Seattle

Legions of New York Knicks fans are waiting on pins and needles for news confirming the rumor that legendary head coach Phil Jackson is officially joining the organization.

---

Update: Tuesday, March 11 at 10:43 p.m. ET

It would appear there are some shenanigans going on at Madison Square Garden, as Marc Berman of the New York Post posted, then quickly deleted, an article stating that Jackson had made a verbal agreement with the Knicks, per SB Nation's Seth Rosenthal:

It's hard to know what to think until Jackson appears in an actual press conference.

--- End of Update ---

---

Maybe they should all start following Pete Carroll on Twitter.

The coach of the Seattle Seahawks took a break on Tuesday afternoon from the first day of NFL free agency (not to mention flaunting his recently won Vince Lombardi Trophy) to congratulate Jackson on accepting the job:

The only problem: Jackson has yet to officially accept the job. Conspiracy!

Do these two even know each other? A cursory search of the Internet shows no photos of the two together. But it seems likely the two coaches' paths could have crossed at least once in Los Angeles, where Carroll coached the USC Trojans football team from 2001 to 2009. Jackson manned the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers for eight of those nine years, taking only a brief sabbatical during the 2004-05 season. 

The two coaches seem like kindred spirits in a way. Both live a very nonconformist lifestyle outside of the coaching arena and are known for their ability to reach young athletes despite their advanced age (Carroll is 62; Jackson is 68).

As USA Today's Nina Mandell deadpanned: "It's possible that Carroll has a direct line to Jackson. After all, wouldn't they exchange coaching tips or music recommendations or just tickets?"

What's more likely is that Carroll simply misread another news story or Twitter post and jumped the gun a bit in his celebration of Jackson's return. NFL coaches, after all, probably know as much about the inner workings of the Knicks-Jackson negotiations as the rest of us.

For what it's worth, ESPN's Chris Broussard's sources expect the deal to be done by the end of the week:

Wouldn't it be something if Chris Broussard has just been mining Pete Carroll for NBA information all these years?

The Seattle Seahawks 12th man movement extends from the gridiron to the world of video games. I’m not talking about the Madden NFL series; in this instance, love for the Super Bowl champion Seahawks is being shown through several references in the upcoming PlayStation 4 exclusive action-adventure title, inFAMOUS Second Son. 

As it turns out, the developer team from Sucker Punch Productions are from Seattle and are big Seahawks fans. It should come as no surprise that the game takes place in the Emerald City. It also includes some of the city’s most recognizable and famous landmarks.

The Space Needle, Fish Market and Gum Wall have all been recreated among other signature attractions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-PumK-Krjo

As avid Seahawks fans, the devs couldn’t leave it at that. There had to be some representation of the team that just brought the city its first major sports championship since 1979.

Per a Sony rep that I spoke to, the main character in the game will honor the 12th man with a No. 12 decal on his jacket. An image of that is shown in the featured picture above. There’s also a virtual billboard with a Seahawk in a football uniform with the words “Seattle Football…World Champs 2014.”

Obviously, the game doesn’t carry the NFL license, so it had to get a little creative with the way it paid homage to the team. 

No word on whether or not there’s a special Skittles trophy in the game for handling multiple foes like Marshawn Lynch.

Graphically, the previews of the game look impressive. Some hardcore sports gamers may not pay attention to any game that doesn't have a ball or puck involved.

However, InFAMOUS Second Son might have enough action—and sports references—to make the virtual jocks pay attention.

InFAMOUS Second Son releases for PlayStation 4 exclusively on March 21.

Follow me. I dig sports and video games...a lot.

@BMaziqueFPBR

In the head-scratching blowout that will forever be known as Super Bowl XLVIII, there was only one quarterback that truly helped his team win, and that was Russell Wilson. While it was the Seahawks’ defense that received most of the credit and linebacker Malcolm Smith who earned MVP honors, Wilson's performance was at the heart of the blowout.

The second-year signal-caller was his usual efficient self, going 18-for-25, throwing two scores and finishing with a quarterback rating of 123.1—the eighth highest rating ever for a QB in a Super Bowl with at least 25 pass attempts. As the Emerald City hoists its first Lombardi Trophy, here are the five most important things to take away from Wilson's performance in the Seahawks' 43-8 dismantling of Denver. 

