Seahawks take Panthers with 31-17 win
SEATTLE — Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson spent a good part of the past few weeks playing in the shadows of a rock-solid defense and a bruising ground game that helped the defending champions get back into position to host a couple of playoff games.
On Saturday night, Wilson stepped to the forefront to lead the Seahawks to a 31-17 win over the Carolina Panthers in an NFC divisional playoff game.
Wilson threw for 268 yards and three touchdowns as the Seahawks moved one step closer to another Super Bowl appearance. His 29-yard touchdown pass to tight end Luke Willson with 10:26 remaining gave Seattle a 24-10 lead and then safety Kam Chancellor returned an interception 90 yards for a touchdown to finish off Carolina.
Wilson completed 15 of 22 passes for 268 yards — he was 8 of 8 for 199 yards and three touchdowns on third down — and also threw touchdown passes to receivers Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse.
“Last time we played them, I didn’t have my best game,” Wilson said. “This time, we really connected. We were really clicking on all cylinders.”
Carolina quarterback Cam Newton completed 23 of 36 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns but also threw two interceptions. A third interception, by Seattle safety Earl Thomas in the closing seconds of the first half, was overturned after a replay showed that he lost control of the ball as he hit the ground.
“We made some mistakes; we missed some opportunities,” Carolina coach Ron Rivera said. “And (Seattle) did some things tonight that lead to winning championships.”
The Carolina offense put up a surprising challenge for most of the game, with 362 yards, but Seattle’s 17 straight points in the opening 10 minutes of the fourth quarter turned the game into a blowout.
“I’m disappointed for our team,” Rivera said. “They came from so far, endured a lot, fought a lot … and they deserve to be here.”
Seattle will host the winner of Sunday’s game between the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys in next weekend’s NFC Championship game.
Defensive lineman Michael Bennett said he’d love to face either team, but the Texas native added that he would relish another shot at Dallas after the Cowboys handed thes Seahawks their only home loss of the season (30-23 in Week 6).
“We want to play them again because we didn’t have all our guys,” Bennett said, referring to defensive injuries that left Seattle short-handed in that game.
Chancellor, who was slowed by injuries for a good part of the season, led the Seattle defense on Saturday. He had 10 tackles, many of which came on huge hits, had a blocked kick that was wiped out by a penalty, and put the game away with the 90-yard interception return.
“He’s a difference maker for us,” cornerback Richard Sherman told ESPN after the game. “When you go down and write down these All-Pros and Pro Bowl votes, and you don’t put a guy like that in it, I think you’re putting too much value on the regular season. The postseason is where MVPs and All-Pros should be determined, because big players make big plays in big games. A lot of those guys that were on that All-Pro team aren’t here (playing) today.”
Seattle will host the NFC Championship game for the second consecutive year and for the third time since 2005.
“It’s exciting,” Wilson said, “but the job’s not done yet. We’re on a mission.”
Two touchdown passes by Wilson led the Seahawks to a 14-10 halftime lead.
The Panthers turned the ball over twice in the first quarter, with the second one leading to a Seattle touchdown.
Bennett forced a fumble on a handoff exchange, with Seattle teammate Tony McDaniel recovering at the Carolina 28-yard line. Four plays later, Wilson floated a 16-yard touchdown pass to Baldwin to give the Seahawks a 7-0 lead with 56 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
Carolina answered with a 14-play, 79-yard drive that resulted in a 7-yard touchdown pass from Newton to receiver Kelvin Benjamin, tying the score 7-7.
But the Seahawks responded less than three minutes later, with Wilson hitting Kearse on a 63-yard touchdown pass to put Seattle ahead 14-7 with 4:54 remaining in the half.
Carolina kicker Graham Gano hit a 35-yard field goal on the final snap of the half, pulling the Panthers to within 14-10.
Two of the most productive running backs of the final month of the season were mostly held in check. Seattle’s Marshawn Lynch had 59 yards on 14 carries. Carolina’s Jonathan Stewart rushed 13 times for 70 yards.