After years of futility, Seattle finally mounted an effective ground game against St. Louis and New Orleans.
Today, we will see whether our new rushing attack is for real.
Chicago boasts the league's second-best run defense, holding opponents to a mere 90 yards per game during the regular season.
If we can run against the Monsters of the Midway, we can run against anyone.
Sadly, the best bet is that the Bears will shut down our ground game, if we are predictable about it.
Chicago is probably good enough to stop the run when they know we are running.
Thus, Bates and Hasselbeck must keep them off-balance with creative playcalling and timely audibles.
We need to throw to set up the run.
Chicago's passing defense is less impressive, ranking 20th in yards surrendered. (That's still better than Seattle's, which ranked 27th.)
However, Chicago allowed only 14 passing touchdowns, a level of aerial stinginess exceeded only by New Orleans.
Of course, you saw what the Seahawks did to the Saints secondary last week.
If I were coaching Seattle, I'd dust off the old Holmgren-era up-tempo approach, attacking their defense with a brisk series of scripted plays that give the defenders no time to adjust, substitute or catch their breath. Make them burn a timeout to buy time to think.
Seattle needs another stellar performance from Russell Okung, who shut down Julius Peppers--the league's most dominant pass rusher--in our first meeting with Chicago. The rookie must win the rematch, and the rest of the offensive line must do its part to protect the quarterback, and to punch holes in the defense when we run the ball.
The Seahawks need more brilliance from Matt Hasselbeck and the receiving corps.
We need a lycanthropic Marshawn Lynch to go into Beast Mode again.
Our special teams appear evenly matched. Both teams have clutch kickers, dangerous return men, decent punters, and competent coverage units.
On offense, Chicago would be wise to continue the approach that has worked so well for them for most of the season: establish the run and limit Cutler's throwing.
If Seattle's defense can bring the kind of intensity they showed against St. Louis and New Orleans, they should be good enough to contain the Bears' average offense.
But we need to do it with only 11 men, in a hostile environment.
We have to smother the run and put the game on the shoulders of their quarterback.
Our pass rush must find a way to replicate and supersede the 6-sack beating we put on Cutler last time. We need to force him to make unwise throws and feast on the resultant turnovers.
This is the toughest test of character yet for this team.
No one expects us to win.
Let's defy the odds and shock the world again.
Go, Seahawks!
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