I don't think it really matters what his game plan is. Seattle will have an answer for run heavy attack or pass heavy attack.
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New Orleans Saints @ Seattle Seahawks Playoff Thread (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter gianmarco
- Start date
Gadabout
Footballguy
Henry Ford
Footballguy
I don't know what's going to happen on Saturday any more than anyone else does, but I think it's worth noting how adamant you Seattle fans are that a first-ballot hall of famer who's the only person to throw for 5,000 yards more than once and has done it four times will be easily stopped and won't be able to keep up with Seattle. Whose QB has never thrown for 3,500 yards or 27 TDs in a season.
I know you're confident in your defense. I know it's a tremendous pass defense. It's not infallible. And when Drew Brees is playing his best, he's completely unstoppable.
You can't defend a perfect throw. He makes a lot of them when he's playing his best games. A whole lot. If he's clicking, he will carve up your Cover-3 for 15-20 play drives with 2 and 3 back sets.
Vector
Footballguy
Actually the Colts spotlighted the weakness in the Seattle secondary. They have trouble covering the small fast guys. TY Hilton ripped them up. If Philly had come to play then DeSean might have had a big day.
mad sweeney
Footballguy
How did he fare last time he was up there? How worried should they be when they a)get massive pressure on opposing DBs and have 3 All-Pros in the secondary? I dunno what's going to happen either, but you Ssints fans seem to rely on a lot of past performances while discounting the last performance in Seattle. It's always "it'll be different this time but you Seattle fans are way off base saying that it'll happen just because it actually happened 6 weeks ago. When you win a SB then you can talk". Pretty much sums up the entire thread so far.
Dinkle Heimer
Footballguy
The Hawks have stated that Percy will be playing Saturday (don't know if this has been noted yet).
Dinkle Heimer
Footballguy
Hilton had a nice day against Seattle which was heavily impacted by a huge gain on one play with blown coverage (if I remember correctly). Seattle has faced lots of other fast WRs over the course of the season that have not ripped them up.
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Dinkle Heimer
Footballguy
Meh. If you're speaking to my last post, A weight of evidence approach over a full season is not the same as cherry picking one game and extrapolating. Similar to those of us who think it's irrational to expect a dominant win by Seattle simply because the December 2nd game between these two teams.
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Gadabout
Footballguy
I wasn't referring to you. You do make a good point though.
Two more days, fellas.
Dinkle Heimer
Footballguy
Yes indeed....I've been busy all week, but as the game nears, the jitters are starting to settle in.
seahawk 17
Footballguy
Two songs in one, something I like to watch once a week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNH_6ZtDwQw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNH_6ZtDwQw
Gadabout
Footballguy
That's a well-done video. Somebody had linked that the last time we played.
This song is pretty good, too bad Saints got whooped days after it hit Youtube. Surprised to see the hip-hoppers created a song for a specific game. Props to them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnAufB9ukQY
CapnJB
Footballguy
Breesisdaman
Footballguy
Interesting statistic: Since 2005 the number 6 seed team playing the number 1 seed team has a record of 5-2
The Saints laid an egg last game. They played horribly. Some but not all of that was Seattle's fault. The local Media in the Seattle area has already written the script and is covering what will be a NFC championship game against Seattle and the 49ers. Interesting that they have totally written off the better NFC team left in these playoffs. Forget seeding and forget the last performance at Seattle. The Saints beat the 49ers and the Panthers and were it not for a torrential down pour at Carolina would probably be playing the #2 seed. Yet, they are completely overlooked and dismissed. I imagine Pete Carroll also has quite a job on his hands dealing with this issue with his players trying to convince them that the Saints pose a threat after the beat down they dished out last game. Maybe some of the more mature players that have been around the block a few times get it but I can guarantee there are some on that Seattle team that are looking past and listening to the hype.
The Saints laid an egg last game. They played horribly. Some but not all of that was Seattle's fault. The local Media in the Seattle area has already written the script and is covering what will be a NFC championship game against Seattle and the 49ers. Interesting that they have totally written off the better NFC team left in these playoffs. Forget seeding and forget the last performance at Seattle. The Saints beat the 49ers and the Panthers and were it not for a torrential down pour at Carolina would probably be playing the #2 seed. Yet, they are completely overlooked and dismissed. I imagine Pete Carroll also has quite a job on his hands dealing with this issue with his players trying to convince them that the Saints pose a threat after the beat down they dished out last game. Maybe some of the more mature players that have been around the block a few times get it but I can guarantee there are some on that Seattle team that are looking past and listening to the hype.
