The Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks squared off in the playoffs in each of the last two years, with the winner eventually representing the NFC in the Super Bowl. Don't expect a rubber match in the upcoming postseason, because the Panthers looked like anything but a Lombardi Trophy contender Sunday at CenturyLink Field.
Seattle handled Carolina with ease during a 40-7 win in a game filled with storylines that extended beyond the action on the field.
The Seahawks, who lead the NFC West, are now 8-3-1 and 6-0 at home, while the Panthers dropped to 4-8 and remained in last place in the NFC South.