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blstoker
Bill Bergen for HoF!
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- Apr 17, 2013
- Location
- WA
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- Fav. Team #1
- Fav. Team #2
- Fav. Team #3
Positives:
Russell Wilson - This team has gone whichever way Russell Wilson has gone this season. If he plays well, they have a chance to win, if he plays poorly then they are in big trouble. Wilson will need to play like he did against NE, and not like he did against GB.
Jimmy Graham - There doesn't appear to be anyone on the Lions defense who could match up with Graham, and that is a huge advantage for the Seahawks (cause the same can be said about Willson to a lesser extent). Graham could be the target this game that could be the difference between a good game for Wilson and a bad one.
CenturyLink - The Seahawks have a 9 game home game winning streak in the playoffs, and Detroit has lost 8 straight road playoff games. With 4 weeks in a row that were either at home or no farther than SF, the Hawks shouldn't have many issues with fatigue. Both sides of the ball need to come out firing, as a slow start may not be what they want in the playoffs.
Negatives:
Golden Tate - Tate was a favorite when he was here, and he's been the Lions #1 receiver now that Johnson is gone. Now more a slot guy than he was in Seattle, he'll probably see more Lane than anyone - and with how Lane has been this season - that isn't a good thing for Seattle. He had 7 catches in last year's game, and I expect to see him get thrown to a lot this game.
Anquan Boldin - Boldin has been around forever, and though he isn't the athlete he once was, he can still catch the ball and be the big possession receiver for his team. His 1200 career yards against Seattle is the 2nd highest total he has against any team, and he always seems to come up with clutch grabs against the Hawks.
OLine - The line hasn't been improving as much as I'd hoped as the season progressed. They will need to start playing better as a unit. Ifedi needs to stop blowing assignments, Fant needs to put a full game together, Glowinski needs to start blowing people off the line and Gilliam needs to actually look like someone is playing at RT when he's out there. This defensive line is a good start for this to happen, but the Hawks OLine will have to play better in the playoffs if they want to get close to a Lombardi Trophy.
Matchups:
Cliff Avril vs. Riley Reiff - Avril is having his best season (statistically), and he'll be playing opposite Reiff (who I believe is their RT). Reiff is currently listed as questionable, so he may or may not go. Either way it's going to be key for the Hawks defense for Avril, Clark and Bennett to get CONSISTENT pressure on the QB, not just an occasional pressure or sack.
George Fant vs. Ziggy Ansah - Ansah is having a down year, but he is a fantastic edge rusher who could wreak havoc if he just got healthy. Seattle has had issues dominating weaker opponents this year, and neutralizing Ansah would be a great start to doing just that for the OLine.
DeShawn Shead vs. Marvin Jones - Jones is the 3rd receiver in a good receiving corps, and Seattle will have to check them all, all game. There needs to be an effort for the Hawks to shut down the Lions pass attack, since they have no run game of any consequence. Shead, Lane and Sherman will have to have good games today, and Chancellor and Terrell need to play the back end perfectly.
Overview:
This game should be open and shut, but Seattle has struggled all season with all sorts of teams, so there's no guarantee that the Seahawks will put it together today. It's now or never, there isn't anything after this if they lose.
Russell Wilson - This team has gone whichever way Russell Wilson has gone this season. If he plays well, they have a chance to win, if he plays poorly then they are in big trouble. Wilson will need to play like he did against NE, and not like he did against GB.
Jimmy Graham - There doesn't appear to be anyone on the Lions defense who could match up with Graham, and that is a huge advantage for the Seahawks (cause the same can be said about Willson to a lesser extent). Graham could be the target this game that could be the difference between a good game for Wilson and a bad one.
CenturyLink - The Seahawks have a 9 game home game winning streak in the playoffs, and Detroit has lost 8 straight road playoff games. With 4 weeks in a row that were either at home or no farther than SF, the Hawks shouldn't have many issues with fatigue. Both sides of the ball need to come out firing, as a slow start may not be what they want in the playoffs.
Negatives:
Golden Tate - Tate was a favorite when he was here, and he's been the Lions #1 receiver now that Johnson is gone. Now more a slot guy than he was in Seattle, he'll probably see more Lane than anyone - and with how Lane has been this season - that isn't a good thing for Seattle. He had 7 catches in last year's game, and I expect to see him get thrown to a lot this game.
Anquan Boldin - Boldin has been around forever, and though he isn't the athlete he once was, he can still catch the ball and be the big possession receiver for his team. His 1200 career yards against Seattle is the 2nd highest total he has against any team, and he always seems to come up with clutch grabs against the Hawks.
OLine - The line hasn't been improving as much as I'd hoped as the season progressed. They will need to start playing better as a unit. Ifedi needs to stop blowing assignments, Fant needs to put a full game together, Glowinski needs to start blowing people off the line and Gilliam needs to actually look like someone is playing at RT when he's out there. This defensive line is a good start for this to happen, but the Hawks OLine will have to play better in the playoffs if they want to get close to a Lombardi Trophy.
Matchups:
Cliff Avril vs. Riley Reiff - Avril is having his best season (statistically), and he'll be playing opposite Reiff (who I believe is their RT). Reiff is currently listed as questionable, so he may or may not go. Either way it's going to be key for the Hawks defense for Avril, Clark and Bennett to get CONSISTENT pressure on the QB, not just an occasional pressure or sack.
George Fant vs. Ziggy Ansah - Ansah is having a down year, but he is a fantastic edge rusher who could wreak havoc if he just got healthy. Seattle has had issues dominating weaker opponents this year, and neutralizing Ansah would be a great start to doing just that for the OLine.
DeShawn Shead vs. Marvin Jones - Jones is the 3rd receiver in a good receiving corps, and Seattle will have to check them all, all game. There needs to be an effort for the Hawks to shut down the Lions pass attack, since they have no run game of any consequence. Shead, Lane and Sherman will have to have good games today, and Chancellor and Terrell need to play the back end perfectly.
Overview:
This game should be open and shut, but Seattle has struggled all season with all sorts of teams, so there's no guarantee that the Seahawks will put it together today. It's now or never, there isn't anything after this if they lose.
