Who thinks we'll actually beat Seattle on Saturday?

[Mol3m4n]

Quick, someone sell your soul to the devil.

[Sam Mills Fan]

Didn't you think we would lose to az and atlanta. If that works for you man, but keep it to your cam hating self.

 

I honestly can't remember if I thought we would beat Atlanta or not, but I thought we would beat Arizona every second of the week prior and every second of the game even when they took the lead briefly. I've also not made a negative Cam thread in literally well over a year.

[Chrome_Seahawk]

Doesn't matter...

All that matters is Carolina matches up well with Sea. Means we should have a shot...as we always do vs Sea

I happen to agree that the teams match up well against each other, I was taking issue with someone saying that the Rams outplayed Seattle in the final game of the season....

[Peppers90 NC]

I think we can beat anyone right now with how the defense is playing. My biggest concern is that Ron's teams tend to fold under the bright lights when things are going well. The gameplan shouldn't change, try to out physical the opponent, continue to run hard and play great defense. Get their aggressive safeties up in the box and try to get one on one outside and get a big play or three.

[Peppers90 NC]

I fully expect Caroilna to win this game. The Panthers are built to win on the road in the playoffs. Have you ever seen what a QB feeding frenzy looks like?

Anything less than a win will be a disapointment in my book.

You fully expect a win? Unreasonable fans might be the worst.

[CarolinaSamurai]

It comes down to who's hungrier. The team that just won a SB or the one who is called a joke.

We have already exceeded everyones expectations and quieted those who doubted our drive. Keep Pounding is a way of life for this team. No matter what never give up. So far that's gotten us the first back to back NFC south titles ever. First Newton Era Playoff Win.

From 12-4 to 7-8-1 with losses across the board in all positions. Greg Hardy. To like 9 new starters that weren't at the beginning of the season.

We are better now, playing at a high level, and got more to prove. You were the "why not us" team but not this year. Keep Pounding. Go Panthers.

[CatalystNX]

We're due. We're a team of destiny, and I have a feeling.

[Beast Mode]

My observations, reasoning, and ideal game plan for the game on Saturday.

Seattle:

1. Seattle is great at home yes.  However they struggled against a Rams team recently and were down until the Rams QB literally threw the game away. 

2. Wilson keeps his cool but it still limited when pressure is applied. The Rams did a great job for the most part.

3. Their defense like ours will come to play but they are still human. 

4. They do not have a great WR core so our secondary can stick with them minus the spontaneous scramble plays that lead to lofty type passes near the sideline. (It seems like they practice their route routines once Wilson breaks the pocket and they head for the sideline to reduces chances of his passes being intercepted) 

Carolina:

 

1. Carolina has played in playoff atmosphere type road games with wins in ATL and the Saints.  Saints have horrible defense but that offense is ALWAYS a threat to score quickly.  Falcons have great WR core which we held in check. These were also divisional games inside of a dome. I believe this helps prep us big time for the noise in seattle hype. 

2. Cam got his first playoff win and had a bad game facing a defense playing all sorts of blitz packages.  Cam now has another taste of exotic blitzes and different looks presnap.  I believe this was a well needed prep game before Seattle. 

3. We have LUKE on our defense and I promise he is sharing all his secrets with the crew in the film room all this week.  Luke knows what is at stake and he will have the Defense ready for Wilson.  When we rush Wilson I would like to see us keep his eyes occupied on the rusher rather than down field. So instead of chasing him down like a bat out of hell, chase him to keep him in front of you so that he has to no clue where to juke next. Wilson loves to make you miss, so be aware defense! Just keep him shuffling his feet, and watch him toss up those ducks.

4. Cam was still some what injured when we played Seattle early in the year and I believe he leaves it all out there this time.  Cam had a good prep game with Arizona and that will keep him on his toes for this one.  

*Side notes* Raiders made it a close game with the Hawks, 30-24 And they do not have the defense we do nor the running game.

The cowboys beat the hawks and they have a bunch of hard working second stringers on defense. 

It can be done, so be a fan not a debbie downer. 

 

Just to reply to your points

 

Seattle

1. No idea why this is the case, but the Seahawks struggle with the Rams every year.  Last year they swept the Rams but held on for dear life in the game against them in St. Louis.  The Week 17 game (sidenote:  for whatever reason the schedule always has us playing at Carolina and against St. Louis in Week 17.. anyway) was also pretty close for awhile before they finally pulled away late.  This season the Rams beat us on a fake punt and just a strange, strange gaffe on a punt return where our entire coverage team went towards Tavon Austin on the wrong side of the field, leaving Stedman Bailey all by himself on the other side where the punt was actually headed.  Anyway long story short.. it doesn't matter how good the Seahawks are or how bad the Rams are.. they just give us fits every season.  I wouldn't read too much into those games honestly.  

 

2. This is half-true really.  The key with Wilson is containment.  He's fine with pressure.  The Cardinals blitzed 7 and 8 guys constantly and Wilson ripped them apart to the tune of nearly 450 total yards of offense and 4 touchdowns.  Where teams get into problems is when they force Wilson out of the pocket but have no one to spy on him to prevent a big scramble, or they don't have the bodies to get him down and he will fire a pass in there to a WR that broke off his route.  Teams are almost better off pressuring him but doing so in a manner that keeps him in the pocket.. because then he will either hold the ball too long or throw high on his passes.  

