Advertisement

NFL Playoff Preview: Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks

Carolina Panthers (8-8-1) at Seattle Seahawks (12-4)
Saturday, 8:15 p.m. ET on Fox

PANTHERS AT A GLANCE

How they got here: The Panthers had one of the most unusual paths to the divisional round of any team in NFL history.

Carolina went two entire months between wins. The Panthers beat Chicago on Oct. 5 and didn't win again until knocking off New Orleans on Dec. 7. They suffered through a 1-8-1 stretch. And because the NFC South might have been the worst division in NFL history, a four-game winning streak at the end of the regular season allowed them to steal the NFC South title with a losing record, just the second team in NFL history to make the playoffs with a losing record. The first? The Seahawks, in 2010.

And if the Panthers needed one more break, they got it, when the Arizona Cardinals and third-string quarterback Ryan Lindley came in and put up an NFL playoff record low 78 yards in 27-16 win.

Key player: We can't separate Thomas Davis and Luke Kuechly, the great Carolina linebackers. Their speed and ability define a defense that has been playing much better lately. Davis and Kuechly will be key to not just slowing down Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch, but they also have the speed to keep quarterback Russell Wilson from making big plays with his feet. That's a big reason Carolina has played Seattle's offense very well each of the past two years. 

[Join FanDuel's $2M Divisional Round fantasy league: $25 to enter; top 17,475 teams paid]

X factor: Jonathan Stewart isn't an unknown, but he fell off the radar for a while. The running back has often been injured, and when the Panthers made the curious decision to re-sign DeAngelo Williams to a five-year, $43 million contract in 2011, it assured Stewart would never get a chance as a lead back. But injuries to Williams gave Stewart a shot late this season, and long after everyone mostly forgot about him, he had a stretch that everyone was predicting for him early in his career. Stewart had games of 122 and 155 yards in the Panthers' win streak to end the regular season, then had 123 yards against Arizona last week. It won't be easy against Seattle's defense, but if the Panthers are going to pull off the upset a lot rests on Stewart having a big day. 

Jonathan Stewart 2014 Rushing Yards By Game | FindTheBest

Intangibles: There's no team playing with more house money than the Panthers. They weren't supposed to be here, but they are. There's nothing to lose now. And they face a team they've come within a fourth-quarter Russell Wilson touchdown pass of beating each of the past two years. Those games were in Carolina, but at the very least the Panthers can think back to those games and be confident they can play with the Seahawks. 

SEAHAWKS AT A GLANCE

How they got here: They had the typical malaise of a defending champion, but righted their ship in time. The Seahawks were 6-4 after a Nov. 16 loss at Kansas City and it looked like they might miss the playoffs. They haven't lost since. And they weren't squeaking out wins either. Every one of their final six wins came by double digits. The Seahawks, the dominant champions from a season ago, are back.

Key player: Safety Kam Chancellor is a big part of what the Seahawks do on defense. Chancellor will spend plenty of time defending tight end Greg Olsen, who is a huge key to the Panthers' passing offense. Chancellor is also a great intimidator in the middle. He's not the most celebrated or the best defender the Seahawks have, but he's hugely important, and especially so against the Panthers.

X factor: The Seahawks will need something out of the passing game if they want to repeat, and rookie receiver Paul Richardson might help with that. Richardson started this season slow, and got lost in the hoopla of a great rookie receiver class, but he came on late. In each of Seattle's last two games, Richardson's playing time increased and he set or tied a career high in catches and receptions, grabbing five balls for 52 yards against Arizona and five for 60 against St. Louis. He can be a big-play receiver to help the Seahawks' offense.

Intangibles: The biggest intangible is their venue. The CenturyLink Field advantage is tremendous and will be hard for any NFC team to overcome, much less one with an 8-8-1 record. It's loud, it's oppressive, and it's the best home-field advantage in the NFL, and probably in sports right now.

OUTLOOK

The Panthers have a chance to win. This isn't college, so there are no sham games like Florida Atlantic or Western Carolina at Alabama on the schedule. The NFL doesn't have guarantee games, and every team has a chance to win. However ... this would take quite an effort by the Panthers (especially with the news defensive tackle Star Lotulelei is out with a fractured foot).

The Seahawks are playing tremendous football, have an incredible home-field advantage, are coming off a bye, and this Panthers team still is the same one that went two months without a win. The Panthers can win, surely. But it would take one of the 20 or 25 greatest upsets in NFL history.

- - - - - - -

Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdowncorner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab