Takeaways: Seahawks Are NFC Champs

By Jackson Safon

In an unbelievable game, the Seattle Seahawks beat the San Francisco 49ers 23-17 in the NFC Championship and are now headed to New York for Super Bowl XLVIII. First of all, props to the Niners on a great season and a great game, they battled hard and were close to winning that game. As much as Seattle hates Kaepernick, he played an outstanding game through three quarters and isn’t going away any time soon. The Seahawks however closed the game much better than the Niners, forcing three turnovers in the fourth quarter and outscoring San Francisco 10-0 in the final frame. So many contributors on both sides of the ball, so many big plays, and so many lucky bounces for both teams: unbelievable game that 100% lived up to the hype.

1. Seahawks’ biggest strength holds true

Seattle’s defense was its staple all year and it showed through when it mattered most, the fourth quarter. Zero points and three turnovers. That is dominance in the clutch. So many players came up big it’s hard to quantify and hard to name them all, but a few that come to mind are Bobby Wagner, Kam Chancellor, and Michael Bennett. Those three guys played out of their minds, and did so at all different levels of the defense. Bennett was the most consistent pass-rusher the ‘Hawks had today and came up with a strip sack as well as the fumble recovery on the ASS (Avril Strip Sack, credit to @HawkBlogger). Wagner was a run stopper extraordinaire throughout the whole game, helping hold Frank Gore to 14 rushes on 11 carries, and Chancellor laid the wood a few times as well as came up with a big interception. Kaepernick played great for most of the game and was virtually unstoppable when pulling it down and running, but the defense was too much for him in the end and Sherman’s tip to Malcolm Smith (reminiscent of his tip to Earl Thomas earlier in the year) sealed the game.   

Kam Chancellor came up with a huge interception in the fourth quarter.

SFGate.com

2. Three offensive stars

Russell Wilson, Doug Baldwin, and Marshawn Lynch led the offense to its best showing in weeks. Wilson struggled a bit early, but eventually hit the big play to Baldwin down the field and most importantly, didn’t turn the ball over after the first play where he was stripped by Aldon Smith. Baldwin was my prediction for offensive player of the game and he didn’t disappoint with six catches for 106 yards as well as 109 return yards. Marshawn Lynch however was truly the best offensive player on the ‘Hawks, as he has been all season. While I didn’t think his late touchdown run against the Saints deserved the title “BeastQuake 2.0”, his 40 yard touchdown run yesterday absolutely can claim that title. It was the longest run against the 49ers in the Jim Harbaugh era and Lynch broke the Niners streak of 22 straight games without allowing a 100-yard rusher. While 23 points will probably not be enough to beat the Broncos in the Super Bowl, the offense took massive steps to get back to where we are accustomed to seeing it.

Doug Baldwin had the best game of his career on Sunday night.

SFExaminer

3. Ten Stats/plays that stood out

-Frank Gore: 11 rushes for 14 yards

-Colin Kaepernick 11 rushes for 130 yards

-Three turnovers in the fourth quarter for the 49ers.

-51 yard completion to Baldwin relatively early in the game: I thought this gave the offense confidence it hadn’t had in weeks.

-Marshawn Lynch 22 rushes for 109 yards (4.95 yards per carry).

-Russell Wilson 5 rushes for 0 yards, Darrell Bevell needs to let him loose in the Super Bowl.

-Decision to go for it on 4^th and 7 instead of kick a 52 yard field goal. Not the call I would’ve made but had faith in Carroll once it was made.

-Both teams had the exact same number of total yards: 308.

-Luck factor seemed to be even, both teams had weird bounces and plays go their way (fumbles bounced the Niners way until Bowman injury/strip).

-Percy Harvin is coming back.

4. Initial Super Bowl Thoughts

The Seahawks will face Peyton Manning and the Broncos in two weeks and they will have to try and slow down the best offense in the history of the NFL. Peyton Manning had more passing touchdowns than any other team had TOTAL touchdowns. He broke the passing yardage record. They had five position players with double digit touchdowns. The gap between their offense and the second best offense (Bears) in points per game was about the same gap as between the second place offense and the second worst offense (Texans). Their offense is ridiculous and can score on you in any and every way imaginable. Yet all that being said, I think the Seahawks match up PERFECTLY to stop them. They have a shutdown group of defensive backs to slow down the electric set of receivers the Broncos have, they can put pressure on the quarterback with just four rushers, and they have the ability to stop the run as well. The offense will have to perform a bit better, but the Broncos haven’t faced a defense even close to what they are going to see in the Super Bowl.