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mad sweeney
Footballguy
That's what I was pointing out.
mad sweeney
Footballguy
It should also be noted that it was against the slowest and biggest of the LoB whose replacement has been playing better than he did.
mad sweeney
Footballguy
Guaranteed some Saints players are looking at stats and looking past this game. Saints wins matter but the loss apparently doesn't.
Go home Breesisdaman, you're drunk.
SaintsInDome2006
Footballguy
Chancellor, Percy and Wilson all should play.
Pierre might just might play. All hands on deck.
This is going to be great game for all involved.
Really looking forward to it.
Pierre might just might play. All hands on deck.
This is going to be great game for all involved.
Really looking forward to it.
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The General
Footballguy
Percy coming back is totally unexpected. I read he was not limited in practice at all. We gonna see this guy returning kick offs? That's crazy, nice little bump. Crowd will go crazy if he busts a big play.
Breesisdaman
Footballguy
Well Nostradamus I think we will run and have success. We have a better line than last time we came there and they are gelling a lot better getting more push and opening holes. Armstead is huge and fast and he is one hell of a load blocking in the run game. Ingram is fresh and is running hard. I think you are going to be in for a bit of a shock.
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Breesisdaman
Footballguy
Percy is no DeSean Jackson but if he plays we will have to account for him. Seattle fans act like he is Jesus in cleats sometimes. He doesn't really scare me like a true #1WR would like a Julio Jones or Desean Jackson. I see him more as your version of Daren Sproles, an X factor that catches passes and runs and makes returns. I imagine his snaps are going to be very limited considering how few games he has played the past two seasons and that cold wet air is going to make him feel that hip.The General said:
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CapnJB
Footballguy
Geeze I've got such a man crush on Russell Wilson http://www.seahawks.com/videos-photos/videos/2013-Best-of-Seattle-Seahawks-quarterback-Russell-Wilson/01d02170-a984-45f1-8256-a34206a76b60
seahawk 17
Footballguy
CapnJB
Footballguy
My six year old daughter shares his birthday. That took a lot of planning and foresight.
seahawk 17
Footballguy
For background on the concept, I'll let Greg Cosell explain it, because he's smart.
One tactic that I repeatedly see in college with both the quarterback under center and in the shotgun is a player from outside the formation, usually from a wide receiver position, motioning into the backfield with speed.
That places a tremendous pre-snap burden on the defense.
Think about it in the context of the Seahawks. You have Russell Wilson in the shotgun [in all cases below Wilson is under center, but Greg's analysis still carries over], with Marshawn Lynch next to him or behind him in the Pistol formation. If Lynch is next to Wilson, the defense must be prepared for read option, which presents its own set of tactical issues. If it's the Pistol, then the defense must be ready for the complete and multiple running game with Lynch, which of course is no easy task to defend. Of course, you can throw very effectively from these formations as well, with multiple play action and run action principles.
Now add Harvin into the mix, sprinting into the backfield. That gives the Seahawks so many more options, and the defense much more to digest, process and adjust to in a matter of seconds.
It's a very difficult balancing act for even the most experienced defense.
It's a fascinating dynamic. Even though Harvin is motioning tight to the formation, he is really stretching the field horizontally because of the speed with which he is crossing the field.
That kind of velocity motion forces the defense to widen. Why? What if Wilson takes the snap, and immediately hands the ball to Harvin racing to the perimeter? That attacks the edge, and puts the defense in a tough predicament.
The result, and I've just scratched the surface of the multiple skill set of Harvin, is the further integration of the college spread game with the NFL game despite the closer hash marks. It's a means of expanding the field, utilizing more space and forcing the defense to defend more area.
