Cat Crave
FanSided

Carolina Panthers vs. Seattle Seahawks: NFC Divisional Re-Watch

By Reece Helms

Jan 17, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart (28) scores on a 1 yard touchdown carry over Seattle Seahawks middle linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) and Brock Coyle (52) during the second quarter in a NFC Divisional round playoff game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 17, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart (28) scores on a 1 yard touchdown carry over Seattle Seahawks middle linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) and Brock Coyle (52) during the second quarter in a NFC Divisional round playoff game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 5
Next
Jan 17, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart (28) carries the ball for a big gain on the first play setting up his touchdown in the first quarter against the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Divisional round playoff game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 17, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart (28) carries the ball for a big gain on the first play setting up his touchdown in the first quarter against the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Divisional round playoff game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /

1st Quarter:

This NFC Divisional playoff game started off with a BANG.

Carolina won the coin toss and chose to receive. On the first play, Jonathan Stewart found a hole and ran for a 59 yard gain to the Seattle 16 yard line and later, punched it in for the touchdown. When Stewart ran for that TD, he was the first running back to score against Seattle since November of 2014.

Stewart’s performance in the first quarter got the team going. He had missed the last three games of the regular season due to injury and when you factor in the bye week during the Wild Card round, he had four weeks off between games played. His legs were fresh.

Before some people had a chance to find their seats, the Panthers were up 7-0.

Momentum for the Panthers only started to grow once Seattle got the ball:

Watch defensive tackle Star Lotulelei on this play. He gets to Marshawn Lynch basically untouched and then a swarm of Panther defenders get Lynch for a three-yard loss.

It was then 2nd-and-13 for the Seahawks but things only got worse for them:

Again, the Panther pass rush made this play. Kawann Short’s pressure on Russell Wilson forced him to make the bad throw trying to avoid the sack, resulting in the Luke Kuechly Pick-6.

It’s only the 11:38 mark of the 1st quarter and the Panthers have a 14-0 lead.

Seattle gets the ball back after the kickoff and the Carolina defense still proves to be too much for their offensive line.

For once, they’re starting to move the ball. It was 2nd-and-8 at the CAR 48 yard line. Then Short breaks loose and sacks Wilson to make it a long 3rd-and-19.

One of the factors Seattle was complaining about early in the game was the field conditions. During the first quarter, some of the players went to go change cleats to get a better grip of the soggy field.

The Seahawks even called the Arizona Cardinals before the NFC Championship game to give them advice on what cleats to wear at Bank of America stadium’s turf.

At the conclusion of the first 15 minutes of action, the Panthers were up 14-0 and had the ball at the goal-line to begin the second quarter.

Next: Panthers Stay Hot in 2nd Quarter

Home/Carolina Panthers News