The backstory If any NFL team is close to a mirror image of the reigning champions, it's the surging . After struggling to find their identities at midseason, both squads have entered January playing at the height of their powers. The have beaten their past six opponents by an average of 22-7 whereas the ' average margin of victory is 28-12 in their own five-game streak. Like the , the ' offense features a mobile, sandlot-style quarterback, a dominant rushing attack and a collection of role players in the receiver corps. On the other side of the ball, Carolina boasts a pre suring defensive line, the NFL's fastest trio of linebackers, and a revamped, highly athletic secondary that closes pa sing windows. Sean McDermott's Carolina defense has been among the five best in the league of late. Will that be enough to offset a Seattle defense since at least the 2000 ? Under pre sure , QB, : If not for Newton's scattershot accuracy and punt returner 's , the likely would have shut out the . Failing to get his lower body involved in his throwing motion -- as he is wont to do several times per season since entering the league -- Newton sailed more throws than he hit. Newton through mid-October, only to backslide as a pa ser for the next two months. Even when his mechanics are off, Newton can still be a bear to stop as a scrambler in key situations. For the to upset the , Newton will need a streamlined throwing motion, pinpoint accuracy and better touch than he has typically shown in his four-year career. Matchup to watch: ' front seven vs. ' revived ground attack: and will rightfully hog the spotlight leading Ryan Bates Jersey up to , but Newton and are clicking on all cylinders behind a much-improved offensive line. Stewart is the NFL's leading rusher over the past six weeks, averaging over 100 yards per game. Since Week 13, the tandem of Newton and Stewart is averaging 148 yards on the ground versus 132 for Wilson and Lynch. This is a strength-on-strength matchup, as Seattle's defense has limited opposing running backs to 298 yards and one touchdown on 105 carries ( ) since All-Pro middle linebacker returned from a turf toe injury in Week 12. Mind-blowing stats: Including the playoffs, Wilson has started 53 games since entering the league in 2012. His team has held a lead in every single one of them. ... The have led the NFL in overall team efficiency for three consecutive years, per Pro Football Outsiders. ... Five Thirty Eight's metrics give the 2014 the any team has carried into the postseason since the 1970 merger. ... They are the first team since the 1969-71 to lead the NFL in fewest points allowed for three consecutive seasons. ... They are also the first team since the 1976 "Steel Curtain" to win the final six games of the regular season while allowing fewer than 40 total points. With three more quarterback hurries against the , has now bypa sed for most (56) by any defensive end this season. ... In the last five weeks of the season, of the was the only cornerback with a than rookie , per Pro Football Focus. ... Newton's over the three years has been fairly steady at 19 percent (2012), 17 percent (2013) and 20 percent (2014). ... He has been sacked the same number of times since Week 11 (9.0) as in Week 10 alone. ... Since 2011, only and Wilson have more wins in December and January. Prediction: These teams have met once a year since Wilson joined Newton in the NFL. The have held a fourth-quarter lead in the last two matchups and a third-quarter lead in the first -- only to lose all three. Along with the strengths and weakne ses of their current rosters, those final scores of 16-12, 12-7 and 13-9 suggest a smash-mouth, low-scoring affair at CenturyLink Field. 's team is than the one that opened the season 3-8-1 through the end of November. If Newton is on his game, they can hang with the champs on a neutral field. Spotted home-field advantage, a quarterback edge and a historically great defense, though, 's squad has to be viewed as the heavy favorite. Seattle Seahawks 17, Carolina Panthers 13 The latest Around The NFL Podcast and breaks down the Manning-Luck matchup. Find more Around The NFL content on . Chris Williams Jersey