Harvin gives the Seahawks that dimension. I'm convinced they made the trade with that in mind. He will not simply be a wide receiver. He will be a movable chess piece that advances the continuing evolution of NFL offense.
http://www.fieldgulls.com/football-breakdowns/2014/1/7/5285394/percy-harvin-injury-practice-seahawks-saints
Henry Ford
Footballguy
They had a terrible game with an awful left tackle in the game after beating the Falcons against a team that spent two weeks preparing specifically for them.Prepare for a different game.mad sweeney said:Henry Ford said:
If this were Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, everyone would be saying "you just never know."
The Saints were out coached and outplayed last game. That seldom happens to them twice in one season with the same opponent.
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mad sweeney
Footballguy
Those Falcons sure were tough, weren't they? Don't play the Bree' gets no respect bs. If Manning or Brady got utterly manhandled six weeks ago, we'd be seeing the same things being said. They just came off a narrow road playoff win, if you think the hangover from beating the mighty Falcons is enough to use as a "reason" why they got destroyed, them, what's going to happen a week after playing a real team? Or they forgot about their gameplan against the Saints and only had a whole week off to rest. Somehow a rookie LT and a 3rd string RB are going to demolish the #1 defense, despite being on the road, in the rain, no rest, against the best team in the NFC. It's like I said, everyone wants to point to this stat and that stat, and make bold statements about Brees or Payton ( or dip into the no rings area because the Saints have soooooooooo much experience now that they won) not getting beat or throwing indefensible passes or whatever, yet just write off the last two trips to Seattle as having no bearing, One of you is guaranteeing that the Seahawks are going to be overconfident and somehow that huge Mnf win is actually in the Saints favor. Maybe he figures seattle will rest some starters for the NFCCG.They had a terrible game with an awful left tackle in the game after beating the Falcons against a team that spent two weeks preparing specifically for them.Prepare for a different game.mad sweeney said:Henry Ford said:
If this were Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, everyone would be saying "you just never know."
The Saints were out coached and outplayed last game. That seldom happens to them twice in one season with the same opponent.
Gadabout
Footballguy
Wait, am I 'he'?Those Falcons sure were tough, weren't they? Don't play the Bree' gets no respect bs. If Manning or Brady got utterly manhandled six weeks ago, we'd be seeing the same things being said. They just came off a narrow road playoff win, if you think the hangover from beating the mighty Falcons is enough to use as a "reason" why they got destroyed, them, what's going to happen a week after playing a real team? Or they forgot about their gameplan against the Saints and only had a whole week off to rest. Somehow a rookie LT and a 3rd string RB are going to demolish the #1 defense, despite being on the road, in the rain, no rest, against the best team in the NFC.It's like I said, everyone wants to point to this stat and that stat, and make bold statements about Brees or Payton ( or dip into the no rings area because the Saints have soooooooooo much experience now that they won) not getting beat or throwing indefensible passes or whatever, yet just write off the last two trips to Seattle as having no bearing, One of you is guaranteeing that the Seahawks are going to be overconfident and somehow that huge Mnf win is actually in the Saints favor. Maybe he figures seattle will rest some starters for the NFCCG.They had a terrible game with an awful left tackle in the game after beating the Falcons against a team that spent two weeks preparing specifically for them.Prepare for a different game.mad sweeney said:Henry Ford said:
If this were Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, everyone would be saying "you just never know."
The Saints were out coached and outplayed last game. That seldom happens to them twice in one season with the same opponent.
mad sweeney
Footballguy
Did you make that claim about overconfidence? The drunk guy did it.Wait, am I 'he'?Those Falcons sure were tough, weren't they? Don't play the Bree' gets no respect bs. If Manning or Brady got utterly manhandled six weeks ago, we'd be seeing the same things being said. They just came off a narrow road playoff win, if you think the hangover from beating the mighty Falcons is enough to use as a "reason" why they got destroyed, them, what's going to happen a week after playing a real team? Or they forgot about their gameplan against the Saints and only had a whole week off to rest. Somehow a rookie LT and a 3rd string RB are going to demolish the #1 defense, despite being on the road, in the rain, no rest, against the best team in the NFC.It's like I said, everyone wants to point to this stat and that stat, and make bold statements about Brees or Payton ( or dip into the no rings area because the Saints have soooooooooo much experience now that they won) not getting beat or throwing indefensible passes or whatever, yet just write off the last two trips to Seattle as having no bearing, One of you is guaranteeing that the Seahawks are going to be overconfident and somehow that huge Mnf win is actually in the Saints favor. Maybe he figures seattle will rest some starters for the NFCCG.They had a terrible game with an awful left tackle in the game after beating the Falcons against a team that spent two weeks preparing specifically for them.Prepare for a different game.mad sweeney said:Henry Ford said:
If this were Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, everyone would be saying "you just never know."
