Seahawks win eighth-straight home playoff game

Seattle defeats Carolina, 31-17

By Sam Deal, Sports Editor

Kam Chancellor and the Seattle Seahawks clinched their spot in back-to-back NFC Championship games Saturday Jan. 10, by defeating the Carolina Panthers, 31-17.

With less than six minutes remaining and the game still tight, Chancellor intercepted Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and took a 90-yard stroll for a Seahawks score. The seismic play rocked the Clink and sealed Carolina’s fate.

“[Chancellor] means everything to our defense,” defensive end Michael Bennett said after the game. “He is the heart and soul with those hits.”

The interception wasn’t the only part of Chancellor’s game that had fans excited.

In one of the more bizarre endings to a half, the Seahawks safety timed the snap count and leapt over the Panthers’ line and barely missed blocking Graham Gano’s field goal attempt.

But because of a false start call, Carolina was forced to kick again.

Again, Chancellor jumped the count and the line, but this time ran into Gano, giving the kicker yet another attempt, which he hit making the score 14-10 at half.

“He is as good as it gets in the business,” quarterback Russell Wilson said of Chancellor.

The Seahawks, who have outscored opponents 204-110 in the third and fourth quarters this season, just continued to do what they’ve done all year long.

Seattle’s second half featured 17 straight points to secure their eighth straight home playoff victory. Wilson led the way passing 268 yards and three touchdowns. Marshawn Lynch was mostly held in check racking up only 59 rushing yards.

The Seahawks top-ranked defense forced Newton to turn the ball over three times, two of which led to scores. Carolina became the first team to have a fourth quarter touchdown against the Seahawks in the team’s last 10 games.

“Dominant performance from the Seattle Seahawks,” said Fox commentator John Lynch. “Carolina gave a great effort and it just wasn’t good enough against these guys.”

The win allows the Seahawks to host back-to-back NFC Championships which no team had accomplished since 1996-1997 season.

The Green Bay Packers defeated the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Jan. 11 to secure their trip to the northwest, and will face the Seahawks on Jan. 18.

“It is going to be a tough battle,” said Wilson in an interview with Fox Sports. “We are looking forward to the opportunity.”

Led by injured quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the Packers will be playing in Seattle for the second time this season, and they are hoping it goes better than the first meeting, which Seattle won, 36-16.

Seahawks rookie wide receiver Paul Richardson will be sidelined for the game after tearing his ACL during a play against Carolina.