The SEAHAWKS!? Whaaa?

Did that actually just happen? The worst playoff team ever, the 7-9 Seattle Seahawks just beat the defending Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints 41-36. Now, I actually picked the Seahawks because of the spread being 11, but I NEVER thought they would win the game! The Saints just could not stop Marshawn Lynch out there (19 carries, 131 yards, 1 TD) and while they weren't spectacular the Seahawks defence did what it needed to do to stop the Saints offence. While the Saints only ran the ball about 20 times, the Seahawks didn't let Reggie Bush or Julius Jones do any damage, they combined for 20 carries, 71 yards, and 2 TDs. But don't let those 2 TDs fool you, they weren't big gains at all. Those two TD runs were a total of 9 yards. But the Saints did have some success passing the ball with Drew Brees throwing 60 passes to make up for their non-existent run game. But again the Seahawks didn't give up a big TD play. The two TD passes combined for a whopping total of... 7 yards.

But the biggest weakness for the Saints, their defence. More specifically, their secondary. What happened to this new solidified secondary with Jabari Greer and Malcolm Jenkins? Now you might look at the passing yard total and say "Well, they only gave up 266 pass yards compared to 397 thrown by the Saints" But it was the big TD plays that killed the Saints secondary. 2 of the 4 TD passes thrown by Matt Hasselbeck went for more than 35 yards. When you have guys like Brandon Stokley out running your defensive backs, you have a problem on your hands. The other 2 TD passes? Both to TE John Carlson and both times he was left WIDE OPEN. Especially on the 2nd, where there wasn't a Saints defender within a good 7 yards of him. And one thing that just came to my mind about some of these TDs, Roman Harper was getting burned all day. Cameron Morrahs only catch a 39 yarder that almost was a TD who's fault? Harper. Carlson's 2nd TD? Harper. Stokleys big TD? Harper. But it wasn't just Harper. Mike Williams' 38 yard TD? Safety Darren Sharper. Carlson's 1st TD? Sharper.

But what also shocks me is that twice the Saints had a 10 point lead over the Seahawks, and they could not put them away. Letting Hasselbeck and his offence do whatever they wanted on almost every drive. But I cannot fault Drew Brees, he did not make many mistakes (if any) and threw for 400+ yards and two TDs. But it was the secondary of the Saints that let them down.

Offensive Player of the Game: Marshawn Lynch.
Explanation: It would've been Hasselbeck but it was more because of the bad safety play that he had his TDs. And Lynch's running set-up the passing game

Defensive Player of the Game: Raheem Brock.
Explanation: This was tough. You had David Hawthorne, Earl Thomas, and even Scott Shanle from the Saints. But Brock forced the Jones fumble and had a crucial sack of Brees

Goat Horns of the Game: Roman Harper.
Explanation: He let 2 guys run by him for huge gains (Stokley and Morrah) 2 guys burnt him for TDs (Carlson and Stokley) he was just shaky the whole game.

Other Saturday game; New York Jets def. Indianapolis Colts 17-16 on a last second field goal by Nick Folk. Jets go on to play the New England Patriots.