Seattle scored first, as Sam Darnold led a nine-play, 40-yard drive that was capped by a Jason Myers 48-yard field goal. The possession was kept alive with an impressive 25-yard run by Zach Charbonnet on a third-and-15!

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Carolina Panthers lost on Sunday to miss out on clinching NFL playoff berths, setting up a pair of showdowns next week for post-season spots.The result set up a crucial matchup next week with Carolina (8-8) at Tampa Bay (7-9) with the winner likely taking the last NFC playoff spot.

Seattle allowed just 139 total yards and forced two turnovers in a dominant defensive display. The Seahawks' 13th win of the season ties a franchise record -- their two previous seasons with as many victories resulted in Super Bowl appearances. As in previous weeks, Seattle didn't hold back from trolling its opponent after a win.

The Seahawks and Panthers have both over-performed in comparison to preseason expectations, and that's especially true when it comes to their records against the spread. Seattle is 10-5 ATS this year while Carolina is 9-6. The Seahawks have seen nine of their 15 games go Over the total, while the Panthers are 7-8 to the Over this year.

The Panthers couldn't throw the ball against the Seahawks on Sunday, and this star Panthers rookie indicates where a big part of the problem came from.

Seattle’s defense again doing what it has all season also would set up a showdown next week at San Francisco for the NFC West title.

According to head coach Dave Canalaes, starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu is expected to return to the lineup here in Week 17. Ekwonu, who missed last weekend's massive win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers due to a knee injury, was a full participant in practice throughout the week and has been listed without a game designation.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/panthers/onsi as NFL analyst names the Carolina Panthers' fatal flaw for potential playoff run. If you've ever watched the Carolina Panthers this year, you've probably noticed one thing. The defense is pretty solid, but they have a tendency to bend without breaking.