1. People Should Stop Doubting Russell Wilson

To look now at Wilson's scouting report from his combine performance in 2012 reads more like comedy than an honest player evaluation. For example: 

"Wilson's height will be his biggest inhibitor at the next level and the largest reason for his late-round value. It remains to be seen if he can throw effectively from the pocket at the next level."

That alone is much funnier than almost all of the ads that ran during the Super Bowl. It's even more comical to remember that Wilson was slated as Matt Flynn's backup before the start of the 2012 season. However, like he has at every impasse he has encountered, Wilson proved his detractors wrong and simply outworked the competition. He has always embraced the underdog role and made the most of it, as he said in the post-game festivities Sunday:

“My dad used to always tell me, ‘Russ, why not you?’ And what that meant was believe in yourself, believe in the talent God has given you even though you are 5 foot 11, and you can go a long way.”

No quarterback has more wins in the first two years of a career than Wilson's 24. He's 4-1 in the postseason. In the two biggest games of his career, the Super Bowl and the NFC Championship game against the 49ers, Wilson was 34-for-50 with three touchdowns, zero interceptions and QB ratings of 104.6 and 123.1.

The man makes plays when he needs to, the mark of a true leader and winner. Did we mention he was a 3rd-round pick who was pushed by many to pursue a baseball career path instead of football? Let's stop questioning Mr. Wilson's ability to get things done. 

2. Maybe You Don't Need To Be Johnny All-Pro To Win a Championship

The obsession with finding a "franchise quarterback" is at an all-time high right now. The Washington Redskins mortgaged three first-round draft picks, including one that has turned out to be the No. 2 selection this year, to find theirs.

Many teams around the league—Cleveland, Houston, Jacksonville—are desperate to finally find one. Why are these teams so preoccupied with finding one specific player? The current narrative in the league is that you can't win a Super Bowl unless you have a top tier QB.

However, Russell Wilson and the Seahawks have proved that it is possible to win by simply finding a quarterback that fits the team's offensive scheme correctly, rather than needing a 5000-yard passer to compete in today's pass-heavy league. This is not meant to compare Wilson to the likes of Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson because the Seahawks would not have reached the heights they did this year without Wilson and that is a fact.

Wilson is a perfect complement to the run-first offense in Seattle, using his legs when he needs to, and putting up more than respectable numbers through the air despite what most would consider to be not much of a receiving corps this year.

He's never going to lead the league in touchdowns or passing yards, but there are few quarterbacks in the NFL who serve their offense better than Wilson. Seahawks' coach Pete Carroll referred to Wilson's performance as a "perfect football game." Do you really need more than that?

3. We’ll be Seeing More of Wilson

Few players have brighter futures in the league right now than Wilson. He's the quarterback of a team that just won the Super Bowl and, at least right now, is the favorite to do so again next year. His coolness in big situations time and time again is much more than that of a "game manager”—the age-old backhanded compliment of sorts used to describe QB's who aren't asked to throw the ball 40 times a game.

Surrounded by elite talent, Wilson has all the skills necessary to get back to this stage. In Sunday's win, Wilson consistently made impressive throws that kept scoring drives alive. Early on, when Seattle led just 5-0, Wilson's 37-yard completion to Doug Baldwin on 3rd-and-7 down the left sideline was a signal that he came to play. 

As ESPN.com's Dan Graziano highlighted in his recap of Wilson's performance, there's great reason to believe that this is just the start of great things for Wilson. 

"Here's what's special about Wilson's opportunity. He is set up, yes, with a dominant defense, power running game and a player -- Harvin -- that Wilson didn't even get to use this season waiting to do big things with him in 2014 and beyond. Having lasted until the third round of the 2013 draft, Wilson carries a mere $817,302 salary-cap hit for 2014, obviously less than he's worth. For now, he allows Seattle to continue to put great pieces around him."

Tom Brady burst into the national spotlight with his role in the Patriots' thrilling victory over the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI. While it is a stretch to say that Wilson will ever reach Brady's status as a perennial MVP candidate, it is certainly plausible that his performance in Seattle's victory can be the jumping-off point that Brady's first championship was for him. 