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NFC Championship Preview: 49ers at Seahawks

By Jackson Safon

The Seahawks have made it one step further than they did last year and are now one more step away from the Super Bowl. It wasn’t as easy as many thought it would be against the Saints, as the second half left many ‘Hawks fans giving their chairs the death grip. The Saints battled back for much of the second half and were one bonehead play from Marques Colston away from having a chance to tie the game. Now it is onto the 49ers. This seems like how it was meant to be. I don’t throw out words like this all that often but it almost seems like destiny. These are the two best teams in the NFC and arguably the two best teams in the NFL so it is more than right that they are the last two teams in the NFC. These teams know each other very well so expect it to be a battle from the get-go. In playoff games and in rivalry playoff games especially, there is no true way to predict what will happen. Rushing yards, passing yards, turnovers, field position, special teams, defense, and much more. Every single thing will count in this game so there is no true way to predict how it will go or what will be the keys. Even so, I will do my best to compare the two teams and go from there.

Quarterbacks:

Russell Wilson vs. Colin Kaepernick

I know it isn’t what many Seahawks fans want to hear but right now, Colin Kaepernick is playing better than Russell Wilson. Harass me if you’d like (we love comments here at the sports soup). But in all seriousness Colin Kaepernick has played outstanding football as of late and Russell Wilson has done quite the opposite. Wilson played better throughout the regular season, but we are in the playoffs now, and Kaepernick is 4-1 in his playoff career with his only loss being last year’s Super Bowl. I wholeheartedly expect Russell to turn it around and rebound off his poor performance, but as of this moment Kaepernick is the better quarterback.

Seahawks: 0 49ers: 1

There's no doubt Colin Kaepernick is playing better football than Russell Wilson right now.

Associated Press

Running Backs:

Marshawn Lynch/Robert Turbin vs. Frank Gore/Kendall Hunter

Gore is getting old and Lynch is arguably the best running back in the NFL. He is the league leader in forced missed tackles in a league with Adrian Peterson, Jamaal Charles, and LeSean McCoy. Lynch’s hands are also supremely underrated. Edge goes to the ‘Hawks.

Seahawks: 1 49ers: 1

Wide Receivers:

Golden Tate/Doug Baldwin/Jermaine Kearse vs. Michael Crabtree/Anquan Boldin

I do not expect Percy Harvin to play after getting a concussion in the early parts of Saturday’s game against the Saints and neither should you. It is possible yes, but unlikely, and if you think this way then him playing will be a happy surprise. That leaves the receiving corps of the Seahawks back to where it started, with some quality players but players that at times have trouble getting separation from defensive backs. Compared to the two elite receivers the Niners have in Crabtree and Boldin, they just don’t stack up. Crabtree and Boldin complement each other perfectly and are both extremely dangerous in their own ways. I am significantly more scared of both of those players than I am of any Seahawks receiver. Seahawks: 1 49ers: 2

Tight Ends:

Zach Miller/Luke Willson vs. Vernon Davis/Vance McDonald

Vernon Davis is an absolute monster. He is the most physically gifted playmaker the 49ers have on a team with Crabtree and Boldin. Davis is the fastest receiver the Niners have and is the same height and 18 pounds heavier than Kam Chancellor. Dude is big. As for Vance McDonald, he is the player that the Seahawks actually wanted to draft, but his evaluation was just too high so the ‘Hawks decided to pass and get Luke Willson a few rounds later. I much prefer this value but in terms of pure talent McDonald likely beats out Willson. Niners in a LANDSLIDE. Seahawks: 1 49ers: 3

Offensive Line:

As I explained last week, the Seahawks seem to have an above average offensive line. Max Unger and Russell Okung are both pro-bowlers, and Breno Giacomini is a versatile and skilled tackle opposite Okung. Additionally, Michael Bowie has been thrust into the starting left guard role and really flourished, showing much better skills than James Carpenter and Paul McQuistan. All that being said, the 49ers have one of the better offensive lines in all of football. Joe Staley at left tackle and Mike Iupati at left guard make up arguably the best left side of an offensive line in football, perhaps only rivaled by the Patriots’ left side. Their center Jonathan Goodwin and two right side of the line players in Alex Boone and Anthony Davis are all above average as well, and their run-blocking skills are just superb. Nod goes to the Niners.

