C3 On the Line series bets the Carolina Panthers line and discusses the stakes of the game in the context of the Panthers season. CarolinaCatChronicles.com On the Line is not betting advice, but a means for football discussion. 

Seattle Seahawks at Carolina Panthers

Seattle -7 (41 O/U)

The last time Carolina ventured to Seattle, they were 11 point dogs.  A year later and a more vulnerable Seahawks team, they are giving 7 points.  Carolina, at 4-0, is off to their best start since the 2003 trip to the Super Bowl.  The Panthers are also 0-4 against the Seahawks since 2012. Seattle is the benchmark. The hump they haven’t been get over.  Sunday, once again, poses an opportunity for the Carolina Panthers.  What is the opportunity?  Here’s a look at what’s On the Line for Carolina this week.

All Bets Are In:

Professor’s Bet: Panthers +7   (Taking the Under -41) 

Carolina faces their toughest challenge this season.  The big criticism so far is the Panthers 4-0 start is misleading because of their cupcake schedule to this point.  Seattle, although they look the most vulnerable they have in years, has the street cred to change opinions about Carolina’s authenticity.  This game, however, means more the Panthers locker room than simply earning national respect.  Seattle has been the team that Carolina simply hasn’t been able to get past.  The Seahawks have always found a way to squeak out the win late in the game.  The most frustrating aspect about Seattle’s recent success is they have done it the way the Panthers want to, tough defense, ball control, and just enough offense to get the job done.

This year, it’s the Panthers turn.  Tough defense gets this done for Carolina this week.

 20-17 Panthers

Commish’s Bet: Panthers +7 (Taking the Over +41)

Seattle has always been a tough place for the teams travelling there. Cold and rainy, and a long flight from the East Coast, the Panthers have made the journey a few times recently and shouldn’t be impacted by it as much as most this time around. The ‘Hawks have a horrible offensive line and MLB Luke Kuechly was handled cautiously in his concussion protocol to make sure he was ready for this game. The Panthers finally will have a chance to avenge their playoff loss earlier this year and Seattle blew a big lead last week at Cincy. Both teams have equal but different reasons to be highly motivated to win this game, and I think the Panthers having just come off a bye week gives them the extra film and game planning time to make the difference. Rivera gets off the schnide with his post bye-week blues as the defense tightens with the All-Pro in the middle.

Carolina 26, Seattle 22

PanthersDrafter’s Bet: Seahawks -7   (Taking the Over +41) 

Don’t mistake predictions for desire.  I sooooo want our Panthers to get over the hump, as the Professor explains, and take our rightful place at the big boys table.  Yes, the Seahawks are vulnerable and yes the Panthers are unbeaten.  As our podcast guest, Gregg Ball, Seahawks Beat Writer, said on our podcast this past week: “If the Panthers were to ever beat the Seahawks in Seattle, this is the time for them to do it.”  However, I’m putting the glass of kool-aid down for a moment and realizing we are going to the toughest place to play in the NFL and against a team we are 0-4 against in recent memory.  We are also 0-4 under Riverboat Ron in our games after a bye.  But most importantly, we just don’t have enough weapons on Offense.  We miss Kelvin Benjamin so badly and this is the game where it will show up.  I hope I’m wrong.

29-18 Seahawks

Freak’n Puerto Rican’s Bet: Panthers +7 (Taking Over +41)

This is getting old for the Panthers. Every time this team appears on our schedule there is talk of how we will beat them and how the time is now. It’s always the same. The rivalry people are trying to make this out to be is not a rivalry at all. Until the other team wins a game it is a one sided mismatch. No matter what the score or who wins by how much. Seattle owns this series we have played vs them recently. I think what is on the line for this Panthers team is the rest of the season. We are at the crossroads or the crux of this season. We beat Seattle and “the monkey” is off our backs. The NFC can be ours to win. If we lose this game, the 5th in a row to the Seahawks,  the season will likely end as we have seen it the last 2 seasons. There is much more riding on this game than a W or an L. Carolina’s 2015 season will be determined by the outcome of this one. Go Panthers!

Panthers win  a close one- 23-21. 

Grant “Big Splash” Hughes’ Bet: Panthers +7 (Taking the Under -41)

The name of the team hasn’t changed, their quarterback is still Russell Wilson, but this is not the same Seahawks team we’ve seen the past few seasons. We enter this game with a better team than our opponent, and the chance to rectify our past failures. Though our pass rush will be without Charles Johnson and Jared Allen, I believe a big game from one of our speed rushers in Addison/Delaire will be in order against a sluggish Seattle offensive line. This game is huge in building a slight cushion over Atlanta in the NFC South race. I’m also pretty fed up with losing to Seattle.

Panthers: 16-10