4. The QB Draft Class of 2012 Has Its First Ring—From the Sixth One Taken

The hype and early success of the quarterbacks taken in the 2012 draft has been well documented. Andrew Luck has taken the Colts to two consecutive postseasons. Despite a nightmarish 2013, RGIII still has just as much talent as anyone at the position. Now, the sixth QB taken in that draft, and the 75th player selected overall, has arguably passed both of those young stars.

Comparisons to the 2004 class of Eli Manning, Philip Rivers, and Ben Roethlisberger have been popular, and coincidentally, that group got its first ring in their second year when the Steelers knocked off the Seahawks in Super Bowl XL (talk about symmetry, huh?). As the likes of Brady and Peyton Manning come closer to the end of their careers, fans of the NFL can feel comfortable with the newest legion of quarterbacks to marvel at for years to come. Step up your game, Brock Osweiler and Brandon Weeden. 

5. Wilson Is on His Way To Being a Household Name

Quick—who had a better regular season in 2013: Wilson or Colin Kaepernick?

Based solely on the attention the two received during the entirety of the first 17 weeks, one would think the answer is Kaepernick. However, Wilson had more total touchdowns (27 for Wilson versus 24 for Kaepernick), more passing yards (3357 versus 3197), more rushing yards (539 versus 524) and a higher QB rating (101.2 versus 91.6). Sooner rather than later, it could be Wilson throwing on his Beats by Dre to drown out the screams and abuse from angry 49ers fans.

Wilson could easily be one of the most marketable players in the league as well—successful, driven, arrest-free and humble. Beyond that, he has asserted himself as unquestionably a Top Ten quarterback.

Even in the aftermath of the Super Bowl victory, Wilson was lost in the shuffle (it's very rare to see a QB not named Super Bowl MVP, especially with a performance as solid as his). That was probably the last time in his career when people (the media, opposing defenses) won't be focusing in on Wilson, and for good reason. 

Statistics used are from Pro-Football-Reference.com unless otherwise noted

rwise noted

With the exception of people who are reading from the northwestern corner of the United States or who root for the Seattle Seahawks, last night's Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ was an epic disappointment. 

The showdown featuring the AFC's No. 1 team, the Denver Broncos, and Seahawks, the NFC's top squad, was supposed to be historic, exciting and a battle until the final second. The Broncos' No. 1 offense versus the Seahawks' No. 1 defense. Veteran Denver quarterback Peyton Manning versus Seahawks' cornerback and league-loudmouth Richard Sherman. Denver head coach John Fox versus Seattle head coach Pete Carroll, who both worked with the Iowa State Cyclones' football team early in their careers. 

Instead, Super Bowl XLVIII ended with a final score of 43-8, in favor of Seattle. The only thing about the game that lived up to expectations was Bruno Mars, whose halftime performance featuring the Red Hot Chili Peppers was nothing short of brilliant. 

I don't mean to discredit the Seahawks. They are a young squad who will surely be a force to be reckoned with for years to come. As Bleacher Report's R. Cory Smith notes in his article, many of the Seahawks stars, including Sherman, quarterback Russell Wilson and wide receiver Percy Harvin, are only 25 years old. 

So yes, the Seahawks played incredibly in all aspects of the game last night, while the Broncos looked like they were sleeping from their first snap, which flew over a distracted Manning's shoulder and into the Broncos' own end zone, resulting in a safety for Seattle. 

The outcome is correct, and in my opinion the better team won, yet the Seahawks are not 35 points better than the Broncos, and the reality is this game should have been much closer. This is what makes this game so disappointing—we all expected so much.

For the first time in recent history, the Super Bowl was set to feature the league's top two squads. (The last time this happened was 1993, when the Dallas Cowboys beat the Buffalo Bills.)

The sharks in Vegas, who are rarely off by too much, were also predicting an exciting game. The Broncos began as slight underdogs but eventually improved to two-point favorites, as reported by SI.com's Chris Burke. In Super Bowl XXIX, when the San Francisco 49ers crushed the San Diego Chargers 49-26, they were 18.5 point favorites. This game wasn't any better to watch, but at least we all knew that going in. 

In addition to what was supposed to be a close game, Super Bowl XLVIII was historic in that it was being played at MetLife Stadium, home of the New York Giants and Jets, making it a cold weather Super Bowl.

