The Seattle Seahawks are on the road as they travel to Bank of America Stadium where they will face the Carolina Panthers. Can't watch the game? Follow the score with play-by-play coverage and all the updates you need to stay in touch with what happens in this game. It's NFL's Week 1 as the season is officially here.
We have predictions for this meeting, which you can check out here.
The Seahawks are the favorite, there's no other way to put it. However, though the Panthers' defense doesn't have the best reputation in the league, their preseason numbers were shocking. The Panthers forced six fumbles and had 10 interceptions, three of which were returned. Those numbers are pretty decent for a team, especially if their offense is still attempting to find out who they can depend on.
The biggest difference between the Panthers' and Seahawks' defense is points scored. While the Panthers did a great job preventing teams from moving further up the field, they couldn't stop them from entering the end zone. The Panthers allowed seven touchdowns on defense. Meanwhile, the Seahawks were true pests for offenses, allowing only three touchdowns in their four preseason games.
Also, the Panthers would have probably lost a few games had their defense not came through with the interceptions and the scores. The Panthers' offense had trouble getting their game running. Opponents finished with 26 more first downs and though Cam Newton is known for his leg game, he was more of a passer during the preseason. This is understandable. The last thing the Panthers want is their franchise quarterback to go down in the preseason due to poor play calling.
The Panthers defense took a lot, but they also gave up a lot of yardage. This is where the Seahawks will take advantage and eventually, blow this game open.