Seahawks: 1 49ers: 4

Defensive Line:

Ooh baby this is a fun category to compare. The 49ers defensive line is headlined by Justin Smith, the most dominant inside defensive lineman in football (except when Vince Wilfork is healthy). Ray McDonald and Glenn Dorsey are the other two linemen in the 49ers 3-4 defense and they are fantastic players as well. But as I said last week, the Seahawks have the best and deepest defensive line in all of football. You want run stoppers, here’s Red Bryant, Tony McDaniel, and Brandon Mebane. Pass rushers you say? Well BAM, here’s Michael Bennett, Chris Clemons, and Cliff Avril coming at you. To add even more depth, I didn’t even list Jordan Hill and Clinton McDonald who are both promising young inside defensive linemen. Seahawks with ease. Seahawks: 2 49ers: 4

Michael Bennett has been the third best player on the Seahawks' defense this year.

Charlotte Observer/Getty Images

Linebackers:

This will be the closest one yet. I am smiling as I write this because both teams have so many unbelievable young players at the different linebacker positions. Let’s start with the hometown Seahawks. Bruce Irvin, Bobby Wagner, and Malcolm Smith have been the starters the past few games with K.J. Wright out. Irvin is a pass rushing extraordinaire, Bobby Wagner has been playing at an All-Pro level, and Malcolm Smith has been playing out of his mind in replacement duty. Plus, there is a pretty decent chance that K.J. Wright makes it back this week. That is a very high quality linebacking corps. But the 49ers. Man they are loaded. Patrick Willis and Navarro Bowman are two of the best inside linebackers in football. Aldon Smith is one of the best pass rushers in football. And lesser known Ahmad Brooks is just as good as all of them. Never mind Dan Skuta who played unbelievable in backup duty when Aldon Smith was not with the team. The Seahawks linebackers are great, but the 49ers linebackers are the best.

Seahawks: 2 49ers: 5

Secondary:

I’m sure you already know the members of the Seahawks secondary so let me detail the Niners defensive backs. Eric Reid is one of the best young safeties in the game and Donte Whitner tried to change his last name to “Hitner” so that should tell you enough about him. The cornerbacks are the weak spot of their secondary however. Carlos Rogers is a very good player, but their right corner has been a revolving door with Tarell Brown, Eric Wright, and Tremaine Brock all getting time. Their unit is good but not as good as the L.O.B. Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman are both DPOY candidates. Kam Chancellor is an animal at strong safety. Byron Maxwell has been the best corner in the entire NFL if the sample size is lowered to 500 snaps instead of 1000 (when it is Richard Sherman). These guys are the best there is. Plain and simple. Seahawks: 3 49ers: 5

Richard Sherman might have to make a play in this one for the Seahawks to win.

FOX Sports

Special Teams:

I’ve said it all year but the Seahawks have the best special teams unit in the NFL. Hauschka is a money kicker, Jon Ryan has a cannon of a leg, and Golden Tate is an electric punt returner. The missing piece to the puzzle was Percy Harvin returning kicks, but that seems to be off the board at this point. No matter, the 49ers just don’t have enough to compete in this category. Seahawks: 4 49ers: 5

Coaching (I added this one, not sure why I left it out before):

Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh. Rivals in college and rivals in the NFL. Both guys are very high energy and seem to have a knack for coaching up strong defenses no matter where they are. I know that Harbaugh is a much more annoying character but that doesn’t make him less of a coach. I’m going to call this one a wash. Seahawks: 5 49ers: 6

The Niners have the edge in simple X’s and O’s position comparisons, but that doesn’t mean they are the better team. They are the better team right now, but position comparisons aren’t what proves that. If you have watched both teams recently, it is pretty clear that the ‘Hawks offense is in the dumpster, and if it doesn’t turn around the 49ers will win the game. Plain and simple. The 49ers are playing very high quality football right now and are the better team at this moment. It will be a great game no doubt and I just get the feeling that whichever quarterback has a better game, will lead his team to a victory. Hopefully and nervously predicting a Seahawks victory 20-19.

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Husky Basketball Mid-Season Update

By Kevin Calderhead

Truthfully, when conference play started, I was about two bad games away from being completely done with the Huskies. They were playing like they deserved to finish in eighth place in the conference, as predicted. Jernard Jarreau tore his ACL two minutes into the season opener. In their first four games, they shot 24% from beyond the arc. After losing to #10 UConn, the UW seemed to play a little better, winning their next two before Pac-12 play. The Dawgs were 8-5 before playing 11-2 Arizona State, and going into the game I was less than optimistic. I actually didn’t watch it, mostly because it was on Pac-12 Network (DirecTV, can you please sign a contract with the Pac-12 already), but also I just figured they would get blown out.

           

Well, around halftime, I checked the score on my phone. I remember saying sarcastically to my friend: “Hey, let’s guess how much the Huskies are losing by now!” The page loaded, and I was shocked: Washington 40, Arizona State 23.

