Seahawks vs Panthers: 5 reasons the Seahawks will win

2 of 2

3. SEAHAWKS RUN DEFENSE

Seattle currently sits 7th in the league in rushing defense, allowing only 92.6 yards per game. The Panthers were hopeful that Washington native Jonathan Stewart would flourish as their primary back now that DeAngelo Williams was out of the mix, but he’s only averaging 3.7 yards per carry and has yet to find the end zone. In fact, Newton has rushed for 195 yards so far, only 25 fewer than Stewart.

If the Seahawks can shut down the Panthers running game (which they should), the aforementioned lack of weapons in the passing game becomes even more pronounced.

4. THE RETURN OF MARSHAWN LYNCH*

Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports

This one comes with an asterisk because we won’t know just how healthy Lynch is, but Pete Carroll has indicated that Beast Mode should be a full go. This is the first time Lynch has missed consecutive games, and in his absence he’s seen undrafted rookie Thomas Rawls rack up 217 yards on the ground. Expect a motivated (ie: pissed off) Lynch running behind an offensive line that put together their best game against a very good Bengal defense last week. The Panthers are just above the Hawks in rushing defense, giving up only 92 yards a game on the ground. But they’ve also had just the 2nd fewest attempts against them in the league so far, so how good are they really? We shall find out, and it’s reasonable to expect Seattle’s league-leading rushing attack to have some success on Sunday.

5. THE SEAHAWKS MENTALITY

The team is coming off a frustrating loss in Cincinnati, has seen the Arizona Cardinals skate to 4-1 on top of the NFC West, and has yet to put together a full quality game. The Hawks have always thrived under Carroll when they feel they’re being overlooked or dismissed, and the national narrative is becoming increasingly cynical. The old adage of “the most desperate team usually wins” is especially true in the NFL. Expect the Seahawks to come out fired up, play as hard as they’ve played all year, and step on the gas pedal when they take a lead this week.

We know how damaging a loss this Sunday would be to drop the Seahawks to 2-4, and so do they. I would be shocked if they don’t play like it from start to finish. The Panthers are undefeated, yes, but the combined record of the four teams they’ve beaten so far is 6-15. This matchup clearly favors Seattle.

Next: Seahawks Top 40 All-Time Players; our list

More from 12th Man Rising

Home/Seattle Seahawks News