Game: Seattle Seahawks vs. Carolina Panthers

Date: December 28th at 1:00 PM ET

Where to Watch: CBS

Coming off a huge win last week, the Carolina Panthers have an opportunity to clinch the NFC South with a win and a Buccaneers loss. This week, the Panthers will host the current No. 1 seed in the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks, making it another great test to see if Carolina can hold its own against one of the league’s best teams.

Seattle has put together a strong 2025 campaign, largely thanks to major improvements on the defensive side of the ball, and they enter this matchup at 12-4. Their offense has been strong as well, ranking 7th in yards per game (354.9) and 2nd in points per game (29.5). Defensively, they’ve been just as impressive, sitting 8th in yards allowed per game (302.9) and 2nd in points allowed per game (18.6).

After taking a one-game lead in the NFC South last week, the Panthers now find themselves back over .500 at 8-7. Offensively, things still haven’t been great, as they rank 25th in yards per game (306.7) and 27th in points per game (19.1). Defensively, however, they’ve been solid, ranking 17th in yards allowed per game (329.1) and 13th in points allowed per game (22.5).

This certainly isn’t a must-win game for Carolina, but it is one that can do two important things: first, give them a huge confidence boost, and second, potentially secure the NFC South this week. Because of that, they should be ready to play on Sunday.

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Weather

We’re looking at fairly moderate temperatures for this game, with readings in the low 50s throughout. It will be overcast, with a 40% chance of rain. Winds shouldn’t be much of an issue, averaging around 6 mph with gusts up to 7 mph.

Betting Overview

When the season started, this game opened with Seattle as just 1.5-point favorites, but the line has moved significantly, with the Seahawks now sitting as 7- to 7.5-point favorites. On the moneyline, Seattle can be found at -325 (from -120), while Carolina is at +290 (from even odds). The total hasn’t moved much, opening at 43.5 and dipping slightly to 42.5.

Position Group & Coaching Comparisons

Coaching: Mike Macdonald has been one of the best coaches in the NFL this year, building on the momentum from last season. As a defensive-minded coach, this roster is a perfect fit for him, as he has an offense clicking under Klint Kubiak, along with one of the best defenses in the league. Seattle clearly holds the advantage in the coaching department, but it will be interesting to see what Dave Canales has up his sleeve.

OLs vs. DLs: This should be a fun battle in the trenches this week. Seattle’s strong defensive line will be going up against one of the better offensive lines in Carolina. Where Seattle really takes the edge, though, is on the other side of the ball, as their offensive line has been much better than the Panthers’ defensive line.

QBs: While Sam Darnold is one of the more up-and-down quarterbacks in the league, he has put together some really impressive performances this year. Bryce Young still has a ways to go in his development, so I’d certainly lean in favor of Darnold in this matchup.

RBs & TEs vs. LBs: One of the biggest reasons for Seattle’s defensive success this season has been the emergence of their off-ball linebackers. They’ve been excellent at fitting gaps against the run and have also done a great job defending tight ends over the middle. I’d lean Carolina in the running back department, but everything else in this matchup favors Seattle.

WRs vs. Secondaries: Both teams have had issues in the secondary at times this year, but Carolina’s unit has started to come on strong recently. Seattle has the better receiver room overall, but with how the Panthers’ secondary has been playing, this shapes up as a fairly even matchup on the outside.

Betting Trends

Seattle has been a great ATS team this year at 10-5, with a 6-1 record on the road, a 4-1 record as an away favorite, and a 7-3 record in NFC games. Totals have leaned toward the over, hitting in 9 of 15, with 4 of 7 on the road, 3 of 5 as an away favorite, and 6 of 10 in conference play.

The Panthers haven’t been too shabby ATS this year either, as they’re 9-6, with a 5-2 record at home, a 5-1 record as a home underdog, and a 7-3 record in the NFC. Totals have slightly leaned toward the under, hitting in 8 of 15. At home, the over has actually hit in 4 of 7, including 4 of 6 as a home underdog. In conference games, the under has hit in 6 of 10.

Final Thoughts

Seattle comes into this game with a few days of extra rest, given they played on Thursday night in their previous game. They’ve been really good in games where they have a rest advantage this year and are still trying to secure the number 1 overall seed. For those reasons, I think they will win and cover here. As for the total, I would slightly lean toward the over.