The Huskies ended up winning the matchup 76-65. This game was followed by a close loss at #1 Arizona in which UW was actually ahead by two at the break. Washington then played Utah and #15 Colorado at home, and beat them both. Most impressive was the 71-54 defeat of Colorado; the first win against a ranked opponent since 2011 after losing their previous twelve contests. The Dawgs have turned it around and have won seven out of their last nine games. They are 3-1 in conference games, which has them tied for third place in the Pac-12.

What changed? It’s not C.J. Wilcox, who has been consistent the entire year; playing well enough to put himself in the NBA draft conversation. I think one of the factors is the performance of guard Andrew Andrews. The Dawgs have won the last five games in which Andrews scored more than 10 points. Freshman guard Nigel Williams-Goss has also been more consistent; turning the ball over less often.

CJ Wilcox is the clear leader of this Huskies team.

Dean Rutz

Despite being more successful as of late, the Huskies still have one major problem: rebounding. The loss of Jerreau is showing, as the Huskies have had to rely heavily on Perris Blackwell for the majority of their rebounding. He leads the team with 7.6 RPG, but the next four leading rebounders on the team are all guards (Anderson, Williams-Goss, Wilcox, Andrews). A surprise to me has been Mike Anderson, new to the team this season from Moberly Area CC. He has helped pick up the slack and is averaging 6.6 boards per game.

This week, the Huskies are traveling to the Bay Area to play Cal and Stanford.

           

Big picture time again. March Madness. Looking forward from this point, will Washington make the tournament?

It is possible. There are 14 games left in the season. UW is now 11-6 (3-1 Pac-12), and if they can win at least 11 out of the last 14 games (final record of 22-9) and play well in the Pac-12 tournament they could be selected. 11 of 14 is a lot, but their schedule is fairly easy from here on out; the only ranked teams that the Huskies will play from here on out are #21 Colorado and #25 UCLA, but the rankings could change. Let’s not forget Cal and Oregon either, both of whom the Huskies play twice from here on out. Another key to making the tournament is to upset better teams, like UCLA, Cal and Oregon. The remaining games are evenly split between home and away: seven at Hec Ed and seven on the road. And regardless of how many games they win or lose, if the Dawgs win the conference tournament they automatically make the March Madness bracket. In my opinion, Washington has an outside chance of making the tournament.

So midway through the season, I can say with confidence that I think the Huskies will finish higher than eighth place in the Pac-12. With Arizona around, they probably won’t take first in the conference but a top three finish is definitely feasible. In regards to the NCAA tournament, only time will tell.  

Takeaways: Seahawks Escape Saints’ Grasp

By Jackson Safon

The Seahawks grinded out a 23-15 win against the New Orleans Saints on Saturday and then watched the 49ers manhandle Cam Newton in the second half of that game to collect a 23-10 win against the Panthers. This means that it will be Seahawks vs. 49ers 3.0 this Sunday for the NFC Championship. There is little doubt in anyone’s minds that these are the two best teams in the NFC and on Sunday, at 3:30 Pacific Time, the Clink will be rocking as the divisional foes face off for a trip to the Super Bowl. Looking ahead to that game comes later in the week however as first a serious conversation needs to be had about the Seahawks game against the Saints.

Steven Hauschka came up clutch once again for the Seahawks.

OregonLive.com

1. Umm…trust in Russ?

Russell Wilson was 9/18 throwing for 103 yards through the air and only contributing 16 more on the ground. In Wilson’s professional career this was his worst game in terms of passing yards and fifth worst game in terms of completion percentage. The passing game was stagnant throughout the entire game and Wilson only had two completions in the second half. Two. That is not to say the struggles in the passing game were all his fault however, as the receivers failed to get consistent separation, the offensive line played sub-par, and the weather was a huge factor. That being said, it was arguably the worst we have ever seen Russell Wilson play and it is coming at the worst possible time. The early forecast for Sunday’s game is mid-40’s and a 40% chance of rain. It shouldn’t be as bad as this past weekend, but shouldn’t the weather at home be working in our favor instead of against it? I believe Wilson will be able to turn it around, but if he can’t, there is virtually no way that the ‘Hawks beat the Niners.

2. Marshaaaaaaaaawn Lynch!

Beastmode was in full effect on Saturday to the tune of 140 yards and two touchdowns for Lynch including the nail-in-the-coffin 31-yard touchdown run at the end of the game that registered on the Richter scale. Lynch was basically the entire offense on Saturday and he will have to have a similar performance on Sunday against the 49ers. Maybe it was the unveiling of the “Beast Burger” at Century Link (if you haven’t seen it, look it up hint: it is served with skittles), or perhaps it was the Top Pot Donuts he ate before the game. Whatever the reason, Lynch came to play in a big way, something he had been struggling to do at the end of the regular season. With the passing game struggling as mightily as it is, expect to see Lynch with another full workload this weekend.

