ctrcat":10p4lecf said:
2012 was a 4 PM EST game and the Panthers were coming off THE most maddening loss in franchise history @ATL, 2013 was the opener, how is the 1 PM EST an advantage there when no one has played any game to compare or adjust? And 2014 the Hawks had just played a 1 PM EST @STL. I just fail to see any advantage with the start time, and the Panthers are 14-9 all time on the west coast.
Admittedly, the Panthers have had less of a HFA, relatively speaking, than the rest of the league and won @SF, @NO, and @ATL, while losing at home in the same year to these teams. All time, there have even been more road playoff wins than home.
Amazingly, the Panthers have won more games in December than any team in the National Football League since entering the league. A bizarre but true stat. Cam also has the second highest active December win % after Brady, and that includes a loss @Arrowhead the day after the murder/suicide there, a game they clearly showed compassion to the Chiefs. The bottom line is they simply play better at the end of the year.
Just food for thought.
It's a good thing that the game is played in January then...haha.
Carolina is playing much better and they are their division champs. They have won enough to be where there's at. Credit where credit is due.
The reason I feel the Seahawks have an advantage in this game, besides being at home and being very good, is that the Seahawks have been facing top defenses over a month. It's been a gauntlet like - tough defense each week. 49ers twice, Rams, and Cards twice. Thus the Seahawk offense has been battle tested for playing tough defenses. Carolina has played Arizona but what other top defenses have they played? Do you consider the Vikings, Browns, Falcons, Bucs, and Saints top defenses? I don't.
