The 1/8/11 Wild Card thread Saints vs Seahawks

[jmt57]

Go ahead and laugh at Seattle Seahawks, because stranger teams have won it all - ESPN

A few nuggets from this article:

Guess what? We don't care. The stadium will be sold out for Saturday's game against the Saints, with Seahawks fans going crazy waving their lime green towels. It will be louder than an Iron Maiden concert from 1985. And just to rub it in everyone's faces, we hope it rains so hard that Drew Brees will think the footballs were soaked in Puget Sound.

Let me put it another way: We laugh at your criticism. Consider that for the better part of three decades, our professional sports teams have choked, gagged, disappointed, crushed our hearts, underperformed, stunk, been screwed by the refs and then by a no-good slickster from Oklahoma who stole our beloved basketball franchise. So, no, your indignation does not bother us; the way we look at is that we're four wins away from a Super Bowl celebration.

Here's another thing: Why not rally around the Seahawks? Isn't this the type of storyline we're supposed to embrace, the underdog overcoming incalculable odds to shock the world (not to mention the pundits)? In an NFL season in which the major plot lines were Brett Favre's return, Brett Favre's private parts, Michael Vick, the NFL's investigation of Brett Favre, concussions, Brett Favre's injuries, Rex Ryan's wife's toes, Brett Favre's fine and Brett Favre's impending retirement, here's an actual feel-good story without revolting undertones. It's a lot more interesting than rooting for yet more success from Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, that's for sure (not to mention the twin pariahs of shame, Vick and Ben Roethlisberger).

[VJCPatriot]

Seahawks fans are delirious if they think their team will advance very far in the big Tourney. First of all their QB is Matt Hasselbeck. Second of all their QB is Matt Hasselbeck. Third of all their head coach is Pete Carroll. Any questions? I tip my hats off to them for making it this far but I don't see the Seahawks getting out of this game with the W no less the Superbowl.

[KontradictioN]

Being a double digit favor over one team is an EPIC jinx. Everything is telling me that this game won't be close, but the Saints don't have much of a running game (if any running game at all) and the Seattle secondary really isn't that bad. It wouldn't shock me if the Saints don't cover.

[VJCPatriot]

Originally Posted by KontradictioN

Being a double digit favor over one team is an EPIC jinx. Everything is telling me that this game won't be close, but the Saints don't have much of a running game (if any running game at all) and the Seattle secondary really isn't that bad. It wouldn't shock me if the Saints don't cover.

I'm sure that bettors who bet the under will be delighted it that's the case. But it will be little consolation for the Seahawks and their fans when they lose, whether it be by 1 point or by 20. It's not impossible for the Seahawks to win obviously. It just appears highly improbable, even accouting for the Saints loss of 2 RBs.

[FSUPatsFan]

It's funny to think that the 10.5 points the Seahawks are getting at home is pretty much the same line to the 2001 Superbowl. I believe the '01 superbowl was 13.5 points. Vegas usually gives 3 points for homefield advantage.

So, Vegas thought the '01 Patriots had about the same chance of beating the '01 Rams as the Seahawks do of winning this weekend.

[weswelker#83]

New Orleans Saints Given First-Round Bye

The Onion




Source:
New Orleans Saints Given First-Round Bye | The Onion Sports Network

[jmt57]

Seahawks | Can Seahawks pull off upset of Saints? | Seattle Times Newspaper

The city has spent the better part of the week talking itself into the fact that these Seahawks — the biggest home underdogs in NFL playoff history — have a chance.

The New Orleans Saints might be the defending Super Bowl champions but their top two rushers this season — Chris Ivory and Pierre Thomas — are out for the year. Not only that, but the Saints play their home games in a dome and the forecast is calling for rain Saturday, maybe even snow.

So it's starting to add up, right? The Saints could come out and lay an egg, quarterback Drew Brees could end up rattled by everything from the elements to the crowd noise.

This wild-card playoff game won't come down to what New Orleans can't do. It's going to be decided by what Seattle can accomplish.

Can Hasselbeck dissect New Orleans' defense like he did on Nov. 21, passing for 366 yards? Can Seattle's defense — so malleable for the past two months — be as staunch as it was against St. Louis on Sunday?

Seattle is a team with a coach in his first year reshaping the franchise, a quarterback in the final year of his contract and a possibility of knocking the NFL on its ear by beating the reigning champs.

The Saints are ranked No. 6 in yards gained, the Seahawks are 28th. New Orleans has allowed the fourth-fewest yards in the league, Seattle has given up the sixth most.

Keep it close. That is Seattle's first priority in this game and perhaps the biggest challenge. These are the Saints we're talking about, who rang up 30 or more points in five of the past eight games this season, and not only that, but only two of Seattle's 16 regular-season games were decided by fewer than 10 points.

Seahawks | So you're saying there's a chance | Seattle Times Newspaper

Playoff games often come down to the ground game. Who can run the ball effectively, and whose defense can stonewall the opponent? Well, no one is going to accuse Seattle of being overly competent in either department, but over the final five regular-season games, the Seahawks gained more rushing yards than the Saints (567 to 483) while also allowing fewer rushing yards (579 to 599).

Jerry Brewer | In a short time, the Seahawks have come a long way | Seattle Times Newspaper

This way isn't supposed to work, but it did. Thanks to the putrid NFC West, the 7-9 Seahawks are division champions again, and Saturday afternoon, even if they get their shoulder pads blown off them, they'll be better for this playoff experience.

You've spent the week trying to convince yourself that the home team can shock the New Orleans Saints and the entire pigskin nation, or you've been fearing that this Rodney Dangerfield city will be mocked if the Seahawks get destroyed. Really, though, this game is about more than the dominant story line of a supposed unworthy challenger trying to pull off the impossible upset. Of more significance is the fact that, because of this improbable playoff berth, the Seahawks can now be considered way ahead of schedule as they remodel this team.

