Seahawks Go Down Fighting In New Orleans, 34-19

When you look at the schedule before the season begins, there are some games you just know are going to be a win and some that are certain to be a loss. It doesn’t always work out that way because of injuries, luck or suckitude.

So of course I looked at a road game against the defending NFL champs as a mark in the loss column. I marked it in pen. Despite being proved right by the final score, I’m actually impressed with how Seattle played in New Orleans. I think it helped that the game started late, making it a 1 p.m. game for Seattle.

Why would I be happy with a 34-19 loss? Because Seattle moved the ball well, looked strong and confident, didn’t give up a sack, and for the second week in a row, looked like a team on the way up. Compare that with the two games against Oakland and the NY Giants and you’ll see what I mean. Seattle was in this game and only a few mistakes away from making it a lot closer. I’m not saying they would have won; that would never happen when you trade field goals for touchdowns and turn the ball over.

New Orleans had the number one rated defense against the pass coming in. Matt Hasselbeck broke two bones in his left hand against Arizona last week and was playing with a cast and glove on it. Those two things made me cringe because you all know how I feel about Charlie Whitehurst already.

Hasselbeck came out and played lights out for the second straight week. Of course it’s not all the quarterback; the receivers got open and caught the ball, the play calling adapted and adjusted well, and for the second week in a row, the offensive line didn’t give up a sack. Think about that for a moment. The defensive coordinator for New Orleans is Gregg Williams, a man that dials up blitzes like a telemarketer.

Play Of The Game:

For this honor, I think I’m going to go with one of the many big pass plays that Seattle hit. The Seahawks saw how the Saints corners were playing tight and jumping routes early, so with nine minutes left in the first quarter, Matt Hasslebeck hit Mike Williams along the right sideline deep for a 68-yard strike. That play, and the ones after it, helped loosen up the Saints defensive backfield. It also made me sit up on the couch and think, "Holy shit, that was a great play!"

The Good:

1. Matt Hasselbeck - Hasselbeck threw for 366 yards against a Saints defense that was ranked at the top of the league against the pass. His statistics ended up better than those of Drew Brees in all categories except for one: Hasselbeck threw one touchdown, while Brees threw four. Given the protection, Hasselbeck has shown that he is the best quarterback on the roster and better than average in the league.

Article Author: Russ Evenhuis

I am a writer in a mid-life crisis. My passions are Seahawks football, triathlons, rugby, sports in general, Guinness, reading, writing, television, music, computers, family, and movies.

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