By Charles Jay
It’s hard to imagine any team bringing as much of a head of steam as the Seattle Seahawks are taking into the playoffs right now, because they have practically been impossible to score upon. They are well-rested and have an opportunity to advance to the NFC title game in pursuit of their second consecutive Super Bowl championship as they play host to the Carolina Panthers in NFL playoff betting action that is set to kick off at 8:15 PM ET at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, which is generally regarded to be the loudest venue in the league.
Seattle’s internal problems have been well-known to Vietbet patrons this season. There was trouble between management and running back Marshawn Lynch, who was looking to renegotiate his contract during training camp; Percy Harvin was dealt in mid-season to the New York Jets, after which stories surfaced about friction between him and teammates; there were also reports about resentment on the part of some Seahawks about quarterback Russell Wilson.
But the team overcame all of this, or so it appears. They have win six straight games to finish out the season, covering all of them against the football pointspread. And their defense has been stifling, allowing just 39 points over the period, with only one foe scoring more than seven points; that was Philadelphia, which was held to 139 yards. At the moment they are 12-4 straight-up and 10-6 against the number. Carolina, which won the NFC South title and followed with a victory over Arizona in the wild card round, is 8-8-1, both straight-up and against the spread.
In the NFL playoff odds established at Vietbet on this game, the Seahawks are laying double digits:
Seattle Seahawks -11
Carolina Panthers +11
Over 40 points -110
Under 40 points -110
Seattle is ranked third in the NFL in rushing defense and has allowed just 3.4 yards per attempt. They are also first in pass defense and first in scoring defense, giving up 15.9 points per game. What is also very notable is that the Seahawks have forced their opponents to punt the ball on 49% of all drives, which is the best such figure in the league. And it is all tough news for the Panthers, who have once again become very reliant on their ground game, which ranks seventh in the NFL.
And interestingly enough, it is the Carolina defense, led by All-Pro linebacker Luke Kuechly, which is coming off a record-breaking performance, holding the Cardinals to just 78 total yards, the lowest number ever for a post-season game. Of course, Vietbet customers know that this came against Arizona’s third-string quarterback (Ryan Lindley),but NFL bettors do indeed remember that the Panthers’ stop unit was able to shut down a lot of opponents last season in the process of winning the first of their two straight division crowns, and in allowing just 59 points over the last five games, they are starting to resemble that again.
Just take a look at the last three meetings between these teams, which have resulted in Seattle victories, but only by margins of 16-12, 12-7 and 13-9 (this season). Should anyone be shocked if the Panthers are able to play this game tight once again?
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