The Saints were out coached and outplayed last game. That seldom happens to them twice in one season with the same opponent.
Statorama
Footballguy
Sommmmmmmmebody's overcompensating!Those Falcons sure were tough, weren't they? Don't play the Bree' gets no respect bs. If Manning or Brady got utterly manhandled six weeks ago, we'd be seeing the same things being said. They just came off a narrow road playoff win, if you think the hangover from beating the mighty Falcons is enough to use as a "reason" why they got destroyed, them, what's going to happen a week after playing a real team? Or they forgot about their gameplan against the Saints and only had a whole week off to rest. Somehow a rookie LT and a 3rd string RB are going to demolish the #1 defense, despite being on the road, in the rain, no rest, against the best team in the NFC.It's like I said, everyone wants to point to this stat and that stat, and make bold statements about Brees or Payton ( or dip into the no rings area because the Saints have soooooooooo much experience now that they won) not getting beat or throwing indefensible passes or whatever, yet just write off the last two trips to Seattle as having no bearing, One of you is guaranteeing that the Seahawks are going to be overconfident and somehow that huge Mnf win is actually in the Saints favor. Maybe he figures seattle will rest some starters for the NFCCG.They had a terrible game with an awful left tackle in the game after beating the Falcons against a team that spent two weeks preparing specifically for them.Prepare for a different game.mad sweeney said:Henry Ford said:
If this were Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, everyone would be saying "you just never know."
The Saints were out coached and outplayed last game. That seldom happens to them twice in one season with the same opponent.
mad sweeney
Footballguy
Don't pile on Breesisdadrunk. He's getting shafted enough for being absurd by Hawks fans. Wouldn't be fair for you to make these kinds of comments about him. You're on the same team!Sommmmmmmmebody's overcompensating!Those Falcons sure were tough, weren't they? Don't play the Bree' gets no respect bs. If Manning or Brady got utterly manhandled six weeks ago, we'd be seeing the same things being said. They just came off a narrow road playoff win, if you think the hangover from beating the mighty Falcons is enough to use as a "reason" why they got destroyed, them, what's going to happen a week after playing a real team? Or they forgot about their gameplan against the Saints and only had a whole week off to rest. Somehow a rookie LT and a 3rd string RB are going to demolish the #1 defense, despite being on the road, in the rain, no rest, against the best team in the NFC.It's like I said, everyone wants to point to this stat and that stat, and make bold statements about Brees or Payton ( or dip into the no rings area because the Saints have soooooooooo much experience now that they won) not getting beat or throwing indefensible passes or whatever, yet just write off the last two trips to Seattle as having no bearing, One of you is guaranteeing that the Seahawks are going to be overconfident and somehow that huge Mnf win is actually in the Saints favor. Maybe he figures seattle will rest some starters for the NFCCG.They had a terrible game with an awful left tackle in the game after beating the Falcons against a team that spent two weeks preparing specifically for them.Prepare for a different game.mad sweeney said:Henry Ford said:
If this were Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, everyone would be saying "you just never know."
The Saints were out coached and outplayed last game. That seldom happens to them twice in one season with the same opponent.
Gadabout
Footballguy
Ahhh. I didn't see any Saints fan quoted in there.
I don't believe in that overconfidence card. The #1 seeds do lose their opening game quite a bit but I chalk that up to it being the playoffs.
mad sweeney
Footballguy
Breesisdaman
Footballguy
2 more days . I wonder if the Saints do win how quiet these boards will be? Sweeny always taking it the extra mile. All the seahawks need to do is show up in his mind and this one's a done deal. I wonder if he is a graceful loser when the time does come. By the way you probably drink and get drunk way more than I do. Might want to start drinking now game time is drawing near.
