The Seattle Seahawks (12-3) and Carolina Panthers (8-7) meet in Week 17 in a game that has ramifications for the NFL playoffs. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. The game will broadcast live on CBS.
The Seahawks are 6.5-point favorites on the spread (Seahawks -6.5; -120), with the over/under set at 42.5 points. Seattle is a -340 favorite on the moneyline, while Carolina is a +270 underdog.
Let's get into my Seahawks vs Panthers predictions.
Seattle Seahawks vs Carolina Panthers Prediction, Picks
- Seahawks vs Panthers pick: Panthers +7 (-110)
My Panthers vs. Seahawks best bet is on Carolina to cover the spread. Find the best odds by checking our live NFL odds page.
Seahawks vs Panthers Odds
| Seahawks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Over/Under | Moneyline |
-6.5 -120 | 42.5 -110o / -110u | -340 |
| Panthers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Over/Under | Moneyline |
+6.5 +100 | 42.5 -110o / -110u | +270 |
Seahawks vs Panthers Preview
The first thing that stands out about Seahawks-Panthers is the sizable spread set (Seahawks -7). Carolina enters the game with an 8-7 record, but that mark overstates how good this team actually is.
The Panthers have benefited from some lucky wins, and their point differential tells the real story; at -50, they are far from being a dominant team.
That said, the Seahawks have also been lucky. Seattle has won nine of its last 10 games, but much like the Vikings down the stretch last season, this run has included a significant amount of good fortune.
Over the past several weeks, Seattle has consistently found ways to survive tight games rather than dominate opponents. Last week was a perfect example.
The Seahawks were down 16 points against the Rams in the fourth quarter and needed two touchdowns and two 2-point conversions just to force the game to overtime — before ultimately escaping with a win thanks to a heroic effort from Sam Darnold.
That type of outcome is just as much luck as execution. The week before, Seattle edged the Colts by just two points, requiring a late field goal against an Indianapolis team starting Philip Rivers for the first time in five years.
Looking further back, the Seahawks' recent schedule has not been particularly demanding. They faced the Vikings, Falcons, Titans, Cardinals with Jacoby Brissett, and a Commanders team that lost Jayden Daniels during the game.
The level of competition has been inconsistent, and it has allowed the Seahawks to keep stacking wins without pulling away convincingly.
Despite the impressive win streak, there are still concerns with Seattle’s quarterback play, as Darnold continues to trend downward and prone to turnovers at rates consistent with his career averages.
While the Seahawks are a good team, asking them to win by more than a touchdown on the road against a competent Carolina squad is a tall order.
Carolina has been significantly better at home, and the Panthers — along with the Jaguars — have been among the most profitable underdogs outright over the course of the season.
After years of struggling to win as underdogs, Carolina has flipped the script and has been extremely competitive in those spots this season, putting up some historic numbers in that regard.
Seahawks vs Panthers Predictions, Analysis
The Panthers are capable of keeping this game close.
Rico Dowdle, Chuba Hubbard and Jalen Coker are all coming on strong, and while Carolina may not generate an overwhelming amount of pressure defensively, Darnold’s tendency to turn the ball over should give the Panthers opportunities to stay within striking distance.
Seattle has consistently played close games, and that aligns with Carolina’s profile. The Panthers have made a habit of playing one-score contests — and in today’s NFL, margin is increasingly difficult to find.
This season, underdogs in the +7.5 to +9.5 point range are covering at roughly a 57% rate, largely due to field position swings and short fields following turnovers.
There are also historical trends working against Seattle. Teams that have won at least nine of their last 10 games straight up and are coming off an against the spread (ATS) loss are just 32-46-6 ATS, a 41% cover rate.
In December, that number drops even further, with those teams covering only about 42% of the time. These teams tend to struggle when asked to win by a margin late in the season.
The number is simply too big in this spot. The Seahawks are a good team, but not one that should be laying a touchdown on the road against a Carolina squad that has been competitive all season, especially at home.
Seahawks vs Panthers Best Bet
- Panthers +7 (-110)
Seahawks vs Panthers Betting Trends
Seahawks vs Panthers Viewing Info: Channel, Start Time, Streaming
| Location: | Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. |
| Date: | Sunday, Dec. 28 |
| Time: | 1 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming Options: | CBS |
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