Another week, another unbeaten team facing the Seahawks. The Week 6 scenario leading up to its matchup versus the Carolina Panthers is much like the narrative leading up to last week’s loss to the Bengals. An undefeated and largely untested team looking to test themselves versus the two-time NFC champs. And much like Andy Dalton, Cam Newton is playing the best football of his career thus far.

This is the fourth consecutive year the Seahawks and Panthers have faced each other in the regular season, and each time they have played in Carolina with Seattle coming away with the victory. Each time it has also been a low scoring physical affair, which may play to the Panthers’ favor this time around even though they are playing in Seattle.

Many of the experts are picking the Seahawks to win. Although if this is as physical and as much of a defensive battle as past years, I would not be surprised to see the Seahawks lose late in the fourth quarter. Seattle has ben shaky late in games, consistently giving up leads or barely saving themselves (ahem, MNF). The defense hasn’t shown the same stamina – maybe due to two straight Super Bowl runs – and the offense has been unable to find a consistent rhythm.

Carolina has zero receiving threats apart from Greg Olsen, but hopefully the Legion of Boom learned its lesson after letting Tyler Eifert go off on them last week.

Many say not much has changed for either team since their previous matchups, and that may be true. But Cam Newton is better and the Seahawks don’t seem as hungry as they have been the past two years. As big of a test as this game is for Carolina to prove it is among the league’s best, it is equally important for the Seahawks. They have to prove they are a playoff caliber team once again, and a win over an undefeated Cam Newton and Carolina could be what they need to pull off another impressive run. Remember, it was around this time last year that the Hawks kicked it into gear and won the no.1 see after stumbling out of the gate.

Photo: Flickr/Keith Allison