The Carolina Panthers could be one game away from winning the NFC South for the first time in a decade. However, the task awaiting them in their regular-season home finale cannot be overstated.

Not for the first time this season, the NFC’s No. 1 seed is standing in their path. The Seattle Seahawks and ex-Carolina quarterback Sam Darnold are coming to town. It’ll be another stern test of the Panthers’ credentials, but head coach Dave Canales’ squad has tended to play up to its competition, with some success this season.

They’ve beaten the Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers. They also have a 5-2 record on home turf this season, so confidence should be high. Whether that’ll be enough for another memorable triumph remains to be seen, but this one could be a lot closer than some experts envisage.

Here are three bold predictions heading into the clash.

Wildly bold Carolina Panthers predictions in Week 17 against the SeahawksTetairoa McMillan goes over 120 receiving yards

There is significant momentum building around wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan winning the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after a standout campaign. He’s been an absolute revelation for the Panthers this season, providing quarterback Bryce Young with a dynamic force at all three levels of the field that was desperately lacking previously.

A strong end to the campaign should ensure McMillan has an individual award to show for his efforts this season. That won’t be easy against a decent cornerback unit, but the Panthers should make the No. 8 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft a focal point throughout.

Carolina Panthers force three turnovers from Sam Darnold

Darnold’s time with the Panthers was a disaster. He’s galvanized his career since, but one could forgive the quarterback for having some extra motivation heading into this one.

That didn’t help Baker Mayfield last time out. The Panthers need to pressure Darnold into mistakes. For all his qualities this season, he’s still prone to errors when he’s forced into quick decisions. This is something Carolina must exploit early and often.

And when turnover opportunities arrive, taking advantage of them is critical.

Carolina Panthers secure another monumental upset

The Panthers are at their best when everyone writes them off. They’ve toppled several Super Bowl hopefuls this season, so anyone dismissing their chances in Week 17 hasn’t been paying close enough attention.

Canales’ squad has proven capable of matching anybody when they are firing on all cylinders. The atmosphere at Bank of America Stadium should be electric once again, which was a significant positive against the Buccaneers. Carolina’s margin for error remains razor-thin, but causing another massive upset is a bold yet attainable objective.