Prediction from my hometown paper, the Miami Herald:
SEAHAWKS (11-6, No. 6) at PANTHERS (15-1, No. 1)
Line: CAR by 2 ½.
Cote’s pick: SEA 24-20.
“AAWWK!” heralds the Upset Bird. “Wait. Shoot. Keep forgetting I only appear in the regular season. Sorry. Soraawwk!” Carolina is 15-1, home and coming off a bye, while Seattle only advanced last week by the dumb luck of Minnesota’s Blair Witch sorry Blair Walsh missing a 27-yard field goal. So I may be crazy here; NFC No. 1 seeds are 21-4 all-time in this round. It isn’t disrespect toward Carolina. I just think the Seahawks’ defense is a small bit better overall than the Panthers’ and I think Russell Wilson is a small bit better overall than Cam Newton. Experience also colors my pick for these teams’ third playoff meeting. Seattle aims to be only the fourth team ever to make three straight Super Bowl trips, after Green Bay 1965-67, Miami 1971-73 and Buffalo 1991-93. Carolina doesn’t know this stage as well, and Newton has seven turnovers in three career playoff games. “Seahaaawwwk!”
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-c ... 39545.html