Seahawks vs Panthers: a prediction by the numbers

The Seattle Seahawks are the statistically better team, but that doesn’t mean that the will be an easy game. The two teams match up fairly well against each other.

A year ago in the playoffs, the Carolina Panthers run up the score on the Seattle Seahawks in the first half. While Seattle eventually made it close, the outcome was never really in doubt. Since then, the team have gone in completely different directions.

The Seahawks are currently 3 games up in their division with just 5 games to play. They’re headed back to the playoff and hoping to make another run at a championship. Carolina is 4-7 and in last place in their division.

Now the teams meet up again. There’s less as sake since the playoff futures of both teams appear to already be determined. For the Seahawks though, the combination of revenge and a fight for playoff seeding provides plenty of motivation for them to want to run up the score in this one if they can.

Before we get to a prediction, lets look at how the two teams match up statistically.

When Seattle has the ball

The thing that jumps out here is that the Seahawks simply aren’t going to be able to run the football. Their run blocking has been atrocious all season, and the Panthers are the best team in the NFL at stopping the run.

The Seahawks cannot abandon the run game either and just let Russell Wilson sling it all game either. Carolina is adept at getting to the QB and getting sacks. Given how bad Seattle’s pass blocking is, that too is a recipe for disaster for the Seahawks.

Points are clearly going to be tough tough come by. Seattle must take care of the football while looking moving the ball down the field using the short passing game. If the Seahawks can do that, they should be able to have some success offensively this week.

When Carolina has the ball

Everything about this matchup favors Seattle defense. The Seahawks are statistically better on defense than the Panthers are on offense in every category.

Carolina’s offense doesn’t do anything particularly well this year. Even their success in scoring points is misleading. A lot of those points have come because of short field provided by their defense collecting turnovers.

Prediction

Russell Wilson getting his mobility back will be a huge development for the Seahawks. Hopefully that will allow Wilson to avoid Carolina’s pass rush long enough to take advantage of the Panthers’ poor secondary.

Next: Seahawks ready to get back on track

Carolina, on the other hand, doesn’t have anything working for them to suggest that they’re going to be able to put up points on Seattle’s defense. It should be be a low scoring game for both teams, but the Seahawks should be able to have more offensive success over the course of this game.

Seattle 19 – 9 Carolina