Originally Posted by
BetterBizness
NO -10.5 @ Sea O/U 45.5
So far... I have one analysis on the Seahawks game I will pull from Lakerboys thread that I did yesterday...
Seahawks Upset? Any chance?
Few possible reasons for an upset special that work for the SeaChickens, if even a 10 point cover...
1) Seattle has a HUGE advantage of PLAYING the Saints in week 12... Hasselbeck was 32 of 44 for 366 yards... 1 TD 0 INTs...
Brees was 29 of 43 for 382 yards.. 4 TD's - 2 INT's.... (1 in garbage time)
RB Lynch - Last 4 games avg's 3.8 or better YPC... had 2 of his 3 fumbles of his Seahawks career... Vs the Saints...
After the Adjustments were made in the 27-16 (NO) 1H - it was a 7-3, 2H (NO) ... Seattle only had the Ball 3x in that half, with 2 of their drives stopped because of the fumbles by Lynch...
Coaches make adjustments... Carroll will make them after getting to play them once already...
2) The Saints Momentum - Big thing is the 6 game winning streak - At 4-3 they Clearly needed some help... Playing at Home to Pittsburgh - They were on the verge of dropping to .500 .. Literally in the final few minutes with Pitt driving down 3, NO gets a fumble off a big Pitt gain and drives the other way to win by 10... Huge Win makes them 5-3, and now the next 5 Games, they beat up 5 - Sub .500 teams... In order - The Panthers, a Bye, the Seahawks, Dallas (by 3), Cinci (by 4), and St. Louis ... Only Seattle (At the time) was a team over .500 ...
They close out the season losing to a Tough Raven team.. Beating Atlanta Late, and losing in a throw away today ...
Obviously the second half of the season has been Good to them... They beat who they had too.. But Early on this team was 3-2, beating Minny (5 points), SF (3 points), and Carolina (2 points) .. Losing to Atlanta and Arizona... They were a VERY average team that did what they had to... but Had the Benefit of a Schedule which now at the end of the season turns out to be very favourable...
3) 12th man blah blah blah... Fact is, fans tonight were into it.. They cared... I've been to these games.. For an open air Stadium, you just can't understand how acoustically it is incredible to hear the deafening tone during the NFL Championship game 5 years ago.. They AVERAGE 2 Opponent False Starts PER GAME in their field... It's rediculous how it affects you...
4) Weather in Seattle... It's Rainy... Relatively Cold... And so far the expected Weather forecast is - SURPRISE - Cloudy, rainy, and a high of about 40... Last year NO played Both games up until the Bowl at home in the dome...
In fact, the LAST time NO played in a significant game that being Outdoors had any effect... Dec 11, 2008.. A night game in Chicago that started in 28 degrees (F), 60% Humidity - They lost 27-24 .. Brees was 24-43 for 232 yards - 2TD's and 2 INTs...
Before that... Dec 30, 2007 - @ Chicago again - 30 Deg (F) - 90% Humidity - They lose 33-25... Brees 35-60 for 320 yards... 3 TD's, 2 INTs...
Oh before that... You'll never believe it...Conference Championship @ Chicago - Jan 21, 2007, 28 Deg, 86% Humidity... rainy... Lose 39-14 - Brees 27-49 for 354 - 2 TD's -1 INT...
Of course, it could just be CHICAGO that has their number of course... Or CHICAGO has the distinct advantage of being a team that can play better in the Cold at Home... (Unless they are playing the Pats of course)...
So if you are looking for reasons why they COULD win... there are a few... Of course the Saints ARE the better team... But until they beat Pitt in week 7, they were NOT the better team against anyone... Seattle, until they beat the Rams... Were NOT the better team against many except when they HAD to win...
Brees has to overcome a completely different type of game... Throwing the ball in a wet, cold, hostile environment, PLUS banging up ANOTHER Three starters today after 6 of them were already banged up... they also have to travel 3000 miles and play across 2 time zones, on a short week...
can THEY be the better team in 6 days? Can they at WORST cover 10.5 points???
I'm thinking yes...
Final bets to be determined as game time approaches...