The Saints are huge favorites over the Seahawks in their wild card game Saturday and many of the experts thinks it's warranted. It's always dangerous when everyone is on the same side of a game since, as sports fans, we have learned there is no such thing as a sure bet. Still, this is the defending Super Bowl champions playing a 7-9 team that lost seven of their last 10 games and all their losses were by double-digits. It doesn't look good for Falcons fans but that won't stop us from becoming the biggest Seahawks fans outside of Seattle.
| Source | Winner | Notes |
| Seattle Post-Intelligencer | Seahawks | JIM MOORE: The No. 1 reason why the Seahawks will beat, defeat and maybe even pummel the Saints -- Qwest Field. There have been other deafening games here, but I'm thinking this one will approach and perhaps overtake the ear-piercer of all-time against Carolina in the 2005 NFC Championship Game. The 12th man should be well-lubricated and ready to go. Seahawks' fans will be a disruptive force all game long. I'm thinking the crescendo starts with Walter Jones raising the 12th Man flag and, three hours later, builds to a roar after a shocking Seahawks' win. SEAHAWKS 27, SAINTS 21 |
| CBS Sports | Saints | No one's taking the Seahawks with all five experts on board with New Orleans. |
| Fanhouse | Saints | Chris Burke: The rowdy Seattle atmosphere figures to do something to keep the underdogs in the game -- remember, during New Orleans' magical Super Bowl run, it played every game but the neutral-site finale in the Superdome's friendly confines. And any New Orleans mistake will only amplify the fever pitch the crowd's running at. Still, it's hard to feed off that emotional momentum for an entire game, and the Saints simply look like the better team here. New Orleans 31, Seattle 14 |
| What If Sports | Saints | The Saints won 77.3 percent of the simulations and are projected to win 26-16. |
| Sports Illustrated | Saints | Peter King: Lucky for Sean Payton he's got the best player on the field by far, Drew Brees, who will be immune to the crowd noise and will extend drives with his superb accuracy. One more pro-New Orleans factor: The two running backs who will play, Julius Jones and Reggie Bush, will be supremely motivated to play well -- Jones because he got fired by Seahawks when Pete Carroll came in, and Bush because (whatever he says to the contrary) he feels abandoned by Carroll from the USC controversy. I understand it's a huge edge for Seattle to be home, but New Orleans, even beat up, is two touchdowns better. Saints 27, Seahawks 13 |
| USA Today | Saints | All eight experts like the Saints to beat the Seahawks and reach the second weekend of playoff football. |
| Sporting News | Saints | Only six of the seven experts have their picks in but the ones that have picked like the Saints to win. |
Of course, the only expert I could find to pick the Seahawks writes for the Seattle newspaper. I'm not saying it can't happen but as long as Brees doesn't miss the bus to the stadium, I think the Seahawks will be in for a long afternoon.