Marshawn Lynch had yet another dominating performance against the Saints on Saturday.

WCBSports

3. Dougie Fresh

Doug freaking Baldwin came up with another huge play on Saturday as he has done all season for the ‘Hawks. Late in the game when we needed it most, Russell Wilson delivered a dime of a throw down the left side line and Baldwin showed incredible body control twisting to get both feet down and essentially ice the game. Baldwin has come up big for the Seahawks time after time and with Percy Harvin unable to stay healthy it can be argued Baldwin is the most complete receiver for the ‘Hawks right now. Wherever he ranks, it is clear he has the clutch gene and I expect to see a couple more big catches against the 49ers.

4. Tale of two halves for the defense

In the first half, Drew Brees was awful, missing throws by a lot and was clearly rattled by the weather as well Seattle’s defense. In the second half however the Seahawks’ defense couldn’t get any pressure on Brees and he picked apart the secondary like it was practice. He finished with 309 yards and no interceptions which is something Earl Thomas and the Legion of Boom cannot be happy about. Colin Kaepernick is no Drew Brees when it comes to throwing the ball, but if the defense plays as lackluster as it did in the second half against the Saints, watch out.

5. Saints go marching out, 49ers come rushing(?) in

It is time for the rubber game. Seahawks vs. 49ers 3.0. This time there is a lot more than a division title on the line however as the winner obviously gets a trip to New Jersey to play in the Super Bowl. There is no doubt it will be a hard-fought game and it will be much closer than the two previous blowouts at the Clink. A playoff preview will be coming later in the week, but expect a tight one in Seattle on Sunday.

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Divisional Round Playoff Preview: Saints at Seahawks

By Jackson Safon

After beating the Eagles 26-24, the Saints have earned a trip to Seattle for a playoff matchup against the Seahawks on Saturday with kickoff at 1:35 PM. As most know, this will be the second time the Saints will travel to Seattle this season as in week 13 the Saints came to the Clink and got drubbed, 34-7. This weekend’s game will no doubt be different however as everything ramps up in the playoffs. The Seahawks are no doubt the better team, but as the 7-9 ‘Hawks learned in 2011, anything can happen in the playoffs. For this very reason, the Seahawks should not and will not take the Saints lightly, who are capable of beating any team at any time behind their veteran leader Drew Brees. To take the analysis to a whole new level I will compare each position grouping to each other, as I did in the playoffs last season.

Quarterbacks:

Russell Wilson vs. Drew Brees

Drew Brees is a seasoned veteran at this point in his career and he has been elite ever since he came to New Orleans. Brees set the NFL passing yards record last season and is surrounded by a dynamic cast of playmakers which means he can create a big play at any time. Russell Wilson on the other hand is only in his second season and does most of his play-making on his own, without an elite receiving corps. I believe that the Seahawks receivers are significantly underrated, but they are still not elite, and much of the success of the Seahawks passing game comes from the play action and Russell Wilson making great throws into tight windows. Both quarterbacks have different styles but have been compared endlessly because of their similar heights. Drew Brees is one of the few truly “elite” quarterbacks in the NFL, but because Wilson is playing at home I will call this one a push. Seahawks: 1 Saints: 1

Drew Brees is the unquestionable leader of this Saints team.

Let's Move

Running Backs:

Marshawn Lynch/Robert Turbin vs. Pierre Thomas/Darren Sproles/Mark Ingram

Pierre Thomas missed Saturday’s Wild Card game because of a chest injury and should be considered questionable for the upcoming game against the Seahawks, but when he does play, he is a very solid and underrated all-around back. Marshawn Lynch is one of the most complete running backs in the NFL with a bruising style and highly underrated pass-catching ability. Robert Turbin and Mark Ingram are similar downhill runners with Ingram having slightly more explosiveness. Darren Sproles is an x-factor and one of my favorite players to watch, but the Saints don’t seem to utilize him as much as they could. If he played more snaps I would give this to the Saints but because of his limited playing time and Thomas’ injury, this grouping goes to Lynch and the ‘Hawks. Seahawks: 2 Saints: 1

Wide Receivers:

Percy Harvin/Golden Tate/Doug Baldwin vs. Marques Colston/Kenny Stills/Lance Moore

