Saturday NFL Playoff Games: Saints/Seahawks

The opening week of the NFL playoffs commences tomorrow. And what an intriguing first game we have, the defending Super Bowl champs, the New Orleans Saints (11-5) traveling to Seattle to take on the Seahawks (7-9) at Qwest Field. Upon the opening kickoff the Seahawks will make dubious NFL history. They will become the first team with a losing record to host a playoff game.

Game time: 4:30 PM ET
Network: NBC
Announcers: Tom Hammond and Mike Mayock (Yep, same guys that do Notre Dame games for NBC)

This is a rematch of a week 11 affair in which the Saints defeated the Seahawks, 34-19. That game was played at the Superdome.

When the Seahawks have the ball...

	Scoring (Rk)	Total Yds (Rk)	Pass Yds (Rk)	Rush Yds (Rk)
offense	19.4 (23rd)	297.8 (28th)	208.8 (19th)	89.0 (31st)
defense	19.2 (7th)	306.2 (4th)	193.9 (4th)	112.3 (16th)

Looking at merely the raw numbers here, you have to wonder how the Seahawks will be able to move the ball. The way in is to run the ball. Problem is, the Seahawks can't. They do have two nice running backs in Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett. Plus, the longer your offense stays on the field, the less the Saints O is. With Matthew Hasselbeck being names the starter, that does help. Hasselbeck has started 9 playoff games during his career with a 4-5 record.

Look for the wily vet to go one of two ways: He's able to nitpicks his way through an excellent pass defense OR he throws four picks and the Seahawks look terrible.

And that's no ordinary defense. The Saints actually improved their D from '09 to '10. Much improved. In looking at the above table, here are the Saints defensive rankings (going across the table): 13th, 25th, 26th, 21st. Fourth from 21st overall? That's mind boggling. That isn't only a tribute to the personnel, how about defensive coordinator Gregg Williams? The guys had another year to adjust to his style and has that ever paid off.

Biggest issue for New Orleans will be if starting safety Malcolm Jenkins can give it a go. After being the Saints first round pick in 2009 as a corner, Jenkins successfully made the switch. He's been the secondary's best player this season.

When the Saints have the ball...

	Scoring (Rk)	Total Yds (Rk)	Pass Yds (Rk)	Rush Yds (Rk)
offense	24.0 (11th)	372.5 (6th)	277.6 (3rd)	94.9 (28th)
defense	25.4 (25th)	368.6 (27th)	249.6 (27th)	118.9 (21st)

Everyone has been heaping on the Saints offense this season. There's been some reasons why the champs have struggled, but this offense could even struggle more in this game than last week against the Buccaneers. And, yes, I am considering the fact that Seattle possesses a porous defense. But they will struggles for various reasons.

Can Bush be "the guy"?
Image by Cvalentine via Flickr

First, Chris Ivory and Pierre Thomas were placed on IR this past week. That leaves Reggie Bush and former Seahawk Julius Jones to tote the rock. Ivory led the team in rushing during the regular season with 719 yards. Thomas was second with only 269. That leaves the load to Bush and Jones, who combined had 343. Injuries ravaged the Saints backfield all season.

And Drew Brees of 2010 wans't the Drew Brees of 2009 either. He threw more picks (11 in '09 to 22 in '10), a lower completion percentage (70.6 in '09 compared to 68.1 for '10) and less passes of 20+ yards (69 in '90 with 57 for '10). Still, Brees, out of necessity, threw for almost 275 more yards in 2010 (4,388 in '09 and 4,620 in '10).

Yes, it will boil down to Brees and his ability to avoid the pick and the Saints must establish some facet of a running game just to keep Seattle's Swiss cheese defense honest.

The X factor is without a doubt the Seattle crowd. Even though Qwest Field is an open air stadium, it has been said repeatedly that this is the loudest crowd in the league. Pete Carroll and the rest of the Seahawks better hope that's the case or it could be a long game.