Top 3 keys to victory for Seattle Seahawks versus Carolina Panthers in Week 3

Geno Smith lights it up

The second key to a Seattle victory is Geno Smith's play. Last week Geno returned to form (well, the entire offense did) and the Seahawks looked fabulous. Not that he was terrible Week 1, but Geno was sensational in Week 2, and Sunday if Geno plays the same way, the Panthers are in big trouble.

As mentioned multiple times, we have the best receiving core in the NFL. Plenty of mouths to feed and all of our guys are hungry to get in the game. The Panthers have the 19th-ranked defense in the league, and their No. 1 cornerback Jaycee Horn is sidelined indefinitely. This should make for an easy day for the Seahawks passing attack.

The key here is to not fall asleep at the wheel against a team we should beat, like we did in Week 1. We have got to expose the Panthers secondary and put this game away early. Geno making plays is critical to our success Sunday. The coaches calling the right plays is just as important as well.

The Panthers have 8 sacks this year - fifth in the league - but they are only 22nd in pressure percentage this season. Carolina is 26th in knockdown percentage. They have gotten to opposing quarterbacks but have not really made them pay. If the offensive line does its job, Geno should feast on the depleted Carolina secondary.