Panthers squash skepticism with statement win over Seahawks
The Carolina Panthers sprinted to a league-best 15-1 record and sent an NFL-high 10 players to the Pro Bowl, but a cloud of skepticism surrounded their Super Bowl candidacy. After a 31-24 statement win over the Seattle Seahawks, the Panthers have finally begun to eliminate the prevailing doubt about their chances.
Cam Newton is the leading MVP candidate, but his entire season was viewed as a referendum on convention, scoring a league-leading 45 touchdowns in spite of his 59.8 percent completion rate. Newton's rushing prowess was limited Sunday, but after going 16-of-22 for 161 yards and a touchdown, he may have finally ceased the racially coded criticisms about his lack of leadership.
For the entirety of the Newton-Russell Wilson era, the Seahawks served as an older brother of sorts to the Panthers, with the teams sporting identical styles. The Seahawks largely dominated the budding rivalry, eliminating the Panthers from the postseason last year, but the NFC South juggernaut exacted a sharp measure of revenge. A host of Panthers players pointed to their Week 6 comeback victory over the Seahawks as the point when their identity shifted, and the NFC's top seed quickly assembled a virtuoso first half Sunday.
Seattle's defense entered the game with plenty of fanfare, leading the NFL in scoring defense for four consecutive years. The Panthers' defense responded with an impact play immediately, with Luke Kuechly returning an interception for a touchdown in the game's infancy. In a game billed as a battle between two revolutionary quarterbacks, Kuechly, along with Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kawann Short were arguably the best players on the field.
The Panthers' fight for genuine respect likely isn't over, as they'll host the 13-3 Arizona Cardinals in what's shaping up to be a NFC Championship Game for the ages. Nonetheless, the Panthers finally recorded a statement win over their greatest tormentor, and the armada of critics ought to be finally silent, with the league's best team two victories away from winning the Super Bowl.