The Seattle Seahawks will enter the NFL's Week 17 slot a week removed from their most important game and win of the season in which they defeated NFC West division rivals, the Los Angeles Rams, 38-37 in overtime.
It could have been Seattle's worst loss of the season, but the second-half comeback turned it into their best win instead. Next up: the Carolina Panthers, whom the Seahawks have no business losing to. In fact, what should happen is a blowout.
Sam Darnold was instrumental in leading Seattle's offense in that comeback win over the Rams, but he wasn't great in the win. However, a trip East to Charlotte, North Carolina, could provide Darnold with the opportunity to rediscover his form from the first half of the season as he leads the Seahawks on the road as heavy favorites.
Seahawks are heavy favorites to beat up on Panthers
The Panthers, believe it or not, are first in the NFC South, a position that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should be holding down, but they have massively underperformed this year, which paved the way for the Panthers to jump to the top.
That said, the Panthers are not a great team, whereas the Seahawks are. The Panthers are only at the top of their division because their division is so terribly poor, and there is every reason to believe that the Seahawks will come into their stadium and leave with a win.
In fact, the odds that Seattle beats Carolina this upcoming weekend are high enough that FanDuel Sportsbook oddsmakers are elevating the Seahawks as (-7.5) favorites. Clearly, the experts at FanDuel believe in the Seahawks to win, and there shouldn't be a single player in that locker room who believes otherwise.
Are they to take the Panthers for granted? Of course not. What happens when you overlook an opponent? Nothing good. However, this is the perfect game for Darnold and the offense to get back on track. More importantly, it's a good opportunity for Seattle to start off the right way.
The Seahawks continued a worrisome trend against the Rams that goes back a few games: starting off games poorly, with lackluster first halves. Their offense, specifically, has failed to unleash its electric passing attack until only after the first half lately, which has raised questions about Darnold.
Of course, despite the slow starts, Seattle has remained a winner, and another factor that bodes well for them against the Panthers is that the Seahawks are an impressive 6-1 on the road, second only to the New England Patriots, who are undefeated at 7-0.
With two games remaining on the schedule, Seattle must win out to maintain their place atop the NFC. Picking up their 13th win against the Panthers aids this quest. For Seattle's sake, let's hope they don't just finish well, but start well also.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.