This is an interesting one because Percy Harvin’s health is a bit of a wild card. If Harvin plays and is 100% it would be hard to argue against the Seahawks receiving corps, but if Harvin has to be replaced with Jermaine Kearse, the debate becomes much closer. Marques Colston is aging, but he is still a big and physical receiver with great hands and an even better rapport with Drew Brees. Kenny Stills is a young speedster out of Oklahoma who can truly take the cap off a defense, and Lance Moore is a dependable slot receiver who has been a favorite target of Drew Brees for years. I have a gut feeling that Percy Harvin plays however and I also don’t think the dynamic Golden Tate and always dependable Doug Baldwin are chopped liver. Baldwin is not talked about nearly enough and I think he has a big game. Receiver nod goes to the ‘Hawks. Seahawks: 3 Saints: 1

Tight Ends:

Zach Miller/Luke Willson vs. Jimmy Graham/Ben Watson

Jimmy Graham. If that isn’t enough, check this video out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP6d3-RT2Zw. Seahawks: 3 Saints: 2

Jimmy Graham is the best tight end in the NFC.

WBRZ.com

Offensive Line:

The Saints offensive line is led by multiple time pro-bowler Jahri Evans at right guard, but the Seahawks line has multiple All-Pro’s in Max Unger and Russell Okung. Breno Giacomini is no slouch either on the opposite tackle of Okung. The Saints offensive line does a good job of protecting Drew Brees and they really outmuscled the Eagles defensive front in the run game on Saturday, but they don’t stack up to the Seahawks o-line. Seahawks: 4 Saints: 2

Defensive Line:

Cameron Jordan is having an outstanding season for the Saints as he is top five in the NFL in sacks, but he is the only true stud on the Saints d-line, whereas the ‘Hawks line doesn’t really have any holes. Michael Bennett, Tony McDaniel, and Brandon Mebane on the inside create an insane amount of inside pressure while Red Bryant, Chris Clemons, and Cliff Avril are just as relentless on the outside. The ‘Hawks are very deep at all d-line positions and have run stoppers as well as pass-rushers. Seahawks: 5 Saints: 2

Cliff Avril could have huge game, just like he did in the teams' first match-up this year.

Bleacher Report

Linebackers:

The Seahawks linebacking corps is very strong with Bobby Wagner in the middle flanked by Bruce Irvin and Malcolm Smith. Irvin is a pass-rushing extraordinaire while Wagner and Smith are versatile and can succeed in all parts of the game. The ‘Hawks have lost K.J. Wright however to a foot injury and it doesn’t look like he will be back for this Saturday’s game. While Malcolm Smith has filled in admirably, he is not the same as Wright, who is often called the “screen sniffer”. This will be a big loss in this game especially as the Saints are particularly effective in the screen game with both Pierre Thomas and Darren Sproles. The Saints linebackers are pretty dang strong as well led by veterans Curtis Lofton and David Hawthorne on the inside, as well as pass-rusher Junior Galette on the outside. These guys have been playing well as a unit and because of the ‘Hawks loss of K.J. Wright, I would call this one a tie. Seahawks: 6 Saints: 3

Secondary:

The Saints secondary has been held intact most of the season by terrific rookie safety Kenny Vaccaro, but now that he is out with an injury they are just a bunch of guys back there. The Seahawks on the other hand have the best secondary in the league and have the stats to prove it, leading the league in passing yards allowed and interceptions. Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman are both DPOY candidates and anchor a secondary that is unmatched in today’s NFL. Seahawks: 7 Saints: 3

Special Teams:

The Seahawks have the best special teams unit in the NFL and it isn’t close. Steven Hauschka is one of the best kickers, Jon Ryan is one of the best punters, and their kickoff and kick return coverage is spectacular. No contest. Seahawks: 8 Saints: 3

Obviously the Seahawks have better position groups and are simply a more talented team as a whole, but in the playoffs anything can happen. And while I know the Clink is in a league of its own, it took a miraculous Andrew Luck comeback to prevent the home teams from going 0-4 in the wild card round. Just a thought. Expect this game to be closer than the week 13 contest but the ‘Hawks will still come out with a victory. 27-16.

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Takeaways: Seahawks End Regular Season on High Note

By Jackson Safon

The Seahawks beat the Rams 27-9 yesterday and in doing so, clinched the number one seed in the NFC and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The offensive struggles continued early in the game but the ‘Hawks were saved by Malcolm Smith and the Seahawks defense as Smith intercepted Kellen Clemens and took it back for six on the Rams first possession of the game. The main storyline of this game however was the animosity between the two teams and how chippy the game was as a whole. This lead to an abundance of penalties including numerous personal fouls on both sides. Head referee Jeff Triplette had himself a field day, with 19 total penalties accepted and several more that were called, but offset throughout the game. The Seahawks were the only ones talking trash at the end however as they took control of the game and finished with a 13-3 record (which by the way is the record I predicted in my schedule analysis article).