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Evan Silva has the 'Hawks winning by at least 14 points.
http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/45957/179/matchups-divisional-round
New Orleans @ Seattle
Saturday 4:35 ET
Saturday's Divisional Round opener is a rematch of Week 13's 34-7 blowout Seahawks home win, where Russell Wilson shredded Saints DC Rob Ryan's defense for 310 yards and three scores on 22-of-30 (73.3%) passing with 47 more rushing yards. Seattle dominated from start to finish as the clearly superior team. And I wouldn't expect a dramatically different result Saturday evening. ... The lone Saints defender who made a sizable impact on the Week 13 tilt was SS Kenny Vaccaro, recording a year-high ten tackles with a forced fumble of Marshawn Lynch. Vaccaro has since been sent to injured reserve with a broken ankle, improving the matchups of both Wilson and Lynch. Even if the Seahawks don't quite eviscerate the Saints as they did six weeks ago, at very worst the scoreboard should be even or in Seattle's favor enough that OC Darrell Bevell can confidently pound away on the ground. Facing a New Orleans defense that coughed up 4.61 regular season yards per carry -- the NFL's fifth most generous clip -- Lynch is the favorite to lead all running backs in Divisional Round rushing. ... Wilson's target distribution since Seattle's Week 12 bye: Golden Tate 31; Doug Baldwin 23; Zach Miller 22; Jermaine Kearse 18; Lynch 14; Luke Willson 10. ... As the target numbers suggest, Seattle lacks a defined go-to pass-game option, playing run-first ball with a quarterback who prefers throwing to the open man rather than force feeding an alpha receiver. Although he's expected to be on a Week 19 snap count, Percy Harvin's (hip) return further muddies the pass-catching corps. It's a tricky situation in daily fantasy leagues.
Harvin is expected to be available for spot duty, likely similar to the snap count he logged in his lone 2013 appearance. Harvin played 16 downs in Week 11 against Minnesota, securing a 17-yard pass and returning a kickoff 58 yards. Harvin's mammoth big-play ability makes him an X-factor Saturday, but he won't be a full-time player. ... In these teams' regular season bout, the Seahawks attacked the Saints with in-line TE Miller, who registered team highs in targets (8), catches (5), and yards (86), scoring a two-yard touchdown toward the end of the first quarter. New Orleans was touched up by Eagles tight ends in the Wild Card round for a combined 5-38-1 line. ... Expect Tate to get the Keenan Lewis treatment, lining up across from the Saints' top corner on most of Saturday's downs. Lewis did so in Week 13, and Tate came away with 45 scoreless yards on four receptions. Lewis has been a thorn in the side of No. 1 receivers all year, also effectively checking DeSean Jackson (3-53) last week. ... Although Harvin and Baldwin play the same Z/slot position in Seattle's offense, Harvin's return isn't necessarily a concern for Baldwin's snaps or targets. In Harvin's lone 2013 game, Baldwin got the start and played 51-of-54 downs, putting a 2-63-1 line on the Vikings. Harvin and Baldwin were frequently on the field together. Attempting to project the Seahawks' leading receiver in a given game has been a crapshoot all season due to the lack of defined roles, but I would rank Seattle's pass catchers Baldwin > Miller > Tate > Harvin > Kearse for the Divisional Round. And I wouldn't feel overly confident in any of them on FanDuel.
While Vaccaro is a key piece missing from New Orleans' defense, the Seahawks are also short a critical component in SLB K.J. Wright (foot), a coverage maven who took on Darren Sproles and Jimmy Graham for the majority of Week 13 snaps. This is the deficiency in Seattle's otherwise impenetrable defense Saints coach Sean Payton figures to attack. Mark Ingram proved the Week 18 box-score beneficiary of Pierre Thomas' (chest) absence, but I prefer Sproles' outlook this particular week. Rather than a featured offensive piece, Payton has employed Sproles as a matchup-specific weapon this season, upping his workloads when the opponent dictates. I think the opponent dictates in the Divisional Round. Seattle plays incredibly stout run defense at home, submitting 3.50 YPC compared to 4.20 on the road. Look for the Saints to finish Saturday's game with considerably more pass attempts than rushes, and Ingram to be much less of a factor than he was in Philly. ... More passing theoretically bodes well for Drew Brees' statistical prospects, but that won't necessarily be the case against a Seahawks defense that plays smothering coverage throughout the secondary and graded out No. 1 overall in Pro Football Focus' regular season pass-rush metrics. Brees fired off 38 attempts in these clubs' Week 13 clash, but managed 147 yards and one touchdown, good to Graham in the second quarter from two yards out. I prefer Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers, Tom Brady, and Andrew Luck as Week 19 quarterbacks to Brees.
