The Series: With the 31-14 victory, Seattle leads the all-time series 3-2, which includes a 34-14 win by the Seahawks in the 2005 NFC Championship.
For Starters: Gary Barnidge made his second start of the season as the Panthers opened in a two tight end set. Mackenzy Bernadeau started for the third consecutive game at left guard for Travelle Wharton, who was inactive with a toe injury. Running back Jonathan Stewart returned to the lineup after missing two games with a concussion and then playing but not starting last week at Cleveland (11/28/10).
Goodson Sets The Table: Running back Mike Goodson took the opening kickoff from one-yard deep in the end zone to the Panthers' 39-yard line for a 40-yard return. The offense then marched 61 yards in nine plays with Goodson capping the drive with a six-yard touchdown run. Carolina has scored a touchdown on its first possession in consecutive games after not having a first-quarter touchdown in the first 10 games of the season.
For the game, Goodson returned three kickoffs for 79 yards and carried three times for 19 yards with one touchdown. He leads the team with a 23.2-yard kickoff return average on 33 returns this season, ranks second with 33 catches for 265 yards and stands third with 344 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 78 attempts.
Stewart Carries The Load: Running back Jonathan Stewart rushed for a team-leading 92 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries, scoring on a three-yard run in the second quarter. He leads the Panthers with 398 yards and two touchdowns on 102 attempts this season.
On The Receiving End: Wide receiver Brandon LaFell, tight end Dante Rosario, wide receiver Steve Smith and running back Tyrell Sutton shared the team lead with three receptions each. Smith ranks first on the Panthers with 39 catches for 498 yards and two touchdowns this season.
Paws For Clausen: Rookie quarterback Jimmy Clausen completed 18-of-34 passes, both season highs, for 169 yards and no touchdowns with one interception to produce a 54.7 quarterback rating. He surpassed his previous single-game highs of 33 attempts at Cincinnati (9/26/10) and 16 completions, accomplished three times - most recently at Cleveland (11/28/10). In nine games with six starts this season, Clausen has completed 101-of-200 passes for 1,056 yards and one touchdown with six interceptions.
Offensive Line Paves The Way: Behind an offensive line featuring Jordan Gross at left tackle, Mackenzy Bernadeau at left guard, Ryan Kalil at center, Geoff Schwartz at right guard and Garry Williams at right tackle, the Panthers accumulated 131 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 30 attempts - an average of 4.4 yards per carry. The front five has helped Carolina amass more than 100 yards rushing in five consecutive games, also exceeding 100 yards on the ground with 127 versus New Orleans (11/7/10), 118 at Tampa Bay (11/14/10), 120 versus Baltimore (11/21/10) and a season-high 151 at Cleveland (11/28/10).
In The Zone: Carolina posted a 67 percent efficiency rating in the red zone, scoring two touchdowns on three trips inside Seattle's 20-yard line. The Panthers turned the ball over on downs at the Seahawks' six-yard line on their final possession of the game. Carolina has been successful on 13-of-23 red zone opportunities, scoring seven touchdowns and six field goals for a 56.5 percent conversion rate and 30.4 percent touchdown conversion rate, this season.
Takeaway/Giveaway: Carolina forced two turnovers on two interceptions. Safety Charles Godfrey heisted his team-leading fifth interception in the second quarter, picking off Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. In the third quarter, linebacker Jason Williams broke up a Hasselbeck pass that cornerback Captain Munnerlyn snared out of the air for his second interception in as many games.
The Panthers turned it over once on an interception to finish with a plus-one turnover ratio. The two takeaways resulted in no points for Carolina, and the one giveaway led to seven points for Seattle. The Panthers have a negative-seven turnover ratio this season, compiling an 0-5 record when having a positive turnover margin, an 0-1 record when being even in turnover margin, and a 1-5 record when having a negative turnover margin.
Sakrete Sacks: The Panthers collected three sacks against the Seahawks and have gathered 21 this season.
Defensive end Charles Johnson recorded a sack for the third consecutive game when he dropped Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck for a five-yard loss in the second quarter. Johnson leads the team with a career-high 7.5 sacks this season.
In the fourth quarter, linebacker Jon Beason notched his first sack of the year when he took down Hasselbeck for a seven-yard loss. Later in the quarter, linebacker James Anderson sacked running back Leon Washington for a seven-yard loss on a halfback option pass play.
During the 2010 season, Sakrete, a leader in concrete and concrete-related products, is donating $100 to the BVC Playground Build for every sack Carolina records. Through 12 games, $2,100 has been raised.
The Specialists: Kicker John Kasay did not attempt any field goals and connected on both of his extra point attempts. He has been successful on 18-of-22 field goal attempts and perfect on all 14 of his extra point opportunities for a team-leading 68 points this season.
Punter Jason Baker generated a gross average of 45.6 yards and net average of 29.6 yards with two inside the 20, one touchback and long of 57 yards on seven punts. His gross average improved to 43.7 yards and his net average decreased to 36.8 yards with 17 punts inside the 20, five touchbacks and long of 57 yards this season.
Kickoff specialist Rhys Lloyd placed all three of his kickoffs in the end zone with no touchbacks, helping limit the Seahawks to an average kickoff drive start of their own 15-yard line. The Seahawks entered the game ranked first in the NFL with an average drive start of the 31.3-yard line following kickoffs. Lloyd has reached the end zone on 31-of-41 kickoffs with nine touchbacks this season.
Inactives: The following eight players were inactive for the Panthers: safety Gerald Alexander, wide receiver David Clowney, cornerback Chris Gamble, linebacker Abdul Hodge, center Chris Morris, defensive tackle Andre Neblett, quarterback Brian St. Pierre (third quarterback) and guard Travelle Wharton.
Seattle's Best: The Seahawks generated a 96-yard drive to start the second half that culminated in a touchdown. It represented the fourth-longest drive ever surrendered by the Panthers behind three 98-yard drives - most recently at Tampa Bay (12/30/07)...Seattle linebacker Lofa Tatupu scored on a 26-yard interception return in the third quarter. It marked the fifth interception return for a touchdown by a Carolina opponent this season...Seahawks running back Leon Washington returned a punt 84 yards in the third quarter to set up a touchdown. It represented the fourth-longest punt return ever against the Panthers...Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch gained 83 yards rushing and scored three touchdowns on 21 attempts. Lynch's 18 points and three touchdowns equaled the second-most points and touchdowns in a game by a Panthers' opponent, previously accomplished four times - most recently by Peyton Hillis for Cleveland (11/28/10). His three rushing touchdowns also matched the second-most rushing touchdowns in a game by an opponent, previously achieved twice - most recently by Hillis for Cleveland (11/28/10). Michael Turner for Atlanta (11/23/08) holds the records for the most points by an opponent with 24 and most touchdowns and rushing touchdowns by an opponent with four.
