Seahawks Will Host Saints in Divisional Playoffs
By Todd Pheifer
Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
This is why they play the games.
Just a few days ago, I wrote that the San Francisco 49ers would be the likely foes of the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. That prediction didn’t last long. My bad.
Instead, it will be the sixth-seeded New Orleans Saints who will make their way to the Emerald City to face a Seahawks teams that is likely to be generously favored. The Saints used the old game-winning field goal as time expired to beat the Philadelphia Eagles by a slim margin of 26-24.
As much as the fans may be confident that this team can beat anyone, the Saints are arguably a better draw than the Niners.
Now, will the Seahawks enjoy a similar result to the regular season when they pounded the Saints 34-7? The CenturyLink Field crowd will certainly do their part. One also has to assume that leading up to the game we see highlights from January 8, 2011, when Marshawn Lynch truly earned the “Beast Mode” moniker with his 67-yard run in the playoffs that year.
Honestly, I can’t watch that clip enough times. Epic.
On paper, the Seahawks should be able to handle the Saints. New Orleans lost three of their last five games to finish the regular season. Granted, the Seahawks weren’t exactly hitting on all cylinders at the end of the year either, but this is still a favorable matchup for the “Legion of Boom.”
Now the Seattle coaching staff can start reviewing film immediately. Now the Seahawks know who they will be playing against next Saturday.
The Saints are coming to town…again. Let’s hope for a repeat of Week 13.