Brees' target distribution since Marques Colston returned from a knee injury in Week 10: Colston 73; Graham 72; Sproles 48; Thomas 40; Lance Moore 33; Kenny Stills 26; Robert Meachem 17; Ben Watson 16; Ingram 13. ... Beyond Graham and Sproles, no Saints pass catcher has an attractive Divisional Round matchup. Seattle limited Colston to 27 innocuous yards on four catches in Week 13, and in slot corner Walter Thurmond and safeties Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, the Seahawks have horses in the middle of the field to keep Colston contained. ... Moore, Stills, and Meachem form a maddeningly unpredictable No. 2 receiver rotation in the first place, and now must deal with LCB Richard Sherman and RCB Byron Maxwell's route-disrupting press coverage on the perimeter. Barring perfectly executed manufactured shot plays or blown defensive assignments, the Saints' outside receivers will struggle for openings. ... Of all this weekend's postseason affairs, I think Seattle over New Orleans has the best chance to be a tail-kicking blowout, and a bit of a struggle to watch. The Saints deserve a lot of credit for getting this far in Payton's comeback season, but I don't think they match up well with the Seahawks from a talent, physicality, or tactical perspective. And the CenturyLink factor accentuates Seattle's advantage.
Score Prediction: Seahawks 27, Saints 13
Editor's Note: Rotoworld's partner FanDuel is hosting a one-week $300,000 Fantasy Football league for the Divisional playoff weekend. It's $25 to join and first prize is $25,000. Starts Saturday at 4:35pm ET. Here's the FanDuel link.
http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/45957/179/matchups-divisional-round
New Orleans @ Seattle
Saturday 4:35 ET
Saturday's Divisional Round opener is a rematch of Week 13's 34-7 blowout Seahawks home win, where Russell Wilson shredded Saints DC Rob Ryan's defense for 310 yards and three scores on 22-of-30 (73.3%) passing with 47 more rushing yards. Seattle dominated from start to finish as the clearly superior team. And I wouldn't expect a dramatically different result Saturday evening. ... The lone Saints defender who made a sizable impact on the Week 13 tilt was SS Kenny Vaccaro, recording a year-high ten tackles with a forced fumble of Marshawn Lynch. Vaccaro has since been sent to injured reserve with a broken ankle, improving the matchups of both Wilson and Lynch. Even if the Seahawks don't quite eviscerate the Saints as they did six weeks ago, at very worst the scoreboard should be even or in Seattle's favor enough that OC Darrell Bevell can confidently pound away on the ground. Facing a New Orleans defense that coughed up 4.61 regular season yards per carry -- the NFL's fifth most generous clip -- Lynch is the favorite to lead all running backs in Divisional Round rushing. ... Wilson's target distribution since Seattle's Week 12 bye: Golden Tate 31; Doug Baldwin 23; Zach Miller 22; Jermaine Kearse 18; Lynch 14; Luke Willson 10. ... As the target numbers suggest, Seattle lacks a defined go-to pass-game option, playing run-first ball with a quarterback who prefers throwing to the open man rather than force feeding an alpha receiver. Although he's expected to be on a Week 19 snap count, Percy Harvin's (hip) return further muddies the pass-catching corps. It's a tricky situation in daily fantasy leagues.
