Sports Betting Tips: Carolina Panthers vs. Seattle Seahawks
The standings say that these two teams are the champions of their respective divisions, but there's no doubt that the Seattle Seahawks are the better team. The defending Super Bowl champions are favored by about 10 points in this Divisional Round matchup, and it may not even be that close. Seattle has the clear advantage in most positions on the field, but don't discount what the Panthers had to go through to get to this point. They were the beneficiaries of a weak division, but they have been a pretty hot team coming into the playoffs. Cam Newton is a game-changer, but it will likely take a team effort to take down the Seahawks at home.
Seattle has home field advantage throughout the playoffs, and they probably have the best home field in the NFL. The crowd is always rowdy, but they kick it up a notch during the playoffs. Newton will have a hard time communicating the plays to his teammates on the field, and the Panthers will likely have some procedure penalties due to the intense crowd noise.
Russell Wilson has proven to be a big game quarterback. Between him and running back Marshawn Lynch, the Seahawks are tough to stop on offense. But it is their defense that will wreak havoc on the Panthers. The experienced Seahawks have the potential to overwhelm the young Panthers, which could make for a long afternoon for Carolina.
Carolina's offense will have to find a way to score points against the league's best defense. Seattle has given up a league best 16 points per game this season. Newton has been playing inspired since he survived a scary vehicle accident just a few weeks ago. He will be amped up for this game, but it will be difficult to play in the electric atmosphere in Seattle.
Clock management will be key for the Panthers. If they are able to establish a running game and take some pressure off of Newton, then Carolina will have a shot to win. Their defense has been solid for most of the year and they won't be intimidated by Seattle's offense. The Seahawks look like the better team, but anything can happen in the NFL playoffs.
If the NFL expert picks are accurate, then this should be a low scoring game. The over/under is set at about 40 points, so it's expected to be a defensive battle. A low-scoring game will benefit Carolina more than the Seahawks. The Panthers just need to stay in the game long enough and hope that Seattle makes some mistakes. It's very possible that 21 points will win this game, but we feel that the Seahawks will be well prepared for this game. Russell Wilson will have a huge game and Seahawks will win comfortably to advance to the NFC Championship Game.
Sports Betting predictions:
Panthers 13
Seahawks 28