1. Playoffs? Are you kidding me? Playoffs?

It is that time of year again folks, where you will be seeing the video clip of Jim Mora and his playoff rant over and over. The good news however is this season the Seahawks are poised to make a Super Bowl run as the road to New York in the NFC will go through Seattle this year. After the first round bye that the ‘Hawks have, there will be three potential opponents for them, the Packers, 49ers, or Saints. Because the NFL is not bracket style, the seeds are reorganized after every round, which means the Seahawks will play the worst seed remaining and the two-seed Panthers will play the best seed remaining. This means there is zero chance of the ‘Hawks playing the Eagles until the NFC Championship. In my opinion, the order of difficulty in terms of potential ‘Hawks opponents is 49ers, Packers, then Saints, but I will go into more detail on the playoff matchups next week.

Could the Packers pull of a stunner against the 49ers?

Bleacher Report

2. D-FENCE!

As I said last week, with the offense sputtering somewhat, it will be up to the defense to lead the Seahawks to victories. Not only did the defense almost outscore the Rams by themselves this week, they completely and utterly dominated a Rams offense that moved the ball with ease last time these two teams played. In the week eight matchup in St. Louis, the Rams ran for over 200 yards on the ground, but yesterday they only managed 13. In the whole game. The 13 rushing yards allowed by the Seahawks ties a franchise record and just goes to show how dominant this defense can be. At season’s end, the defense ended up first in points allowed, total yards, passing yards, and interceptions. The only other teams that can argue for the best defenses in the league are the 49ers and Panthers, who coincidentally (or maybe not) are the two toughest teams left in the NFC besides the ‘Hawks. In any case, I believe the Seahawks defense is the best in the NFL and will be almost impossible to score on in the playoffs at the Clink.

P.S. K.J. Wright could make it back for the first playoff game the Seahawks have to play. Get excited folks.

K.J. Wright's return to the Seahawks defense could be the difference between a Super Bowl and going home disappointed.

Seahawks.com

3. Three stars

I am going to do a hockey inspired three stars for the game against the Rams because there is just so much to write about with the season ending and the playoffs coming up but so little time. One star goes Malcolm Smith. Smith had an interception that he returned for a touchdown that was good for the first score of the game but more importantly, he has filled in brilliantly for the injured K.J. Wright. The second star goes to Marshawn Lynch who came just three yards short of snapping his streak of games without 100 yards on the ground. Lynch was doing the dirty work while the passing game was struggling early on and really went to town. He will continue to be the focal point of the offense as possessions become more important in the playoffs. Three stars go to Golden Tate who had a career high eight receptions and 129 yards. He also had a long touchdown reminiscent of the play against the Rams in week eight when he received a taunting penalty for waving. There was no need for him to wave this time as it was very clear that these teams have gone in two separate directions, with the ‘Hawks securing the number one seed and the Rams heading towards a top pick in the 2014 NFL draft. The 2013 regular season has come to a close, with the Seahawks having tied for the best record in the NFL, but this is not good enough as this season started and still remains Super Bowl or bust.

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Wednesday Wanderings: Five Christmas Wishes of a Seattle Sports Fan

By Marshall Cherrington

Wednesday Wanderings is a weekly column written by Editor-in-Chief and creator of the Sports Soup Network, Marshall Cherrington. He brings you all of his weekly thoughts pertaining to Seattle sports, and anything else for that matter.

You already know it's that time of the year again. Christmas right? Uh, no. It's the time you've all been waiting for though. The time to unveil the five wishes a Seattle sports fan desires. I came up with this idea a little over a year ago today. I'd always dream about reading and article like this, but I never saw one out there. So I said to myself, "You know what Marshall, write one yourself. Stop whining because nobody else is going to do it for you." So begrudgingly, sort of, I sat down to do so.

Now I can talk sports all night and day, and trust me, I've done just that in the year 2013. I've compiled this list of five wishes that a Seattle sports fan would desire according to what I have heard. Be a critique while reading it though. I love the feedback. It's what makes me and us better. I didn't want to put "winning a championship" as every wish though. How boring is that to read? Every fan desires that. You can't call yourself a fan if you don't wish for your team to win the championship of its respective sport. I also tried to make these wishes realistic. Realistic as possible at least. I may have gotten carried away on a few, but hey, what's the fun if you don't. Without further ado, here are the five wishes of a Seattle sports fan (in no particular order).

