http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/tag/_/name/2013-nfl-week-13-double-coverage
For a Monday night game in early December, this is as good as it gets. The 10-1
Seattle Seahawks play host to the 9-2
New Orleans Saints in a game that could decide home-field advantage for the NFC playoffs.
The last time these teams faced each other was in a playoff game following the 2010 season, which Seattle won 41-36.
Drew Brees passed for 404 yards and two touchdowns for the Saints, and
Marshawn Lynch rushed for 131 yards, including the legendary 67-yard "Beast Quake" touchdown run in the fourth quarter for the Seahawks.
If this game is anything like that one, it will be one heck of a show.
The Seahawks will have to try to stop Brees with a reworked secondary after a week in which two Seattle cornerbacks (
Walter Thurmond and
Brandon Browner) ran afoul of the NFL's substance-abuse policy. Thurmond was replacing Browner as a starter due to Browner’s groin injury.
The whole suspensions issue put a damper on a big week. Now everyone will see whether the Seahawks can overcome it or whether Brees will make them pay.
ESPN.com Seahawks reporter Terry Blount and Saints reporter Mike Triplett look at the key issues entering the game:
Which team will
win this matchup?
Blount: Mike, this is a great matchup between the veteran Brees and a young quarterback who idolized him in
Russell Wilson. Wilson always saw Brees as someone he could emulate, a player who, like him, wasn't tall but had a great arm and great leadership qualities. As someone who sees Brees every week, how do you compare them?
Triplett: I don’t know that much about Wilson, but I certainly see why he would choose Brees to emulate. It’s remarkable how Brees, at just 6-foot, has been able to not only succeed in the NFL but truly dominate. It would take me too long to rattle off all the reasons why Brees is so successful. For one thing, he’s as competitive and driven as any athlete I've ever been around. That shows in his work ethic both in the offseason and during the season. He also sees the field (through passing lanes since he can’t peek over the top) and anticipates things about as well as any quarterback who has ever played the game. He's not as mobile as Wilson, but he's elusive in the pocket and avoids sacks. I'd say both guys are proof that those intangible qualities count for a lot in the NFL, even if you don't have prototypical size.
I haven't seen the Seahawks' offense light up scoreboards in the few games on national TV this season, especially early in games. Can Wilson keep pace if the Saints are able to put points on the board?
Blount: Most of the time, he hasn't needed to because the defense has played so well. However, after watching him now for two seasons and seeing his growth, I believe Wilson is capable of doing whatever he needs to do to win football games. He has proven it over and over. Three times this season he has led the team to a fourth-quarter comeback, and he’s done it seven times in his brief NFL career. Wilson never is going to be the type of guy, like Brees, who puts up huge passing numbers. That’s not what they want him to do in an offense that wants to run the football with Lynch. But Wilson has demonstrated he can adjust the game plan to fit the needs of the moment. Frankly, he is one of the best I've ever seen at finding a way to win.
The Seahawks have a lot of weapons on offense, and now have added
Percy Harvin to the mix. Obviously, Rob Ryan has a done a good job in getting New Orleans' defense back on track. How do you see him approaching this game against Seattle’s power running game with Lynch and a mobile quarterback in Wilson?
Triplett: I know this: Ryan will definitely have a plan. He is one of the league’s most innovative game-planners. Former player Scott Fujita described him as a “mad scientist.” We saw that quality more than ever two weeks ago when the Saints played the
San Francisco 49ers. Ryan unveiled two new packages for that game, including a five-linebacker formation to corral the 49ers’ run game and the threat of the read-option. We may see the same thing this week, or maybe a new wrinkle since he likes to be unpredictable. I know the Saints’ defensive players will be amped to prove they’re just as good as the more-hyped Seahawks defense. Ends
Cameron Jordan and
Akiem Hicks, outside linebacker
Junior Galette and cornerback
Keenan Lewis are having breakout years, in particular. Seattle’s defense has obviously been outstanding this year as well. How do you think they’ll hold up against the Saints’ versatile offense? Who might match up against tight end
Jimmy Graham and running back/receiver threats
Darren Sproles and
Pierre Thomas, among others?
Blount: The first thing to watch is how the backups in the secondary handle going against a wily veteran like Brees. No doubt he’s going to test
Byron Maxwell and
Jeremy Lane. And Graham is a major concern. The Seahawks have struggled at times this season against tight ends. In this case, they might have cornerback
Richard Sherman shadow Graham as much as possible. And this is a big test for strong safety
Kam Chancellor. The key for the Seahawks is the defensive line, much improved over last year, getting to Brees and taking some of the pressure off the depleted secondary.
Mike, if you had to name one area in which the Saints must outplay the Seahawks in order to win the game, what would you pick?
Triplett: Easy one: turnovers. I know you could say that about every team in every game. But it’s especially huge in this matchup. For one, the Seahawks lead the NFL with 26 takeaways. I imagine that’s why they’re second in the NFL in points scored (27.8 per game) even though they don’t have a prolific offense. The Saints need to set the pace in this game and try to force Seattle to keep up with their offense. They can’t afford to give away any freebies or short fields. And based on what we’ve seen from the Saints this season, I think they can do that. Their run game started slowly but has improved. And they showed a patient offensive approach in a Week 5 victory at Chicago and in their last two wins against San Francisco and Atlanta. The Saints have turned the ball over just 13 times, and they lead the league in average time of possession.
Terry, how do you think the Seahawks will handle this game if they don’t set the tone? To be honest, I expected a bit of a sophomore slump from Wilson and the Seahawks, since we see it so often in the NFL. Why have they been able to avoid that? And do you think there’s any risk of the pressure affecting them in a game of this magnitude?
Blount: None whatsoever, Mike. In fact, Wilson thrives on games like this. He is at his best when things seem their worst, along with playing at a high level in the most difficult situations and the high-pressure games. That character trait is what makes Wilson such an exceptional athlete. He never gets rattled. Seattle fullback
Michael Robinson said Wilson has the one trait all great quarterbacks need: “A short memory.”
Predictions
The final word on Monday night's matchup at CenturyLink Field:
Mike Triplett:I know this may seem like a homer pick, but I just feel like the Saints are as locked-in right now as they've been all season. I think they'll have to stay patient in the passing game. But I expect the offensive line and the defense to rise to the challenge.
Saints 24, Seahawks 23
Terry Blount: The Thurmond/Browner situation was a distraction in a week when the Seahawks needed to focus. But as sad as this is to say, the team is used to it. It went through this at the same time last season with Browner's suspension, and again at the start of this season with Bruce Irvin's suspension. In both situations, the Seahawks continued to win. They will get through this and win this game, too.
Seahawks 34, Saints 30
