The start of the NFL season is supposed to be about fresh starts and new storylines popping up around the league. In Sunday's tilt between the Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers, it looked like more of the same from 2012.
Russell Wilson and the Seahawks had their share of struggles for three quarters. But they absolutely dominated the fourth quarter and made all the big plays when it mattered -- as usual.
Carolina's defensive line dominated play for much of the afternoon. Wilson was contained in the pocket and under constant pressure. Marshawn Lynch was held to just 2.5 yards per carry. Yet with the game on the line in the fourth quarter, Wilson directed a 76-yard touchdown drive and a clock-killing, soul-crushing, game-winning drive that ate up the final five minutes and 24 seconds of the game.
Just like last season, the Panthers blinked in the big moments. (They also lost to Seattle in a close game in Carolina last year.) DeAngelo Williams fumbled inside the 10-yard line in the fourth quarter, killing a promising drive. Offensive coordinator Mike Shula appeared to be sitting on a four-point lead for much of the game, playing conservatively with run-run-pass play calls.
In Ron Rivera's third season, the Panthers should be past getting moral victories. They had an NFC contender in deep trouble at home, and they let it slip away.
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