1. Russell Wilson is named Super Bowl MVP
Every fan wants to see this happen. Not only would this mean that the Seahawks made it all the way to the Super Bowl, but it would also mean they most likely won it, as the MVP award usually goes to a player on the winning team. This would change the course of Seattle sports forever. It would be a historic and monumental event. There's no other way to put it. The beloved team of Seattle would have finally won a championship. And Russell Wilson could become even more famous than he already is, though that's unlikely. I wanted an XBOX One from him for Christmas... Seattle sports have already started the trend upward and this would just solidify the job the general managers of Seattle area sports teams are doing. Seahawks fans will finally be able to forgive Bill Levy and the officiating crew that they thought stole the Super Bowl XL trophy right out their teams hands. Listen to Mike Holmgren on KJR and it's clear he still hasn't forgiven those referees. But all will be forgiven and forgotten if Russell Wilson and his crew can bring the most coveted trophy in sports home to Seattle. I'm not sure the city of Seattle would be safe to walk around on that Super Bowl Sunday if the 'Hawks can pull it off. Seattle fans are deprived, and when they get what they want, they go nuts.

Russell Wilson may have to scramble for his life to win the Super Bowl.

iSportsWeb

2. Mariners sign Masahiro Tanaka
Many fans might not know who this incredible baseball player is, but he could be the key to getting the Mariners back to the playoffs. If signed, which will take over $100 million to do, he would give the Mariners the best starting rotation in Major League Baseball. The rotation would be Felix, Tanaka, Iwakuma, Walker and Paxton. Not one hitter who plays the game of baseball would say that they aren't scared to face that rotation. What a diverse rotation that would be too. A Hispanic, two Japanese pitchers, an African-American and a Caucasian. That would be awesome to see and would show how much the game of baseball has evolved. If the Mariners were to sign Tanaka, they would be completely done with big free agent signings for this offseason. Tanaka is only 25 and was undefeated in every start last year in Japan. You could say he demands a steep price and won't be missing any meals for the rest of his life.

3. Mariners trade for Giancarlo Stanton
This would put the Mariners over the hump. With Tanaka or not, Stanton would make the Mariners instant postseason contenders. No doubt about it. He's an above average outfielder when healthy and has a very strong arm. That's not even the best part of his game either. Some consider Stanton to be a top five hitter in the National League, maybe even in all of baseball. All credit to Jackson for this idea, however, I don't agree that Kyle Seager and Taijuan Walker get the deal done, which Jackson is suggesting. I think that the Mariners would need to include a few more prospects in the deal and possibly even Nick Franklin. The Marlins are cheap, but not cheap enough to accept a package from the Mariners that only includes two players. Check out our podcast for more talk on this subject.

4. Chris Petersen leads the Huskies to a ten win season
To the joy of many Husky fans around the nation, Sark is finally gone. Personally, I think Sark was a good coach and great recruiter, but it always seemed like there was something more to him. Almost like he was hiding something, but he wasn't at the same time. It was a weird concept, and I might just be being weird myself for thinking this. Anyways, that's in the past. As I have alluded to before, I think Petersen was a great hire and I think he'll do great things at Washington. However, some people have their doubts. Previous Boise State head coaches haven't fared so well when they've moved on, but none of them had two coach of the year awards under their belt, nor as many wins as Petersen recorded. With all of these doubts, I think it'll be very important for Petersen to get out to a hot start. Not only will it help with the fans, but it will also help immensely with recruiting. Petersen has gone after the lower rated guys so far, but these players are the "OKG's" for Petersen (our kinda guys). If Petersen desires to go after the higher rated guys, as I'm sure he will, he'll be able to that at Washington now. He couldn't do that at Boise State. There wasn't as much appeal. Petersen and staff won't have the highest ranked recruiting class this year, but once you give the man some time to form relationships with players and their families, the rest of the Pac-12 better watch out. Ten wins in his inaugural season won't hurt one bit.

5. Ground is broken on the new Seattle Arena
This idea has probably moved to the back of people's minds with all of the recent Seattle sports success, especially coming from the Seahawks, but the dream is still there for many fans. They want their Sonics back. They want an NHL team. And they want a beautiful brand new arena. There's no reason to not break ground to build a beautiful new arena. Chris Hansen has said that all obstacles have pretty much been cleared and that they are really all set to go, barring a few more bills that have to get passed. A new arena would definitely attract an NHL expansion team, would obviously attract an NBA team, and would give the city of Seattle yet another iconic building to brag about. Build it, and they will come.

Merry Christmas to you all and thank you so much for reading our blog over the past year. It means a lot to Jackson and I. We find motivation in all of your guys' support and love. It's what makes our writing better. So this Christmas, just mention the blog to a couple of your friends and maybe, just maybe when I'm writing the third edition of this piece in a year, we'll have more readers than we could have ever wished for.

Happy Holidays, and again, thanks for reading.

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