Harvin is expected to be available for spot duty, likely similar to the snap count he logged in his lone 2013 appearance. Harvin played 16 downs in Week 11 against Minnesota, securing a 17-yard pass and returning a kickoff 58 yards. Harvin's mammoth big-play ability makes him an X-factor Saturday, but he won't be a full-time player. ... In these teams' regular season bout, the Seahawks attacked the Saints with in-line TE Miller, who registered team highs in targets (8), catches (5), and yards (86), scoring a two-yard touchdown toward the end of the first quarter. New Orleans was touched up by Eagles tight ends in the Wild Card round for a combined 5-38-1 line. ... Expect Tate to get the Keenan Lewis treatment, lining up across from the Saints' top corner on most of Saturday's downs. Lewis did so in Week 13, and Tate came away with 45 scoreless yards on four receptions. Lewis has been a thorn in the side of No. 1 receivers all year, also effectively checking DeSean Jackson (3-53) last week. ... Although Harvin and Baldwin play the same Z/slot position in Seattle's offense, Harvin's return isn't necessarily a concern for Baldwin's snaps or targets. In Harvin's lone 2013 game, Baldwin got the start and played 51-of-54 downs, putting a 2-63-1 line on the Vikings. Harvin and Baldwin were frequently on the field together. Attempting to project the Seahawks' leading receiver in a given game has been a crapshoot all season due to the lack of defined roles, but I would rank Seattle's pass catchers Baldwin > Miller > Tate > Harvin > Kearse for the Divisional Round. And I wouldn't feel overly confident in any of them on FanDuel.
While Vaccaro is a key piece missing from New Orleans' defense, the Seahawks are also short a critical component in SLB K.J. Wright (foot), a coverage maven who took on Darren Sproles and Jimmy Graham for the majority of Week 13 snaps. This is the deficiency in Seattle's otherwise impenetrable defense Saints coach Sean Payton figures to attack. Mark Ingram proved the Week 18 box-score beneficiary of Pierre Thomas' (chest) absence, but I prefer Sproles' outlook this particular week. Rather than a featured offensive piece, Payton has employed Sproles as a matchup-specific weapon this season, upping his workloads when the opponent dictates. I think the opponent dictates in the Divisional Round. Seattle plays incredibly stout run defense at home, submitting 3.50 YPC compared to 4.20 on the road. Look for the Saints to finish Saturday's game with considerably more pass attempts than rushes, and Ingram to be much less of a factor than he was in Philly. ... More passing theoretically bodes well for Drew Brees' statistical prospects, but that won't necessarily be the case against a Seahawks defense that plays smothering coverage throughout the secondary and graded out No. 1 overall in Pro Football Focus' regular season pass-rush metrics. Brees fired off 38 attempts in these clubs' Week 13 clash, but managed 147 yards and one touchdown, good to Graham in the second quarter from two yards out. I prefer Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers, Tom Brady, and Andrew Luck as Week 19 quarterbacks to Brees.
Brees' target distribution since Marques Colston returned from a knee injury in Week 10: Colston 73; Graham 72; Sproles 48; Thomas 40; Lance Moore 33; Kenny Stills 26; Robert Meachem 17; Ben Watson 16; Ingram 13. ... Beyond Graham and Sproles, no Saints pass catcher has an attractive Divisional Round matchup. Seattle limited Colston to 27 innocuous yards on four catches in Week 13, and in slot corner Walter Thurmond and safeties Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, the Seahawks have horses in the middle of the field to keep Colston contained. ... Moore, Stills, and Meachem form a maddeningly unpredictable No. 2 receiver rotation in the first place, and now must deal with LCB Richard Sherman and RCB Byron Maxwell's route-disrupting press coverage on the perimeter. Barring perfectly executed manufactured shot plays or blown defensive assignments, the Saints' outside receivers will struggle for openings. ... Of all this weekend's postseason affairs, I think Seattle over New Orleans has the best chance to be a tail-kicking blowout, and a bit of a struggle to watch. The Saints deserve a lot of credit for getting this far in Payton's comeback season, but I don't think they match up well with the Seahawks from a talent, physicality, or tactical perspective. And the CenturyLink factor accentuates Seattle's advantage.
Score Prediction: Seahawks 27, Saints 13
Editor's Note: Rotoworld's partner FanDuel is hosting a one-week $300,000 Fantasy Football league for the Divisional playoff weekend. It's $25 to join and first prize is $25,000. Starts Saturday at 4:35pm ET. Here's the FanDuel link.
Gadabout
Footballguy
Sweet. He was 1-3 in his predictions last week.
Yet another reason why people laugh at you.
SaintsInDome2006
Footballguy
Sorry if this has been covered.
Any estimates on wind speed for the game? - I have heard or read 20-30 mph? Is this correct or an overestimate?
This is to go with heavy rain.
Any predictions for whether this will affect Brees or Wilson more, or both equally? Or not at all.
