining for 230.

The personnel may be different, but Seattle’s defense still does what it does.

Down in Charlotte, the Panthers all but devoured the rest of the league during the regular season, missing out on a flawless campaign only in a loss at Atlanta. Lynch hasn’t played since Week 10 with an abdomen injury, still listed as day to day after ruling himself out last weekend despite practicing in full all week. Seattle was first in scoring defense, second in total defense, first against the run, second against the pass and allowed the fewest touchdown passes. Seattle Seahawks running back Christine Michael (32) celebrates after an NFL wild-card football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016, in Minneapolis. Strong safety Kam Chancellor is the ideal matchup, as his size and athleticism goes a long way toward neutralizing opposing tight ends. They have played five times in the last four years, including last season in the divisional round of the playoffs. Whoever is tasked with manning up on Olsen or being in the same area as Olsen while in zone coverage has to know Newton will be looking that way, at least initially. Seattle has been here before, a couple times, so that can also be a determining factor. That’s why you come to the league.

Fans love free giveaways, especially when the giveaways are related to their favorite team. Seattle’s second-ranked pass defense has given its competition issues.

But this isn’t any road game. Seahawks are 5-2 when trailing by nine points or more in postseason since 2010….

Denver has plenty of questions surrounding them, as well. At the time the Panthers may have been 4-0, but those victories were the less-than-convincing kind against lesser competition.

Here’s how Newton sees it. We’ll determine it, but we also need you guys’ help too.

Then, after drawing out the last word, Newton’s demeanor changed.

“Then 14-0 hit and then that’s when we were like, ‘Oh my god”, Newton said forlornly before smiling.

“We feel good about him”, Rivera said of Stewart. “It’s so loud the only thing you hear is screaming and the bleachers smacking up against each other”, said Panthers fan and worker Godwin Ozoeneh.

“Get it?” he asked the group of reporters.