Watch: Panthers' Cam Newton throws pick-six to ice game for Seahawks

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton kept Carolina close in the NFC divisional round against the Seattle Seahawks, but threw a costly interception in the fourth

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton kept Carolina close in the NFC divisional round against the Seattle Seahawks, but threw a costly interception in the fourth quarter to ice the game for the Seattle Seahawks.

The Panthers were down 24-10 with just more than six minutes left in the fourth quarter, but had the ball at the Seattle 13-yard-line, two plays after a 31-yard completion to tight end Greg Olsen.

Newton was targeting tight end Ed Dickson, but Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor, who nearly blocked two field goals at the end of the second quarter, intercepted the pass and ran it 90 yards for the touchdown to give Seattle a 31-10 lead.

[Fansided]

Carolina scored again with less than three minutes remaining in the game, but Seattle won, 31-17.

Newton finished 23-of-36 for 246 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson completed 15-of-22 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns. He did not throw and interception.

The Seahawks will play the winner of Sunday's Dallas Cowboys-Green Bay Packers game in the NFC Championship Game on Jan. 18.

- Sarah Barshop