If so, with the heavy rain and high winds, I rather like it from a Saints POV.
Any estimates on wind speed for the game? - I have heard or read 20-30 mph? Is this correct or an overestimate?
This is to go with heavy rain.
Any predictions for whether this will affect Brees or Wilson more, or both equally? Or not at all.
If so, with the heavy rain and high winds, I rather like it from a Saints POV.
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mad sweeney
Footballguy
Just like you ignore the recent history for the teams, you ignore recent history on the board. I don't make braggadocio predictions. I've never said anything remotely like your "just showing up" claim. You're just making up nonsense like you've been proven to do. I'm not the one saying "you will be shocked!" I'm not the one guaranteeing that the opponent players will be overconfident. Blah blah blah. Your posts generally make as much sense as your claims of the NE hangover did. How am I supposed to know when you're sober if there's no difference in your logic from when you're hammered?And just so you know that everything you just wrote is wrong, it's not possible for you to drink less than me. But then again, being wrong is sort of your forte.
SaintsInDome2006
Footballguy
Yeah just noticed that, had Philly winning and scoring 28.
Oh well.
ETA: FBG's Pasquino similarly went Eagles, Chiefs, Packers, Chargers, 1-3.
This week Pasquino goes Seahawks, Colts, 9ers, Chargers.
I like Saints, Pats, Cats, Bolts.
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mad sweeney
Footballguy
Learn the phrase before you use it.
Breesisdaman
Footballguy
You actually don't have much to contribute at all do you? The braggadocio you claim was a response to Scotty Dog who is the real instigator . I was just tossing him a dose of recent reality. You on the other hand are just a blow hard. Nothing of substance, no pearls of wisdom, just criticism is all you spew.
As for the part about the Seahawks players maybe coach Carroll worries about it for a reason.
You need to stop worrying about me and come up with your own topics and discuss them.RENTON, Wash. -- Throw it out. That was coach Pete Carroll's message to the Seattle Seahawks about the rematch with the New Orleans Saints.
[+] EnlargeAP Photo/Elaine ThompsonPete Carroll says the Seahawks' blowout victory over the Saints six weeks ago has no bearing on the teams' rematch Saturday.
Carroll said his team's 34-7 home victory six weeks ago doesn't mean a thing ahead of the teams' playoff game Saturday at CenturyLink Field.
"We start all over again," Carroll said Monday. "It has nothing to do with what happened before. We don't care about that. Obviously, we learned and gained information for the game, as they did, but we start from scratch.
"We will take a look at what's happened since we played them and what they've done. But it would be a mistake to try to call it based on what's happened in the past."
Do players automatically know that?
"Oh, no," Carroll said. "There are no automatics here. They're going to hear about it. It's human nature that you would like to think it's going to be the same. But we have to know better than that. We need to respect this for what it is, a great championship matchup, and they're going to come loaded up."
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SaintsInDome2006
Footballguy
The Hawks did not run it up - the very opposite, and what's more the Saints shut it down early. Payton wouldn't even think this because it did not happen.
This is ESPN at its finest, unsourced sh1+stirring, local media picks it up and asks the opposing coach who poo-poos it but surely hopes it feeds his team, bingo-bango manufactured controversy.
Payton assiduously avoids saying such things, he's never said this kind of stuff, ever, about any team. The man holds his breath and grits his teeth before he answers at a press conference, measures every word.
SaintsInDome2006
Footballguy
Just curious (do me a favor, don't make more of this than it is) did any tv pundits pick the Saints last week? The ESPN panel pre-game was 5 for 5 for the Eagles. Anyone see anyone else on NBC or NFLN pick the Saints?
Again, just curious. Thanks.
Again, just curious. Thanks.
MarcO
Footballguy
this might be the most irrational post in this thread.Breesisdaman said:
I would say it was ALL the Seahawks doing that the Saints laid an egg last time around.
The Saints are the 4th best team left in the NFC side of the bracket.
Saints beat the 49ers and Panthers @ HOME; this game is NOT at home.
Most media people I have heard this week think the Panthers beat the 49ers.
I haven't heard anyone on the local media overlooking this game - most have the opinion that giving Payton and Brees a second chance is dangerous.
This team doesn't overlook teams - it's built on the philosophy that every week is championship week.