Leading up to the game, media reports concentrated considerably on what mother nature would bring, with Vegas even offering a prop bet on whether or not it would snow. At kickoff, the players and fans were treated to dry and calm 49 degree conditions, warmer than it was in both Denver and Seattle at game time. To add to the irony and disappointment, Monday brought heavy snow and cold air to the New York Metropolitan Area.

Lastly, Super Bowl XLVIII featured Peyton Manning, who has unquestionably had a Hall of Fame-caliber career, yet has had only mild postseason success.

Playing in his third Super Bowl, many analysts agreed that a win over the Seattle Seahawks would cement Manning's legacy as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.

Judging by a swing of the line, it's fair to say that the public was pulling for a Denver triumph and a Manning victory. Instead, America was treated to the high-octane Denver offense putting up eight measly points, by far their lowest total of the season. 

So while many people deserve a pat on the back after Sunday night—the Seattle Seahawks, Bruno Mars and most importantly, MetLife Stadium security, who assured the event went off without a hitch, blunder or disturbance—the game as a whole will be remembered as a disappointment.

Once Harvin returned the opening second-half kickoff for a touchdown, NFL fans everywhere realized that the game would be, without question, a blowout, affirming that despite flawless execution, hilarious commercials or brilliant entertainment, the only thing that makes Super Bowls exciting and memorable is the battle that takes place on the field. 

(Or halftime show wardrobe malfunctions. Thanks for nothing, Bruno Mars.)

Joe Rapolla Jr. is a Denver Broncos featured columnist and a community moderator with Bleacher Report. He likes to play golf, and judging from the fact that he always scores over 100, he knows he's very good. 

On Sunday night, the Seattle Seahawks will take the field against the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII. The 'Hawks will be playing not only for the first championship in franchise history, but for the first professional sports championship for any Seattle men's professional sports franchise since the 1970s.

All the Super Bowl excitement bubbling over in Seattle—the legions of fans decked out in blue and neon green jerseys, the newborn babies named "Cydnee Leigh 12th Mann"—belies a city with a sad sports history. 

The two longest-tenured franchises left in the Emerald City, the Seahawks and Mariners have exactly zero championships between them. The Seahawks came closest to the promised land in 2005, losing Super Bowl XL to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 21-10, in a game marred by some questionable officiating.

The Mariners have had an even more star-crossed history. They are one of two Major League Baseball franchises (along with the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals) never to make an appearance in the World Series.

Though they've had a host of legendary players over the years, including Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson, Alex Rodriguez, Edgar Martinez and Ichiro Suzuki, the talented Mariners clubs of the '90s/early '00s had a habit of falling short in the American League Championship Series. Even the 2001 team, which won a league-record 116 games, lost to the hated New York Yankees in the ALCS.

But before the Seahawks and Mariners, there were the Seattle SuperSonics: 1978-79 NBA champions.

The NBA established a franchise in Seattle in 1967, before either the NFL or MLB came calling. Like most expansion franchises, the new SuperSonics took a few seasons to get on their feet. They didn't make the playoffs until 1974-75, their eighth season. 

The Sonics finally broke through to the ranks of true contenders in 1977-78. Future Hall of Fame coach Lenny Wilkens took over midseason for Bob Hopkins, who had coached the team to a disappointing 5-17 start.

With Wilkens at the helm, Seattle took off.

They finished the season strong, then upset the No. 1-seeded Portland Trail Blazers in the conference semifinals. They went on to beat Denver in the conference finals, earning a date with the Washington Bullets in the championship series.

The Bullets triumphed in seven games. The young Sonics were denied a title. They would not be denied again.

The Champs

Most basketball fans remember Hall of Fame guard Dennis Johnson from his time with the legendary Larry Bird Celtics teams of the '80s. He was the guy on the receiving end of Bird's famous pass off the inbounds steal in Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals.

But before he was a Celtic, Johnson was part of a dynamic Sonics backcourt, along with two-time All-Star Gus Williams. 

But Johnson let down the Sonics in '78 with one of the worst shooting performances in finals history, and the defending-champion Bullets wouldn't let him forget it in '79.

