Ok, quick show of hands before we get started. How many of you were clenched pretty tight on Sunday as the Seahawks kept letting the Rams hang around? As Teddy KGB would say, they had alligator blood...can't get rid of them. But, as they've done the 7 previous times at home this year, the Seahawks put the Rams away and finished the season undefeated at home. The last time that happened was 2005. Something big happened that year, didn't it? There are few things more fun than having a year of tailgates where we don't hang our heads on the long walk back to Hawk Alley. Instead, the walk back is full of high fives, honking horns, and general revelry. As many of you who are down there with us know, it's a big investment in time, money, and energy to put Hawk Alley together each week and the return on investment this year has been off the charts. Those of you who have joined us down there have helped make it the most fun we've had since we started.
Now, time to get down to business. The Hawks are back in the playoffs and are a very chic pick to make it to the Super Bowl. Each journey begins with a single step and this one starts in Landover, Maryland. What does Maryland do best? Crab cakes and football! Let's look at the game through the prism of Wedding Crashers.
Now, time to get down to business. The Hawks are back in the playoffs and are a very chic pick to make it to the Super Bowl. Each journey begins with a single step and this one starts in Landover, Maryland. What does Maryland do best? Crab cakes and football! Let's look at the game through the prism of Wedding Crashers.
"Are you going to give a toast? Yes. Nervous? A little bit. What are you going to say? [Claire pulls a piece of paper from inside her dress] You keep it in your cleavage?": Yes, I've got this in my cleavage right now. A toast is in order for the KJR crew, Nick, and his group of friends, who ponied up the cash and made this year's Seahawk Kares-A-Thon charity tailgate a great sucess. With the 3 we've done (2 Seahawks and 1 Huskies), a total of $3,000 has been raised for the Central Area Youth Association. Plus, this year the Hawks were able to pull out a victory.
"Death, you are my bitch lover!": No, Todd won't be playing for the 'Skins on Sunday, but DeAngelo Hall is. You know who also is going to be there? Dana McKenzie. I know you're thinking, "who the hell is that and where the hell is he going with this"? Well, I'll tell you. Back in October, the Redskins were playing the Steelers and DeAngelo apparently was a little annoyed with a call from Mr. McKenzie who was the Head Linesman that day. So, he ripped off his helmet, spewed a string of profanity that would make George Carlin blush, and was promptly ejected. Could he leave well enough alone? Nope. He apparently made death threats against the official and was fined $30K. Wonder if maybe Dana remembers this and the Hawks might get a friendly defensive holding call.
"I don't know what red seven means. Hot route! I don't... What is hot route? Will you just go stand on the other side please?": At the start of the season, you wouldn't have known if that was the Seahawk receiving corps or John Beckwith wandering aimlessly around the field. But now? Those guys have stepped up, particularly Golden Tate, and are now a force to be reckoned with. No longer can defenses just fill the box with 8 or 9 guys to stop Marshawn. Very encouraging to see that development.
"Erroneous! Erroneous! Erroneous on both counts!": Ok, who in their wildest dreams thought Richard Sherman's suspension would be reversed by the Roger Goddelll Regime? I was sure we'd end up having to go into the playoffs without our best corner and probably face the first few games in 2013 without him too. But, maybe, just maybe, Pete Carroll found the Mike Holmgren Memorial Golden Horseshoe somewhere deep in the offices of the VMAC. Quick reminder for those who don't know about the Golden Horseshoe. Mike Holmgren busted it out in 2005 for the game against the Giants with Jay Feely's 3 missed field goals and the Giants 11 false starts. That horseshoe remained firmly implanted in his backside as the Hawks made their way to the Super Bowl. Pete's apparently found it and now it's truly time to win forever.
"You better lock it up. No, you lock it up! You lock it up! You lock it up! You lock it up! Lock it up!": Seahawk secondary, looking right at you. Moss and Garcon are pretty decent. You lock those guys up and it forces them to run. Granted, their rookie RB is pretty good and RGIII can certainly scamper, but taking away one piece of their offense certainly increases the chances of winning.
"I'm sorry. I'm not sorry. Okay? I'm not gonna apologize, I'm a cocksman!": Russell Wilson, there's absolutely nothing to apologize for. You have shown this league, and all it's supposed experts, that you can indeed play at a very high level despite being shorter than I am. I will freely admit I was a little concerned when Pom Pom Pete gave you the starting job, but you have completely exceeded both my and all Seahawks fans expectations. To celebrate, I'd like to see you shave Mel Kiper Jr.'s head bald for his scoffing at the Hawks pick of you.
"You shut your mouth when you're talking to me!": One of the downsides of playing on Sunday on wild card weekend is we get Joe Buck and the Concussed Troy Aikman on the call. Heaven forbid there's an exciting play since we'd get Buck's half-asleep call of it. Plus, you know with those two we'll get completely Redskin-leaning commentary. Don't know how bad the delay is, but always a good idea instead to turn on the dulcet tones of Steve Raible.
"Share that with the Dalai Lama, jack ass!": Do we all remember how sensitive the 'Skins are? Picture it, Seahawks Stadium, last year. A fight breaks out at the coin toss when words about people's mothers are exchanged. Really? The coin toss??!! Could be just a touch of lingering bad blood. Maybe for this game, Richard Sherman goes out for the coin toss and starts the yapping early to get under their skin.
