Playoffs!: Seahawks vs Saints

[Danny Darko]

VS.



First steps to a first chip




Injury update:



Seahawks-

TBA


Saints

TBA


Danny's .02:

1. Balance
Don't get me wrong I'll take success wherever it can be found, but when Seattle is balanced in it's attack the possession time is good, the run game wears down the opposing D, and Russ has more options.

2. Luke Wilson
He was back in full participation Thrs after spraining his ankle. I imagine he very much wants to play either way, but if his top gear isn't there the downfield blocking will suffer and the explosive plays will be fewer.

3. Okung & Unger
I'm not sure there are too more important guys on the line to keep healthy for the whole run this year.

4. Weather or Not
The Saints obviously do far worse in weather despite winning in Philly last week. A little bit of the wet cold might be good and forecast says a perfect 48 degrees with 60% chance of rain. Just enough to feel like home sweet home for the PNW players.

5. X factor
My shot in the dark X factor for the game is going to be Clinton McDonald on D and Kearse on O.


Predictions-
Saints 17 Seattle 24

[Bulltalk]

Even though I think we're a better team than the Saints, even though I think we'll win fairly convincingly, I'm still nervous heading into the playoff season here. All things considered, this is the best chance we've had in Seattle to get a championship since the 2005 Seahawks and the 2001 Mariners, both of which came up short. Excepting women's pro sports (The Storm), and the Washington Huskies in 1991 (national championship in college football), we haven't had a championship here since the 1979 Sonics that truly captured the attention of the city and the region, a championship in one of the four men's major professional sports.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's hard not to think that something will go wrong. That Seattle sports thing that gets me in the gut. Isn't it our effing time? Isn't this the team to put that to rest?

My mind says yes. But that Seattle sports thing remains in my gut till we do.

[Sweezo]

My mind says yes. But that Seattle sports thing remains in my gut till we do.

Yes. A thousand times yes. I look at the matchup on paper and the prior game against the Saints, but as a Seahawks' fan I'm still nervous as hell. This team is the most talented iteration of the Seahawks I have seen, and a loss [accompanied by a loss of some of that talent in the offseason] would be tough to take. Talent-wise, we've never been in a better position to actually win a Super Bowl than we are this season.

[TTown]

hey, i'm right there. take a look at the teams i root for, and count the championships. one (portland), which occurred several years before i was born. i don't know what the hell a championship feels like, and my personal history rooting for teams flirting with greatness ('hawks 2005, portland's 2000 wcf meltdown, oregon vs. auburn 2010, mariners 2001, canucks' game 7 sadness) is hardly making me confident.

[Bulltalk]

T-minus 40 minutes.

[roadofalex]

Good luck, everyone. Rooting for the Seahawks!

[Moonbeam]

The offense has done nothing in the 3rd...

[Moonbeam]

The offense continues to be offensive.

[Moonbeam]

Great run by Lynch!

[Bulltalk]

I posted on the General Board that this game shouldn't even have been close, that we should have won by over 20 points. I got accused of being a homer.

Am I crazy about this? If we got ANYTHING out of our passing game, it was a blowout, wasn't it?

[Sweezo]

What an adventure. Those awesome weather conditions knocked our power out so we went to a friends and watched the game in Woodinville. It was more stressful than enjoyable, and I cannot imagine what was going through Golden's head when he decided to charge the kick and try to slide and grab the ball on a hop. Brutal. A win's a win but I feel more relief than elation.

I posted on the General Board that this game shouldn't even have been close, that we should have won by over 20 points. I got accused of being a homer.

Am I crazy about this? If we got ANYTHING out of our passing game, it was a blowout, wasn't it?

I agree. I just don't know why our passing game has looked so broken the past 5 games.

[Bulltalk]

I agree. I just don't know why our passing game has looked so broken the past 5 games.

It's becoming endemic. It's there for all to see. As great as our defense is, as good as our running game and special teams are, I'm feeling very shaky about our fortunes moving forward. Our coaching staff HAS to know that we need more out of our passing game going forward.

Wind, rain, whatever, Russell missed badly on like 3 key short passes. You know the ones I'm talking about Sweezo, like the one on 3rd down to a wide open Tate that's thrown a yard behind him. When Russell drops back to pass, isn't anyone open, is everyone always so covered that it's not worth the risk of a forward pass to them? We watched Russell through most of the season make difficult passes to our receivers, and they came up with the ball more often than not. WTF is up with this?

I feel like RW is constipated as a QB, that our whole passing is constipated. God damn it. Are we going to go down because of this?

[Sweezo]

You know the ones I'm talking about Sweezo, like the one on 3rd down to a wide open Tate that's thrown a yard behind him.

There were those two slants to Tate that made me shake my head. The one you mentioned, and another on 3rd and short later where Tate had zero breathing room.

I think part of the problem is the lack of pass attempts. RW's seemed a little off the past few weeks, but has looked better in the second half. I think the team has decided the way to win late in the season and in the playoffs is to rely heavily on the run game and the defense. What I don't understand is why the team has seemingly abandoned the run option play...not that you feature it, but they seem to keep the defense honest and get RW going.

But I can't put my finger on it. I

[Sweezo]

This Niners team and coaching staff is an absolute joke. Every single play that goes against them has players screaming, calling for flags. Hell, Harbaugh just earned himself a 15 yard penalty for running out on the field to scream at the ref. What a joke.

[Bulltalk]

I hate the Niners. Which means no victory will be sweeter, and no loss more bitter.