This time last year, the Carolina Panthers and the Seattle Seahawks were squaring off in a NFC divisional playoff game. At that time, the Seahawks were the NFC's top seed with a 12-4 record, while the Panthers had managed to advance past the wild card round despite entering the playoffs with a 7-8-1 overall record. Seattle won that game fairly handily, 31-17, to advance to the NFC championship game.
Lo and behold, the two teams are squaring off in the playoffs again this year. This time, the Panthers are the NFC's top seed with a 15-1 record, while the Seahawks snuck into the playoffs as the sixth seed, then managed to make it to the divisional round only after a shanked Minnesota field goal try went Seattle's way in the wild card round. Carolina avenged their loss in part with a Week 5 win in Seattle earlier this season, but an opportunity for a more satisfying form of revenge exists for them this afternoon.
This is your open thread for today's Panthers-Seahawks NFC semifinal, a game which promises to be as physical as any that we've yet seen in the postseason. Who are you rooting for, Bills fans?