Ahhhh good memories of that Saints/Hawks game back in the day.
Here's my thoughts on this game:
If you are a numbers guy, the Seahawks are by any measure one of, if not the top team in the league. And that is clearly built into this pointspread. Any numbers guy is going to be on Seattle. But I'm not buying it. I've watched Seattle this year. They aren't as good as previous editions. Numbers can tell you a lot, but so can just watching games. Intangibles still count.
I read this board and see Seahawk backers saying Carolina has played a weak schedule. Maybe so, but what has Seattle done against good teams? Let's look:
Week 2 @ GB...off a loss, a spot good teams play well in...they blow a 4th quarter lead and lose by DD.
Week 5 @ CIN...off a very poor/lucky win over the winless Lions...a game where Seattle should be motivated to play better...they blow a huge lead and lose in OT.
Week 6 vs CAR...at home off a loss vs an unbeaten team..Seattle never loses at home. Good teams win this game. Yet they give up 146 pass yards in the 4th and blow a two score lead.
Week 10 vs Zona...at home off a bye and trailing in the division. Game is on SNF. This is a statement game. Seattle is thoroughly outplayed. 39-32 loss is flattering. SEA got two fumbles deep in Zona territory to take a gift lead that they would quickly blow.
Week 12 vs PIT...back and forth game that SEA won and covered, but they were +4 TO. They covered on an 80-yd TD pass in the final minute with PIT selling out to stop the run. This was also the game Ben removed himself late with a concussion and Landry Jones came in and threw 2 picks. PIT had 538 yards in this game and Ben was moving the ball all over the field. Seattle also blew a lead in this game.
I'm not putting any stock whatsoever in their Week 17 win in Zona. I watched that game and SEA cared infinitely more than Arizona did. Arians quickly called off the dogs in what IMO what a genius decision.
The pattern has been the same all season for these guys...blown leads vs good teams and in spots where good teams rise up and win, they fall short. Just look at last week! They let Teddy Effin Bridgewater drive down the field on them for the win. Seattle has throttled pure garbage and not played well vs good teams. People want to say CAR is a phony, but IMO it is the Seahawks.
Carolina has been a great team all season. They make the key plays when they need to. They've been money all season. Wins over Wilson, Luck, Rodgers, Romo (guy who was 15-4 in last season + until CAR undressed him on Thanksgiving), Brees, and Manning.
It's also a bad spot for Seattle. For some stupid reason they go all out two weeks ago in Zona. Then they play a 10AM game in Minny last week that was very physically taxing. Then they go home and fly back to CAR for their 3rd straight road game at 10AM with miles and bruises to play a rested and very physical team. Bad spot IMO.
Carolina also had a dog attitude. I keep seeing how Seattle is playing this "us against the world" nonsense. I don't buy that crap for one second. These guys have been to b2b Super Bowls. It's hilarious to think they are disrespected. Just look at this spread. The ONLY team that is disrespected in this game is the 15-1 home team.
I'm on Carolina. Might even get dog money FFS.