Seahawks Top Panthers After Offense Explodes in Second Half
After an emotional overtime victory over the Detroit Lions, the Seattle Seahawks welcomed the Carolina Panthers to town Sunday, hoping to win their second straight game.
They did just that, as the Seahawks scored 25 second-half points en route to a win in a game was much closer than the 37-27 final score indicated.
The Panthers were without rookie quarterback and No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young, who was out due to an ankle injury. Instead, the Panthers turned to veteran journeyman Andy Dalton.
After a Seahawks punt on their first drive, Dalton was able to lead the Panthers down the field and set up a field goal to give them a 3-0 lead. The Seahawks answered with a field goal of their own as Jason Meyers, who has been struggling this season, nailed the 43-yard field goal.
After a Panthers punt, Seattle drove down the field again but again had to settle for a field goal which Meyers made to put them up 6-3. Something that happened again following the same sequence by both teams, with Meyers putting Seattle up 6-3.
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The first touchdown of the day came via Dalton, as he was able to connect on a 47-yard touchdown pass to DJ Chark for the score. Geno Smith followed this up with a pick after trying to force a pass into tight coverage.
The Seahawks were able to keep the Panthers out of the end zone and hold them to a field goal. One they would answer with a field goal of their own, and later add another Meyers field goal early in the second half to go up 15-13.
The Panthers tried to continue the field goal trend, but Eddy Pineiro missed his attempt to regain the lead. And, for the first time all game, the Seahawks offense was able to finish a drive thanks to a Kenneth Walker 1-yard rushing touchdown to make it 22-13. That double-digit lead was quickly cut to single-digits, as Dalton led the Panthers down the field to set up a touchdown of their own making the score 22-20, Seattle.
The Seahawks replicated their last drive, charging 69 yards down the field in six plays and scoring another touchdown, again by Walker to go up 29-20.
After the teams each forced each other to punt, and the Panthers were unable to convert on fourth down, the Seahawks blew the game open with a dagger. Geno Smith found fan and coach-favorite, rookie wide out Jake Bobo for the score to make the lead 37-20 after the two-point conversion.
The Panthers were able to match following a touchdown pass from Dalton to Adam Theilen, but they were unsuccessful in recovering the onside kick.
Smith was able to partake in every quarterback's favorite play, the kneel down, as the Seahawks won their second straight advancing to 2-1. The Panthers fell to 0-3 with the loss, and will play a winless Vikings team on Sunday.
Seattle will hit the road and take on the New York Giants on Monday Night Football.
