Saints vs. Seahawks

For the fifth time in seven weeks, the Seahawks have to deal with some saints.

It began with blowing out the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football back on December 2nd.

The following week, Seattle lost narrowly to San Francisco.

In the season finale, the Seahawks humiliated St. Louis.

During the first-round postseason bye, Jude--patron saint of the impossible--evidently worked a miracle cure for Percy Harvin.

This afternoon, of course, the New Orleans Saints return to Seahawks Stadium, the scene of serial prime time crimes, the epicenter of the 2011 BeastQuake that buried the defending Super Bowl champions, and the field on which Seattle thoroughly dominated them just last month.

This time, the Saints get to face the Beast and Legion of Boom in broad daylight, but presumably the 12th Man will be just as loud. (An NFL Network teaser last night promised that this morning's pregame coverage would show "How the Saints can silence the 12th Man." I didn't tune in to watch, because I assume New Orleans lacks the medical manpower to anesthetize 67,000 fans and excise their larynges.

The Saints arrive emboldened by their road win over the Eagles last week and determined to avenge their earlier humiliation at our hands (talons?). Presumably, New Orleans will put up a better fight today. Even nonaligned fans must salivate at the prospect of a rematch between the all-world Saints offense and the all-world Seattle defense.

Our failure to handle Arizona at home last month should inoculate the Seahawks against a letdown today. With the cathartic beatdown of St. Louis in Week 17, Seattle made a good start toward restoring our reputation for invincibility at home, but a loss today would all but erase that small beginning.

The win over the Rams did not prove that the Seahawk offense is back on track. In those two December defeats, San Francisco and Arizona figured out how to stay safe from DangeRuss and keep Marshawn in Least Mode. Of course, subsequent opponents will try to use the same schemes to stymie our offense  St. Louis lacked the secondary talent and the team discipline to execute those schemes, so Seattle moved the ball well enough against the Rams. Unfortunately, New Orleans has good corners and safeties, and Rob Ryan has the Saints playing good, disciplined defense.

Hopefully, with rest and self-scouting during the bye week, plus Percy Harvin, our offense will return to form.

Go, Hawks!