NFC Wild Card: Saints @ Seahawks

[Dog]

Re: NFC Wild Card: Saints @ Seahawks

I'm gonna go with this

Saints: a lot
Seahawks: a little

[Chrisksaint]

Re: NFC Wild Card: Saints @ Seahawks

I'm gonna go with this

Saints: a lot
Seahawks: a little

Or this route

Saints: Whatever Sean Payton feels like
Seahawks: Whatever Gregg Williams wants

lol, as long as the Saints win I could careless if it's a 1 point win.

[spit_bubble]

Re: NFC Wild Card: Saints @ Seahawks

If Hasselbeck is healthy I think the Seahawks will make a game of it, and ultimately lose by 10 or so, pushing New Orleans into the fourth quarter.

Yes, that is an optimistic view, but not entirely out of the question.

Keys for the Hawks will be:

1. Hasselbeck healthy and not trying to "Brett Farve" it (ie. trying to make something out of nothing). He's had good games this year, but has also looked horrible, trying to force things way too often.

2. The health of LT Russell Okung. His ankles have been giving him problems all year, and the difference is huge when he's not in.

3. Leon Washington on special teams. He more or less won them a game versus San Diego earlier in the year, and they need yards from him in the return game.

4. They need to spread the ball around on offense. Find TE John Carlson. Get Forsett some carries, etc. Pounding the ball with Lynch has proven to be ineffective.

5. They need to have someone show up on defense... FS Earl Thomas, LB Aaron Curry, LB Lofa Tatupu... One of these guys needs to make a game changing play.

Obviously a lot things need to happen for the Seahawks to be in this game, which is why it could fall apart quick for Seattle. But I still think they make a game of it.

[BlueNGold]

Re: NFC Wild Card: Saints @ Seahawks

There's just no way I see it happening, as much as I could try to convince myself.

They've only beaten one playoff team this year (the Bears, 23-20), lost to the Saints in the regular season 34-19, and aside from their two close wins over the Bears and Chargers, their only other wins were twice over Arizona, once over San Fran, once over St. Louis and Carolina.

No.Way.It.Could.Happen.

[Blitz1942]

Re: NFC Wild Card: Saints @ Seahawks

SEAHAWKS TO THE SUPERBOWL!

[12]

Re: NFC Wild Card: Saints @ Seahawks

If Hasselbeck is healthy I think the Seahawks will make a game of it, and ultimately lose by 10 or so, pushing New Orleans into the fourth quarter.

Yes, that is an optimistic view, but not entirely out of the question.

Keys for the Hawks will be:

1. Hasselbeck healthy and not trying to "Brett Farve" it (ie. trying to make something out of nothing). He's had good games this year, but has also looked horrible, trying to force things way too often.

2. The health of LT Russell Okung. His ankles have been giving him problems all year, and the difference is huge when he's not in.

3. Leon Washington on special teams. He more or less won them a game versus San Diego earlier in the year, and they need yards from him in the return game.

4. They need to spread the ball around on offense. Find TE John Carlson. Get Forsett some carries, etc. Pounding the ball with Lynch has proven to be ineffective.

5. They need to have someone show up on defense... FS Earl Thomas, LB Aaron Curry, LB Lofa Tatupu... One of these guys needs to make a game changing play.

Obviously a lot things need to happen for the Seahawks to be in this game, which is why it could fall apart quick for Seattle. But I still think they make a game of it.

Sadly I disagree about Matt Hasselbeck. I love the guy but I think he's done. His body is breaking down at an alarming rate and his skills are diminishing. He is not mobile, and we need a mobile QB behind this porous offensive line. Whitehurst probably isn't the answer in regards to our future at the quarterback position, but I really believe, after today, that he gives us the best chance to win (as sad as that is). Whitehurst kept a lot of plays alive that more than likely would have resulting in drive crushing sacks if Matt were in.

Matt's decision making over the past quarter of the season really had me shaking my head as well. 13 turnovers in four games is not something that I'd feel real confident in when playing a superior team in the playoffs.

Maybe I'm wrong, maybe Matt still has a couple more of those 300-yard, 3 TD games left in him, but I just really don't think so.

