Seahawks’ Pete Carroll unsure of Marshawn Lynch’s availability for Sunday’s playoff game

It’s uncertain if he will play Sunday against the Carolina Panthers in the NFC divisional round (10:05 a.m., Pacific Time), but expect the decision to come late in the week.

“It’s going to be fun, it’s always fun when we play Carolina”, said Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, who had six tackles against the Vikings on Sunday. In the moment they needed me most this year, I wasn’t.

NOTES: Previous record cold games for each franchise: Vikings, minus-2 degrees (Dec. 3, 1972, vs. Chicago).

“They’ve had an incredible season, they’ve made it look easy”, Carroll said of the Panthers (15-1), the NFC’s top seed. “Get him out there practicing and see what that means”.

“But you just have to be ready for the challenge”. But Seattle wide receiver Doug Baldwin scored the only touchdown of the game early in the fourth quarter; a field goal then gave the Seahawks a one-point lead.

A similar scenario unfolded in Minnesota this past weekend when Blair Walsh botched a 27-yard kick that would have lifted the Vikings to victory. “We’ll just use all of the time that we have available”. Not getting on the board until the fourth quarter, Seattle wound up its day with 226 total yards and only 12 first downs. “I can’t tell you”.

“I’ve joked around and said, ‘Yeah I done put the ball on the turf but how many have I lost?” “You never know when you’re going to get the opportunity to get back in this situation”.

Though dressed in Seahawks green and navy blue, Mark Wilson of Seattle said he received a warm welcome on his first visit to Minneapolis, even if the weather was the coldest it’s been so far this season. The rest of the National Football League is 6-41.

-There may not be a less indicative stat line than the one compiled Sunday by Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett.

“It really could”, Carroll said. “That’s what we’re talking about, that’s how we hope to be”. “We’ll do that same old thing and see how he’s taken to the week’s work and all of that”. “All I know is what we’ve done here. There’s a high percentage that they make them, but you’ve still got to do it”. “Their players are confident and well-rested and the rest of it. They deserve to feel all of those things”, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said of the Panthers. The two teams have become unexpected rivals; this will be their sixth meeting since 2012, with Seattle winning four of the first five.

Adrian Peterson finished his ninth year with the Minnesota Vikings, his personal victory total in the playoffs still stuck on one.

Rodgers made 21 of 36 for 210 yards and two touchdowns while the Packers also made yardage on their running game.

In many ways, Peterson’s performance mirrored Minnesota’s this season. He was held to a mere 18 yards on eight carries when the teams played during the regular season, a game won by Seattle 38-7.

“No, he just didn’t feel like he could go”, Carroll said Monday at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. “Both games were basically the same”.

Instead, Walsh looked right at the reporters and into their cameras and took responsibility for what had just happened.

“That’s the one thing I always thought, I’m not going to allow this one mistake be all I’m remembered for”.