"What are you doing? It's a game of touch football, every time I look over you're on your ass again.": I'll spare you the joke I could make about Roger Goddell's current NFL. But you could say this about the Seahawks on the road in the playoffs the last 30 years or about the Redskins at home the last 13. Truly the irresistable force against the immovable object with one team that can't win on the road and the other that can't win at home. Oh sure, these are different sets of players, streaks mean nothing, blah blah blah. You know that if a break or two goes against one of these teams, those ghosts will make themselves known. Which leads us to....
"Rule #76: No excuses. Play like a champion!": The Hawks have that look about them. This looks like a team that is peaking at the right time. Oh sure, we could see the offense revert back to its putrid efforts in the first part of the season and I think every Hawks fan is a little nervous about that possibility. But I just don't see it happening. And if it does, I see this defense, that is now at full strength by the way, stepping up to take over this game. The Seahawks woes on the road in the playoffs ends on Sunday!
Seahawks 31, Redskins 20
"Death, you are my bitch lover!": No, Todd won't be playing for the 'Skins on Sunday, but DeAngelo Hall is. You know who also is going to be there? Dana McKenzie. I know you're thinking, "who the hell is that and where the hell is he going with this"? Well, I'll tell you. Back in October, the Redskins were playing the Steelers and DeAngelo apparently was a little annoyed with a call from Mr. McKenzie who was the Head Linesman that day. So, he ripped off his helmet, spewed a string of profanity that would make George Carlin blush, and was promptly ejected. Could he leave well enough alone? Nope. He apparently made death threats against the official and was fined $30K. Wonder if maybe Dana remembers this and the Hawks might get a friendly defensive holding call.
"I don't know what red seven means. Hot route! I don't... What is hot route? Will you just go stand on the other side please?": At the start of the season, you wouldn't have known if that was the Seahawk receiving corps or John Beckwith wandering aimlessly around the field. But now? Those guys have stepped up, particularly Golden Tate, and are now a force to be reckoned with. No longer can defenses just fill the box with 8 or 9 guys to stop Marshawn. Very encouraging to see that development.
"Erroneous! Erroneous! Erroneous on both counts!": Ok, who in their wildest dreams thought Richard Sherman's suspension would be reversed by the Roger Goddelll Regime? I was sure we'd end up having to go into the playoffs without our best corner and probably face the first few games in 2013 without him too. But, maybe, just maybe, Pete Carroll found the Mike Holmgren Memorial Golden Horseshoe somewhere deep in the offices of the VMAC. Quick reminder for those who don't know about the Golden Horseshoe. Mike Holmgren busted it out in 2005 for the game against the Giants with Jay Feely's 3 missed field goals and the Giants 11 false starts. That horseshoe remained firmly implanted in his backside as the Hawks made their way to the Super Bowl. Pete's apparently found it and now it's truly time to win forever.
"You better lock it up. No, you lock it up! You lock it up! You lock it up! You lock it up! Lock it up!": Seahawk secondary, looking right at you. Moss and Garcon are pretty decent. You lock those guys up and it forces them to run. Granted, their rookie RB is pretty good and RGIII can certainly scamper, but taking away one piece of their offense certainly increases the chances of winning.
"I'm sorry. I'm not sorry. Okay? I'm not gonna apologize, I'm a cocksman!": Russell Wilson, there's absolutely nothing to apologize for. You have shown this league, and all it's supposed experts, that you can indeed play at a very high level despite being shorter than I am. I will freely admit I was a little concerned when Pom Pom Pete gave you the starting job, but you have completely exceeded both my and all Seahawks fans expectations. To celebrate, I'd like to see you shave Mel Kiper Jr.'s head bald for his scoffing at the Hawks pick of you.
"You shut your mouth when you're talking to me!": One of the downsides of playing on Sunday on wild card weekend is we get Joe Buck and the Concussed Troy Aikman on the call. Heaven forbid there's an exciting play since we'd get Buck's half-asleep call of it. Plus, you know with those two we'll get completely Redskin-leaning commentary. Don't know how bad the delay is, but always a good idea instead to turn on the dulcet tones of Steve Raible.
"Share that with the Dalai Lama, jack ass!": Do we all remember how sensitive the 'Skins are? Picture it, Seahawks Stadium, last year. A fight breaks out at the coin toss when words about people's mothers are exchanged. Really? The coin toss??!! Could be just a touch of lingering bad blood. Maybe for this game, Richard Sherman goes out for the coin toss and starts the yapping early to get under their skin.
"What are you doing? It's a game of touch football, every time I look over you're on your ass again.": I'll spare you the joke I could make about Roger Goddell's current NFL. But you could say this about the Seahawks on the road in the playoffs the last 30 years or about the Redskins at home the last 13. Truly the irresistable force against the immovable object with one team that can't win on the road and the other that can't win at home. Oh sure, these are different sets of players, streaks mean nothing, blah blah blah. You know that if a break or two goes against one of these teams, those ghosts will make themselves known. Which leads us to....
"Rule #76: No excuses. Play like a champion!": The Hawks have that look about them. This looks like a team that is peaking at the right time. Oh sure, we could see the offense revert back to its putrid efforts in the first part of the season and I think every Hawks fan is a little nervous about that possibility. But I just don't see it happening. And if it does, I see this defense, that is now at full strength by the way, stepping up to take over this game. The Seahawks woes on the road in the playoffs ends on Sunday!
Seahawks 31, Redskins 20