 

3. Obviously the defense is human.. but outside of Jordan Hill who will be a question mark to go.. the defense is also about as healthy as its ever been.  The Seahawks and Panthers are very similar in the front 7 .. but the back 4 is where the two differ greatly.  I know Norman has really helped out the secondary.. but Roman Harper is still Roman Harper (I think he was beat on the final TD in October if memory serves).  The Seahawks don't have that weakness anywhere on their defense.  

 

4. They're not great in terms of big named guys.. but they are all serviceable and they are all in sync with Russell Wilson which is huge.  As you alluded to, the scramble drills is really where they will hurt you.. they know how to break off routes and put themselves in a place where Wilson will find them. 

 

Carolina 

1. I'm sorry but Falcon fans are terrible.  Comparing the Georgia Dome to CenturyLink Field is simply not correct.  The Superdome.. sure.. I can give you that one.  I don't think the noise is as big a factor as it used to be.. it's probably more mental than anything else.  Where I would possibly be concerned as a Panther fan would be in regards to the offensive line never really being in a situation like that, and the Seahawks defensive line being able to pick up on silent counts and the like and getting a good jump on plays .. aside from that.. noise isn't a big issue.  

 

2. Wrong.  The Seahawks defense is nothing like the Cardinals.  They play two schemes .. Cover 1 Man and Cover 3.  Sometimes they go press release or press bail.  Basically, they dare you to be patient enough to dink and dunk down the field all game.  They will not exotic blitz though.. they really will not blitz much at all to be honest, aside from obvious passing downs where they may bring a linebacker down the gap.  But unlike the Cardinals, they want to generate all of their pressure with their front 4 and have 7 guys in coverage.  If they are able to do that, it will be a very long day for the Panthers offense. 

 

3. Luke Kuechly is great.  You guys have already lost though if he needs to get the rest of the defense focused.  It's the playoffs.  This is a non issue.  I promise you that guys like Earl Thomas and Bobby Wagner will be in the same mindset. 

 

4. Cam Newton was healthy the previous two times he played Seattle .. one of which being his worst outing of his career.  Not a big factor come Saturday. 

 

5. The Raiders played a lot of teams tougher down the stretch, and really that game was not as close as the scoreboard indicated.  Also that game had the Seahawks without Russell Okung, James Carpenter, Max Unger, Bobby Wagner, Kam Chancellor, Jeron Johnson, Malcolm Smith and more.  So thats 3/5 of the OL .. the all-pro MLB.. pro bowl SS, the backup SS and a key linebacker.  In other words, thank god they played the Raiders that day.  

[Peppers90 NC]

Matchups are crucial. I think we match up well versus Seattle and Dallas, but not GB as much but I think both Dallas and Seattle can beat GB.

[raleigh-panther]

I do

The reason is Thomas Davis

If I am Rivera I put TD all day long on Wilson's ass and make sure someone is trailing to pick up the fumble

Wilson feasts on undisciplined front 7 s. That won't happen this time

My biggest concern is special teams. I have zero faith in Gano in big moments. Particularly wet big moments

[SCP]

fug it, we are playing with house money. Let's do this poo.

[teeray]

EXCUSE ME?

The Hawks won EVERY statistical measurable in that game - The Rams had a 6-0 lead at halftime but only had 56 yards of offense. The reason that the Hawks were behind is that they uncharacteristically turned the ball over 2 times leaving short fields for the Rams....who were only able to convert those short fields into Field Goals.

Furthermore, the Hawks created both turnovers that led to the 14 point swing in the 4th quarter.

You are excused. Did you watch the game?

One of their field goals wasn't off a turnover.

Seattle got a big chunk of their total yardage on the last play of the 1st half on a sorta hail Mary and the guy ran 40 yards before being tackled to end the half

Seattle only had one more 1st down than the Rams

The Rams fumbled the ball at the goal line going in fot a TD resulting in a touchback.

The Rams killed at least 3 drives with silly penalties

The only reason Seattle scored any TDS was because of two freak interceptions by the Rams where a DL had a pick when QB was spiking the ball on a busted screen, and a WR bobbles the ball and dropped it right into a Hawks player's arms who ran it back for a TD.

St Louis outplayed the Hawks, and their own mistakes cost them the game.

[toldozer]

I honestly can't remember if I thought we would beat Atlanta or not, but I thought we would beat Arizona every second of the week prior and every second of the game even when they took the lead briefly. I've also not made a negative Cam thread in literally well over a year.

I thought you were the one bashing us saying we needed to lose to atl for draft picks. If not, then my apologies

[toldozer]

EXCUSE ME?

The Hawks won EVERY statistical measurable in that game - The Rams had a 6-0 lead at halftime but only had 56 yards of offense. The reason that the Hawks were behind is that they uncharacteristically turned the ball over 2 times leaving short fields for the Rams....who were only able to convert those short fields into Field Goals.

Furthermore, the Hawks created both turnovers that led to the 14 point swing in the 4th quarter.

Hmm sounds like our game against zona. You know we should have won the game 33-0 right?