Fans have been calling this season’s Seahawks “the team of destiny,” and Sunday’s NFC championship rout just about sealed the deal. Now there’s only one game to go to put it in the history books.

With an impressive 34-14 victory over the Carolina Panthers, the Seahawks won the right to meet the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL on Feb. 5 in Detroit. The conference championship victory is the furthest the team has gone in the playoffs since the franchise started in 1976.

Although the Panthers were known as the “Road Warriors” for their winning ways on rival turf, they stumbled before a fierce defense and the hometown roar of the Seahawks’ “12th man.” The home fans at Qwest Field lived up to their reputation as the noisiest in the NFL.

Kudos to coach Mike Holmgren, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, 2005 MVP Shaun Alexander and the rest of the Seahawks for an amazing run this season. And it’s not over yet. Even fair-weather Hawks fans will be planted in front of their TV sets Feb. 5 to see the team bring home the Super Bowl trophy.

It’s about time.