SEATTLE (AP) — Russell Wilson threw three touchdown passes, Kam Chancellor returned an interception 90 yards for a touchdown, and Seattle beat Carolina 31-17 in an NFC divisional playoff game.
Wilson hit Doug Baldwin on a 16-yard touchdown in the first quarter, found Jermaine Kearse on a 63-yard score in the second quarter and capped the night with a 25-yard TD pass to Luke Willson early in the fourth quarter.
The Seahawks (13-4) never trailed and became the first defending Super Bowl champion to win a playoff game the following season since New England in January 2006.
Seattle will host Green Bay next Sunday for a trip to the Super Bowl.
Cam Newton threw a pair of touchdowns to Kelvin Benjamin, but Carolina (8-9-1) couldn’t overcome three turnovers.
Marshawn Lynch was mostly a non-factor aside from a 25-yard run in the third quarter that helped set up Steven Hauschka’s 37-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter.
But Wilson was outstanding, especially on third down. All three of his touchdown throws came on third-and-long situations.
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