The Seattle Seahawks went from Super Bowl favourites before the season kicked off to a ‘dysfunctional’ team through six weeks to a Super Bowl favourite once again.

The defending champions’ roller coaster season included trading offensive star Percy Harvin in the midst of the team’s 3-3 start. That move that reportedly irked several Seahawk players, but one management saw necessary to save the team’s chemistry.

After dropping their first game after the Harvin trade, the Seahawks rebound and lost just one of their final 10 games to close the season. With that stretch, the Seahawks recovered to catch - and pass - the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC West. They also returned to being the betting favourite to win the Super Bowl after clinching the top seed in the NFC.

The Seahawks road to the NFC Championship became a little easier on Wild Card Sunday, when the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Detroit Lions to send the Carolina Panthers to Seattle.

The2014 Panthers joined the 2010 Seattle Seahawks as one of only five teams in NFL history to qualify for the playoffs despite a losing record. The Panthers, who finished the regular season at 7-8-1, defeated the banged-up Arizona Cardinals 26-17 on Saturday.

The Panthers will face a much tougher task in the Seahawks.

After trading Harvin, the Seahawks returned to their 2013 form of running the football and playing defence.

Led by Marshawn Lynch and quarterback Russell Wilson the Seahawks ground attack punished defences with over 172 rushing yards per game. Lynch finished fourth in the NFL in rushing yards and tied for first in rushing touchdowns.  Lynch rushed for 62 yards in the Seahawks regular season meeting with the Panthers.

Wilson, who is looking for his second Super Bowl victory this year in three seasons, led all quarterback in rushing and finished 16th among all players in 2014.  Wilson used his legs to his advantage as the Seahawks passing attack struggled. He topped 300 yards just twice this season and feel below 200 yards passing seven times, including against the Panthers.

However, despite the mid-season Harvin trade, renewed emphasis on the run and the loss of wide receiver Golden Tate in free agency, Wilson managed to throw for a career-high in yards this season.

Doug Baldwin finished as the team’s leading receiver with 825 yards, while Lynch was third on the team with 367. 11 players had over 100 yards receiving on the season.

The Panthers defence opened the year as one of league’s worst units, but managed to contain the back-up filled Cardinals offence to record-low 78 yards last week. A group that recovered from embarrassing performances early, the Panthers defence finished the year ranked 10th overall and 16 against the rush.

The Panthers also did not allow a 100-yard rusher in their final eight games

Even if the Panthers defence can shut down Seattle’s offence, a win is still not guaranteed. Seattle was able to earn five of their 12 victories this season while scoring 20 or fewer points – including a 13-9 win over the Panthers in Week 8.

That Seahawks defence finished the regular season ranked third against the run and first overall. The Seahawks’ secondary, or “legion of boom,” shut down offences while holding opposing quarterbacks to a league-low 185 yards per game.

Those numbers are daunting for any offence, but a matchup for Panthers rookie Kelvin Benjamin against first-team All-Pro Richard Sherman could completely negate Carolina’s deep passing game.

Benjamin finished 2014 tied with tight end Greg Olsen for the team lead in yards and led the Panthers with nine touchdowns. The Panthers next leading wide receiver, Jerricho Cotchery, had 580 receiving yards and just one touchdown in 2014.

Benjamin caught four passes for 94 yards in the two teams’ first matchup. He was also held to four catches for 33 yards by Pro Bowler Patrick Peterson and the Cardinals defence last week.

If Sherman can handle Benjamin alone on the outside, the Seahawks will likely drop their safeties into the box and focus their efforts on shutting down Jonathan Stewart and Cam Newton in the running game.

Stewart rushed for 123 yards against the Cardinals last week and has crossed the 120-yard mark three times in his last five games. The Seahawks held Stewart to 79 during their regular season meeting.

The Seahawks allowed more than seven points to an opponent just once their final six games. If they can accomplish that feat again, the Seahawks offence will put up enough points to send the team back to the NFC Championship game. If Carolina’s offence can have more success, an upset could be brewing.