Malik
(1/10/11)
I said last week that
the Seahawks had some good points going for them this season, but
also a few obvious faults. Well, on Saturday the 'Hawks only brought
out their strong points. In fact, no matter how strange it was to
say it, the Seahawks put up the most amazing playing in the best
game of the wildcard weekend. The Colts vs. Jets, Ravens vs. Chiefs,
and Packers vs. Eagles had nothing on the gun fight that was Saints
vs. Seahawks. I mean it was the second playoff game to ever have two
20+ point teams at the half, and included the longest Seattle
playoff running play of all time (with
Lynch's amazing TD run
to seal the Seattle victory).
So, I'm just left
wondering "what happened?" I mean this was not the sloppy play that
made the Seahawks best in the worst division. This was playing that
made the Seahawks look like a winning team that was destined for the
post-season. Close to 300 yards in the air, no missed field goals
(of course Mare is not one to miss often anyway), strong running,
good defense, and well coordinated play calling for the most part
(the third quarter saw a bit of a problem). This was a rebuilt team,
not a team in a rebuilding year. This was also a reminder to the
fair weather Seahawk fans that one sad victory over a failing Rams
team is not a reason to call Charlie Whitehurst the QB of the
future. This was a game in which Hasselbeck was back in great form.
Hasselbeck was in good enough form to even run about 60 yards down
the field to help block on Lynch's dominating TD run.
The only thing that
would make it better would be for the next game to be less
uncertain. If only something could be done to ensure an opponent
that didn't beat us at home this season. Wait...with Green Bay
winning against the Eagles, that happened. The Bears are the only
playoff team Seattle faced this season in which Seattle didn't look
too shabby. Well, the next game is in Chicago, where Seattle picked
up their first road win outside the NFC West in way too many years.
So, while Green Bay is facing the doom of Atlanta, in Atlanta,
Seattle is on the road for a second chance to beat the Bears in a
few months. It's also a chance to keep up some momentum for Seattle
playing against Chicago on the road next season. As long as Seattle
plays in Chicago like they did two days ago, or like they did back
in October, the game should be another chance for Seattle to show
the old saying is true; once you reach the playoffs, all teams are
0-0 to start...and after this last weekend, the remaining eight are
all 0-0 again.
Anyway, I am keeping
this in prospective. I know that the Seahawks are a team that can
fall apart at any time. However, can't that be said of all teams?
While the odds are against Seattle keeping their skills up to what
we just witnessed, it doesn't mean that odds are always guarantees.
Odds said that the Saints would win by double digits. The odds after
the first nine minutes said no Super Bowl defending teams ever lost
after taking a 10-0 lead in the playoffs. I'm good with taking what
comes over the odds, but I still understand that the Seahawks are on
borrowed time. The real question is, "how much borrowed time is
left?"
Malik |