Playoffs! Taints at Seattle

[Danny Darko]

VS.





7-9. home game, Playoffs???... In the immortal words of Family Guy Chris Griffin- Whaaaaa?

The Seahawks make history as the first team with a losing record to enter the playoffs after riding on the wings of Charlie Clipboard Jesus Whitehurst and a resurgent running game. Before you are touched by an Angel (and have to report it to the authorities), though, it would seem that the Saints have called in a favor from the Clipboard Holy Ghost and resurrected Fryer Tuck and Roll to start for the Seahawks... That's right- Pete announced that Matt Hasselbeck will start after recovering from literally being butt hurt.
Meanwhile the Saints taint got running backs Chris Ivory or Pierre Thomas who have been IR'd which brings us to...


Injury update:

Seahawks-

Other than some general gimpiness and numerous IR'd players the active roster is listed as healthy. Yeah I know, weird.

Saints
Did not participate
LB Danny Clark (hamstring)
TE Jimmy Graham (ankle)
DL Anthony Hargrove (knee)
S Malcolm Jenkins (knee)

Limited participation
TE Jeremy Shockey (groin) - I suspect a possible massive addiction to porn here, but that is totally unconfirmed.
TE David Thomas (knee)

Things to Watch:

1-QB. Matt had a solid stretch of decent games this year that waned in the final moments of the last meeting with the saints. He also had a nice first drive his last game out before having to change his facebook status to "[b]in relationship with my butt and it's complicated". Other than that, he's been mostly terrible for 3 years. This is his last hurrah- bring it and your legacy as a Seahawk great is ensured. Noodle arm it and you will be listed on the back of a milk carton. Good luck old man.

2-Running game... can we generate any? Pathetic so far and untrusted in short situations, we'll have to make some ground yardage to win the division.

3-Which Hass shows up and do the non BMW Receivers give him any more support than they did last week?

4-Stewart vs our D-Line. I don't care how bad the Panthers have been any running back vs our D-Line is concerning right now without Cole and Bryant.


Predictions-

28-14 Saints
possibly all of our points coming from turnovers and special teams plays giving us short fields to work on.

New Feature:


Saints Forum Check out the enemy's fan discussion.
Madden Simulation results
ESPN Playoff Preview Page

[Sweezo]

I saw a quote over on Field Gulls to the effect of "Given the amount of money paid to go to the game, I'm ready to boo at a moment's notice." Which is exactly how I feel. Even if Hass gets pulled for a poor performance, by that point I'd imagine it's too late to make up whatever ground needed to get back into the game. I plan on letting Carroll know how I feel if Hass sucks it up big time.

[Bulltalk]

WHEW! Dodged a big bullet early there. Only a FG when I thought a TD was imminent.

Oh boy, we've got to do A LOT of answering on offense today it looks like.

[Bulltalk]

If the Saints go up 10-0 here...UGH! Could be over early if we don't respond with one of our own.

[Bulltalk]

10-0 Saints. Game started almost precisely how we din't want it to start. They get the early two score lead with the benefit of a bad TO on our part.

I'll say it now...we don't respond with a TD here...goodbye game to me (would it have been worth the draft picks to get knocked out so early? Please God no...)

[Bulltalk]

OMG! We did answer with a TD. Praise Jesus!

[Bulltalk]

17-14 Saints. NO EFFING WAY we're still in this game with CBJ as our QB today. Let's just settle that one right now.

[Bulltalk]

Hasselbeck's been a QB God today so far. Good for him. Good for us. 34-20 Hawks (too bad Obamanu dropped that 3rd down pass).

[TTown]

34-20 Hawks... Hass is playing really great. I really can't think of a better Qwest finale for him, here's hoping the team finishes it out for him.

The defense is imperfect, but we look fast and we're swarming to the football. Desire seems to be making up for a talent gap on D.

[Bulltalk]

What a 4th down STOP! Incredible!

Let's go in for a TD now, and start putting this one away.

Go Hawks. U-N-B-E-L-I-E-V-A-B-L-E!

[TTown]

I agree with all the talk here about how this game doesn't *really* mean much in the long term, how our draft status got negatively effected, how we'd likely get pummeled next weekend, etc., but for what it is this as probably been my favorite Hawk game since the '06 Dallas playoff game. Really, just a great showing. The team is spirited and looks like they listened to every single media outlet who said they didn't belong in the postseason after beating the Rams.

We're starting to drop passes, though. That's mildly irrritating.

[Bulltalk]

You're right. Two KEY drops. Then the penalty to get them out of FG range and the chance to go three scores up.

Come on D!

[Danny Darko]

damn that delay of game on the fg was pretty major along with the drops

[Bulltalk]

We were *this* close to just about putting this one away. Now it's a game again. Too bad.

But at least we're still in it, even still winning it, though it feels like the momentum has really turned against us.

[Danny Darko]

Looks like we're playing not to lose right now. get aggressive

[Bulltalk]

Looks like we're playing not to lose right now. get aggressive

We've goto to break their momentum now. Somehow turn them back, and then start getting our mojo back.

How?

[Bulltalk]

That stop and holding them to a FG was HUGE!

God we need a drive now...

[Bulltalk]

Great punt. Great coverage. Nice penalty.

Come on crowd. Come one D!

[Bulltalk]

3rd down. We need a pass rush!

[Danny Darko]

oh man it's nervous time