Nobody's counting on the Seattle Seahawks to knock the New Orleans Saints out of the wild card round of the NFC playoffs. For the Atlanta Falcons fan, the fact that the Saints have to put a somewhat injury-riddled team through 4,000 round-trip miles is a plus, as is how rowdy that Qwest Field crowd is going to be. At least the Saints don't get to just take a trip up the road to St. Louis.
But the Saints would be favored over the NFC West All-Star Team, y'all, and I'd take the Saints.
The Falcons will get New Orleans in the divisional round if no wild card round upsets occur. The only way the Saints won't come here next is if the Green Bay Packers beat the Philadelphia Eagles in Philly or, well, if Seattle wins. Let's at least leave that door open, I guess.
The week 11 game between these teams, played at the Superdome, was a 34-19 Saints win featuring 360-yard, two-interception days by both Drew Brees and Matt Hasselbeck. The Saints won despite two Brees interceptions thanks to having an actual running game and more of those passing yards coming near the end zone -- Brees threw four touchdowns, while Seahawks kicker Olindo Mare kicked four field goals.
For more on this game visit Canal Street Chronicles and Field Gulls.