Not every NFL expert is picking Seahawks over the Panthers this week

Only two games remain for the Seattle Seahawks (12-3) for them to potentially get the NFC West Division title and the NFC’s No. 1 seed. They have to keep their eyes on the road in front of them. Their next roadblock towards the top goal for the playoffs is the Carolina Panthers (8-7) on the road.

The Seahawks will face off against the Panthers in a 1 PM Eastern kickoff time or 10 AM Pacific. They haven’t been great to start off the early kickoff games, which has some NFL experts believing Carolina, the current NFC South Division leader, will give Seattle a tough time.

One expert, Ali Bhanpuri, believes the Seahawks will find themselves on the losing end of the Week 17 road matchup versus the Panthers 24-21.

Brooke Cersosimo was one of the four experts who picked the Seahawks to come up victorious on Sunday, but with a close 27-23 score. There are reasons why experts are loving the Panthers as a serious threat to a top-tier team like the Seahawks. The first is that the Panthers have already defeated two of the current NFC playoff teams, the Green Bay Packers and the Los Angeles Rams.

Both games had different reasons for the wins. In Carolina’s 16-13 Week 9 road win, the Panthers forced two turnovers from the Packers and held them to 1-of-5 in the red zone. In the 31-28 Week 13 home win over the Rams, Panthers quarterback Bryce Young threw three touchdowns.

Panthers' Bryce Young and then Seahawks' Geno Smith shakes hands after a 2023 game in Seattle. — Sep 24, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) shakes hands with Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9, right) following a 37-27 Seattle victory at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Another reason the Panthers are serious threats is that Young plays up to the high level of play from opposing defenses, especially against top-ten pressure rates. Young has accounted for eight touchdowns, only one interception, and a 105.2 passing rating in five games, all resulting in wins.

Experts see that the Panthers have some consistency playing against top-tier opponents, but they have shown they are anything but consistent. Carolina hasn’t won two games in a row since Weeks 6 and 7 of the season.

While they’ve played well against some playoff teams with great pass rush, they’ve played poorly against others with reliable secondaries like the San Francisco 49ers, the Buffalo Bills, and the New England Patriots.

There is real pressure for the Seahawks to win and win big on Sunday. They are ranked second in the league in points per game (29.5) and second in points allowed per game (18.6). Their special teams are also incredibly consistent across the board with kicking, punting, and the return game from Rashid Shaheed.

Three of the three experts have Seattle winning by one possession, Bhanpuri believing in the Panthers’ hype, and Gennaro Filice projecting Seattle to win 30-16. One of these teams is at the heights of their goals this season; the Seahawks have to overcome their slow starts, play up to the Panthers’ hype level, and slow down Young if they want to avoid a colossal upset.

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