Per the Seattle Times' Steve Kelley, "In the seventh game [of the '78 finals], Seattle's star guard Dennis Johnson went 0 for 14 from the field and the next regular season, when Johnson missed his first shot against the Bullets, Washington coach Dick Motta barked at him, '0 for 15.'"

The Sonics finished with a regular-season record of 52-30, best in the Western Conference and second-best in the league...to the Bullets.

Before the playoffs, Sonics guard Fred Brown guessed the finals would once again come down to a battle between Seattle and Washington (D.C.).

Per NBA.com, Brown had said, "Don't be fooling yourself. You know it all boils down to us against Washington one more time. Both teams have great people all the way through the lineup. They're deeper, but we make up for that with our backcourt. I think it will be wild and picturesque all over again."

Indeed, the Bullets had the NBA's best frontcourt, anchored by Hall of Famers Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes. They took Game 1, 99-97. 

But that's all the Bullets would get. Seattle swept the next four games to win the title. The key play of the series was made by Dennis Johnson—the same Dennis Johnson who had failed to come through when it mattered in '78. With the Sonics up by two in overtime of Game 4, Johnson blocked a last-second attempt by Washington's Kevin Grevey to seal the win.

Johnson was named MVP of the '79 Finals, averaging 22.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game. He and Gus Williams accounted for more than half of Seattle's points during the series.

According to Kelley, that '79 team developed a special rapport with the city of Seattle:

That team really felt as if it belonged to all of Seattle. The players were visible around town, in shops and restaurants and on the street. It was a band of approachable 'Everymen' who just happened to be the best-assembled team in the game at the time.

Those Sonics connected with this city in a way very few professional sports teams connect with their towns. 

Their Legacy 

In a very real way, that '79 Sonics championship marked the end of an era in the NBA: an era of unprecedented parity.

Eight NBA teams won a title during the '70s, including Seattle, the Knicks, Celtics, Warriors, Bullets (Wizards), Trail Blazers, Lakers and Bucks. But only two of those franchises (Celtics, Lakers) have won another championship since '79.

In the 34 years since the Sonics' last championship, the NBA has been dominated by just a handful of franchises like no other professional sports league in North America:

• Los Angeles Lakers: 10 titles
• Chicago Bulls: six titles
• Boston Celtics: four titles
• San Antonio Spurs: four titles
• Miami Heat: three titles
• Detroit Pistons: three titles
• Houston Rockets: two titles

Only two teams during that time have won a single championship: the 1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers and the 2010-11 Dallas Mavericks. 

Given the lack of parity in the NBA over the last three decades, the Sonics' title drought is far from an embarrassment: many franchises have had it far worse. Seattle made one more NBA Finals, in 1996, but lost to Michael Jordan and the powerhouse Bulls. 

Unfortunately for the basketball fans of the Pacific Northwest, the franchise's next appearance would come in another city. Owner Clay Bennett moved the franchise to Oklahoma City following the 2007-08 season—a season that just so happened to feature a promising rookie by the name of Kevin Durant.

Though the Sonics may be gone forever, they left an indelible imprint on the city and its fans, thanks to the 1978-79 championship team. It is now up to another team—in another sport—to reestablish Seattle as a city of champions.

All statistics courtesy of Basketball Reference

Marshawn “Beast Mode” Lynch was at his best Saturday night as the Seattle Seahawks defeated the New Orleans Saints 23-15, taking another step toward Super Bowl XLVIII.

Lynch broke out for his first 100-yard rushing game since Week 10, capping off a brilliant performance with a 31-yard touchdown run to seal the deal for Seattle.  

The touchdown was Lynch’s second score of the game and the fifth of his playoff career.  

Here are five takeaways from Lynch’s NFC Divisional Round performance.  

1.  Lynch is in all-out “beast mode” when the playoffs roll around.  

Lynch has proven to be an elite running back in the four seasons he has spent with Seattle, rushing for over 1,200 yards in each of the last three seasons.

However, it is the postseason in which Lynch truly shines.

In five career postseason games, Lynch has rushed for over 100 yards three separate times.  He has rushed for 451 yards on 87 career playoff attempts, which is good for an average of 5.18 yards per carry. 

To put it in perspective, Lynch’s career average in yards per carry is 4.2.  When the playoffs roll around, he has an average of almost one full yard higher.  