For the Hawks to win, the Saints literally have to hand us the game, much like the Chargers did earlier in the year. We need Brees to commit some turnovers, we probably need Washington to return a kick for a TD and we need our defense to play lights out. More than anything else perhaps, we need a running game, something that we don't have.

I love my Hawks and on game day, you can bet I'll believe they can win, but right now the logical side of things tells me there's not much of a chance. It would be one of the bigger upsets in recent memory. I'm not saying it can't be done, but this is Seattle sports we're talking about... Prove me wrong, damn it.

[spit_bubble]

Re: NFC Wild Card: Saints @ Seahawks

Sadly I disagree about Matt Hasselbeck...

The last good game Hasselbeck had was against New Orleans: 32-44, 366 yds, 1 TD, 0 int. Not coincidentally his performance started to dip after that without Mike Williams in the lineup. When Williams finally made it back Hasselbeck had one of those games where he thought he was in his prime and tried to do too much. Result: fumble in his own endzone versus Atlanta for a Falcons TD.

He needs to stay focused and play smart. Check the ball down. Swing it out to backs and receivers like they were doing with Whitehurst yesterday. Find Carlson for short gains over the middle.

The Seahawks are more capable than one might think. It's just that they're fragile and when one part of their structure goes down the whole thing pretty much collapses. If they can somehow hold it together they will give the Saints a game. For them to actually win they're going to need to hold it together and have the Saints come out flat.

So yeah, the Saints will likely go marching on.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Re: NFC Wild Card: Saints @ Seahawks

I said the winner of the NFC West would win a playoff game and I'm sticking by that.

[greenegt]

Re: NFC Wild Card: Saints @ Seahawks

The Saints are clearly the better team, with a great quarterback and a great coach. The Seahawks will need quite a few favorable bounces to win this game.

[coogrfan]

Re: NFC Wild Card: Saints @ Seahawks

Obviously he's think a 35-0 game lol. Predicting any team to win by 5+ TDs is pretty crazy this isn't college football, Seattle might be bad but they are still an NFL playoff team

Technically, yes. The Hawks are also a team that, had they lost last night, would have had a top 10 draft pick. Think about that for a moment.

While I do believe that giving 35 points is too much I would have no problem at all with taking the Saints -15 or -16. Barring some sort of devastating injury to Brees, New Orleans is going to roll Seattle.

[slickdtc]

Re: NFC Wild Card: Saints @ Seahawks

I said the winner of the NFC West would win a playoff game and I'm sticking by that.

Same. As far as I'm concerned, all predictions go out the window with this one. Saints are better on paper and generally were better on the field all season. But in a one game playoff? Outside? With that crowd? Shoot. It's going to be a close game, I think. Seahawks by 6.

[RJTurneR]

Re: NFC Wild Card: Saints @ Seahawks

B-L-O-W-O-U-T. Blowout. Blowout. Blowout.

Seattle is so inconsistent this season. I think that continues into the playoff's. Those picking Seattle..... Well, good luck to you.

[da ThRONe]

Re: NFC Wild Card: Saints @ Seahawks

Doesn't matter to me. I still think the Saints win by 17 or so points, but I think we're all getting a little carried away. To be surprised if a team doesn't lose by 35 points is a tad over the top IMO. This isn't the '07 Patriots against the '08 Lions.

I dont know about the 07 Pats but the 09 Saints where on pace for a season record in points and this is the closest we will be to the 09 version of this team then we have all year personnel wise. If we establish a running game this will be a blowout.

[55]

Re: NFC Wild Card: Saints @ Seahawks

The spread is 10.5 points in this game. I cannot ever remember a road team being favored by that much in the first round of the playoffs.

I think the smart bet is betting Seattle and taking the points, which is what I'm doing.

[RJTurneR]

Re: NFC Wild Card: Saints @ Seahawks

I think the smart bet is betting Seattle and taking the points, which is what I'm doing.

Your actually putting money on Seattle to win?

I know Seattle is at home, but they have been blown out so many times this year, not all at home but people are talking like the Saints have zero chance because their on the road.

Seattle was blown out by NYG 41-7. That one game is enough for me to very easily say the Saints win.

I'm keeping an eye on Chris Ivory too.