Just a year ago, the Seahawks were an aging team with too many overpriced veterans who didn't play with the requisite energy, toughness and speed to win in the NFL. They were the worst brand of team for this league, one desperately clinging to a successful recent past, one that used nostalgia to make too many decisions, one ignorant of the reality that their peers had passed by them two years earlier.

Some may look at the Seahawks, notice this is their first playoff appearance in three years and conclude it has taken them a long time to come a short way. In truth, however, it's just the opposite: In a short time, the Seahawks have come a long way.

This is Year 1 for the new management team, and it operates in a manner fully dissimilar to the old one. To understand how far from dominant Carroll and Co. believe the Seahawks are, you need only to look at the more than 270 player transactions they've made this season. They've done all of that to turn over about 60 percent of this roster, mostly employing inexperienced players. Despite all the change and youth, here they are, basking in this win-or-go-home environment.

[jmt57]

Oops. (YouTube video included in link.)

Seahawks Blog | Fill me up: Qwest beer controversy | Seattle Times Newspaper

"We received a copy of the YouTube video showing the quantity of liquid served in the 16 oz. beer cup is the same quantity that fits into the 20 oz. beer cup. This is the first time we have been alerted to this fact. Upon our internal investigation this afternoon, we discovered the cups that are marked 16 oz. hold 20 oz. of liquid. Fans who purchased a 16 oz. beer actually received 20 oz. of beer for the 16 oz. price. Fans that purchased the 20 oz. beer received the amount they purchased. We are working with Levy Restaurants to follow up with the cup vendor about the measurement and to determine how long this has been occurring at Qwest Field. We are determined to find a solution as quickly as possible. In the meantime, we will serve domestic beer in the 20 oz. cup at tomorrow's playoff game to ensure all fans receive the amount they purchase, and we will charge the 16 oz. price."

[PATSNUTme]

I thought that is would be good to have ONE thread to post your comments on the Wild Card games today. That could save several OT threads regarding the game.

I'll try to start another before the Colts but if someone else wants to put one up around 6-6:30 please go ahead.

By all rights the Saints should win this one. But that's why they play the games. Remember the AZ Cardinals and their awful regular season record making the SB. That was the same year that the Patriots had an 11-5 record, 2 more wins, and stayed home.

[jmt57]

Inside the game: New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks wild-card playoff game | NOLA.com

SAINTS KICKING GAME VS. LEON WASHINGTON
Although Washington's 25.6 kickoff return average did not lead the NFL (he was eighth), there isn't a more explosive returner deep on the kickoff.

Against San Diego, Washington became the first player in 50 years to average better than 60 yards per return, gaining 253 yards on four returns, including a 101-yard touchdown and a 99-yard touchdown. He added a 92-yard touchdown return against San Francisco in week 13.

The Saints did a good job of containing Washington last time, as the Seahawks' average starting field position of their own 23-yard line was the second-worst the team had this season.

Payton indicated that, with a dangerous return man, the Saints sometimes favor Garrett Hartley kicking off because he can place the ball on a spot better than Thomas Morstead, who has the leg to kick it deeper. But McMahon, trying to keep his options open, said Hartley got the call most often against Seattle in November because Morstead was coping with a since-healed hip flexor.

MARSHAWN LYNCH VS. REGGIE BUSH
The weather is expected to be vintage Seattle rain and cold, with a sky the gray of the Seahawks uniforms. So even though both offenses favor a passing attack, one of them -- most likely the winner -- will have to establish some sort of running game, if only to keep the defense honest and make play action more effective.

With Pierre Thomas and Chris Ivory out, Bush will be called upon to not only gain positive yardage consistently in the running game, but also provide a threat as a pass receiver coming out of the backfield, one of the Saints staples, especially in the red zone.

Julius Jones' fumble on the goal line last week against Tampa Bay could mean the team leans on Bush even more in the red zone today.

SAINTS SECONDARY VS. MATT HASSELBECK
Seattle seemingly abandoned any pretense of trying to run the ball when they visited New Orleans, opting instead to have Hasselbeck throw 44 times. He completed 32 for 366 yards and a touchdown, earning a quarterback rating of 104.9, his third-highest of the season. "You can look at it that way if you want to," Saints cornerback Tracy Porter said, when asked it the secondary hoped for some payback today.

"Regardless, we gave up over 300 yards passing and 400 yards total offense to those guys, and that's something we don't pride ourselves on doing."

Hasselbeck is particularly effective in the red zone, where he has amassed a touchdown/interception ratio of 117 to 13 since 2001. With Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins out, there will be more pressure on Porter and Jabari Greer on the corners, as well as whoever New Orleans puts in the slot.

Rookie Patrick Robinson has been playing well the past two weeks on special teams, but it would not be surprising to see defensive coordinator Gregg Williams opt instead for the deeper experience of Leigh Torrence and Pierson Prioleau.

GAME PLAN
The Saints aren't likely to overhaul their offensive approach radically, even without Thomas, Ivory and rookie Jimmy Graham, who has emerged as New Orleans' most potent threat at tight end. That means the passing game will be more important than ever. Quarterback Drew Brees probably will try to get wide receiver Marques Colston involved early, as he tends to be a player who gets better as a game progresses and he is frequently targeted. Colston's reliability will have to be matched by tight end Jeremy Shockey, and that will give Brees a chance to take shot plays with Lance Moore and Robert Meachem. Conversely, possibly weakened Hasselbeck, a strong Lynch and bad weather could mean Seattle will try to slow the game down and grind out first downs. Surely the Seahawks know they must limit the Saints' possessions to keep the game close into the second half.