There are only six teams left undefeated at this point of the season, and the Carolina Panthers are one of them. Their win streak, however, will be put to a decisive test this coming Sunday, when they pay the Seattle Seahawks a visit inside the loud CenturyLink Field for a Week 6 showdown. Will the Panthers prove that they’re legit contenders at least in the NFC with a win over the defending conference champions? Or will Seattle get back to .500 following a sorry loss to the Cincinnati Bengals?
For more Week 6 game previews, you can also read our breakdown of Chiefs vs. Vikings and Bears vs. Lions.
[sc:Football ]Carolina Panthers vs. Seattle Seahawks Preview and Prediction
Where: CenturyLink Field, Seattle
When: Sunday, October 18, 4:05 PM ET
Line: Carolina Panthers vs. Seattle Seahawks – see all NFL lines
TV Broadcast: FOX
Betting on the Carolina Panthers (4-0)
[sc:NFL240banner ]Beating the likes of Jacksonville, Houston, New Orleans, and Tampa Bay sure was fun for the Panthers. But this coming Sunday’s matchup with Seattle would be the first true test for hard-charging Carolina, which we last saw on the field celebrating a 37-23 win over the Bucs back in Week 4.
Cam Newton would definitely be in for a challenge, as he takes on the vaunted defense of Seattle, which allows just 214.2 passing yards per game. Newton didn’t have sparkling numbers against Tampa Bay, throwing for 124 yards and two touchdowns without an interception on 11 of 22 passing, but discovered a new reliable target in Ted Ginn, Jr. Against the Bucs, Ginn caught just two targets for 18 yards but turned both catches into touchdowns. Together with tight end Greg Olsen, Ginn will be among the top options for Newton at CenturyLink Field on Sunday.
Carolina’s passing game will have to work to open up holes for its backfield components to burst through. The Panthers are fourth in the NFL with 132.2 rushing yards per game with Jonathan Stewart pacing the team. Stewart has 220 rushing yards thus far this year, while Newton has scored all of the Panthers’ two rushing touchdowns on the season.
Something has to be said also about Carolina’s defense. Although the Panthers have victimized teams that are now sitting on sub-.500 records, it’ still worth noting that they’re fourth in the league in scoring defense, limiting opponents down to just 17.8 points per game.
Carolina is 4-1 SU 4-0-1 ATS in its last five road games.
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Betting on the Seattle Seahawks (2-3)
Seattle’s defense remains one of the best in the league, but on Sunday, the Seahawks let Andy Dalton play like he really deserved his fat paycheck.
Up 23-7 at the start of the fourth quarter, the Seahawks surprisingly looked helpless against a Dalton-led Cincy comeback. With Dalton throwing darts, the Bengals were able to score 17 unanswered points in the fourth period and in overtime to hand the Seahawks a heart-breaking 27-23 defeat. Dalton is really playing well this season, but he’s also drawing tons of help from a receiving corps brimming with talent.
Well, that’s not the case for Carolina, which is why Seattle should find it easier to contain the Panthers’ passing game. After all, the Panthers are averaging just 189.8 passing yards per game, 29th in the NFL thus far this season.
The Seahawks’ offensive line, meanwhile, still hasn’t fixed its issues, as evidenced by the four sacks the Bengals administered on Russell Wilson. Over their last three games, Wilson was sacked 14 times. Carolina doesn’t possess top tier talents on its pass rush unit, but the Seahawks don’t look great in protecting Wilson either so this aspect of the game will be one worth watching on Week 6.
As for their ground game, the Seahawks appears to have a star in the making in backup running back Thomas Rawls. With Marshawn Lynch still out due to a hamstring ailment, Rawls dominated the Bengals’ defense, as he rushed for 169 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Should Lynch fail to suit up again, Rawls will likely get a lion’s share of carries against Carolina.
The Panthers, however, are tough customers against the run. They’re sixth in the NFL with 92.0 rushing yards allowed per game, which should give Seattle the idea that it has to pass the ball in order to open up space for Rawls and company. Seattle, though, is still trying to take full advantage of Jimmy Graham. So far this season, Graham has just 204 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 21 receptions. Doug Baldwin, meanwhile, leads the team with 268 receiving yards to go along with two receiving scores.
Seattle is 9-1 SU and 5-4-1 ATS in its last 10 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Seattle wins 17-10.
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