2.  Lynch gives the Seahawks a great reputation.    

When Lynch is on his game, it seems as if it is physically impossible for a defense to stop him.

Breaking tackles and bouncing off defenders on almost every carry, Lynch gives his team the identity of “fighter.”    

The 215-pound running back doesn't go down easily, picking up many of his 140 yards Saturday after initial contact.  

Seattle head coach Pete Carroll was quoted by NFL writer Dan Hanzus of NFL.com as saying, “He just continues to crank it out for us.”

Lynch lives for the playoffs, and he will continue to grind it out until he brings his team to the top.

3.  The Saints continue to fall victim to Beast Mode.  

For the second time in three years, the New Orleans defense had no answer to the Seattle ground attack.

Marshawn Lynch made his name known around the sports world in a playoff game against the Saints in 2011.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSZdntRnQVg

Lynch got his nickname “Beast Mode” when he broke seven tackles on his way to a 67-yard touchdown run, a run that has been debated as the greatest carry of all time.  The Seahawks stunned the favored Saints that day as Lynch totaled 131 yards on 19 carries.  

This year, it was Lynch’s team that was favored going into the game.  

The Seahawks did not let their fans down as Lynch compiled the greatest statistical playoff game of his career, carrying the ball 28 times for 140 yards on the day.  

The Saints hoped to avenge that loss from three years ago, but Lynch reminded them why he earned his nickname.  

 

4.  Lynch makes Seattle a complete offense.  

Second-year quarterback Russell Wilson has continued to shine in the league this year, avoiding any discussion of a sophomore slump.  He has taken his team to the top of the NFC with a regular season record of 13-3.  

However, it is the spread out ball distribution that makes this offense a major threat to opponents.   

While Wilson attempted a total of 407 pass plays this season, he handed the ball off to Lynch 301 times.  

Without a running back of Lynch’s caliber, it is hard to predict what Seattle’s record would be.  An elite quarterback can perform wonders for a team, but without a mixed in running game, an offense is vulnerable.  

That is not the case for this team, as Lynch continues to dominate on the ground.  

5.  Seattle is the place to see a football game.  

CenturyLink Field in Seattle seems like the place to visit for football fans.

According to The Weather Channel, seismologists believe that fans at the stadium caused another earthquake Saturday.

It is believed that after Lynch’s fourth quarter 31-yard touchdown run, Seattle fans had the stadium shaking so roughly that an earthquake occurred.  

After Lynch’s famous run against the Saints in 2011, fans caused what was believed to be a magnitude 1 or 2 earthquake.  

Seismologists believe the earthquake caused on Saturday was greater than the one in 2011.  

It is no wonder why opposing offenses have trouble hearing when on the field at CenturyLink.  

With Lynch performing to his potential and a successful quarterback in Russell Wilson, there is no reason to doubt the Seattle Seahawks this season.  

They are a true threat to any team, and Lynch has made them exciting to watch throughout the playoffs in his career.  

* All statistical information courtesy of Pro Football Reference

 

The New Orleans Saints carry a formidable pedigree for a sixth seed in the NFL playoffs. In a quarterback-driven league, they feature one of the best in Drew Brees. Head coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan are two of the more innovative coaches in today's NFL. Several players on the roster boast championship hardware. Jimmy Graham is the best tight end in football.

Sixth-seeded teams aren't often made like this one, and this makes the Saints great contenders to be a dark-horse team in this year's NFL playoffs.

There are a number of talking points that have fueled the discussion around the Saints playoff chances. Two in particular stand out: They have never won on the road in the playoffs, and they don't like the cold. Fortunately for the Saints, they don't play history. They begin their postseason journey against the Philadelphia Eagles and the league's worst pass defense.

The astronomical ability of Brees bodes well for the Saints should they find themselves in a shootout, a great possibility considering the prowess of Eagles quarterback Nick Foles this season (fun fact: Both quarterbacks attended Westlake High School in Austin, Texas). Brees topped 5,000 yards this season for the fourth time in his career and tossed 39 touchdowns against just 12 interceptions.

The Saints attitude heading into the postseason is one of an easy confidence, thanks to the postseason experience of their head coach and several key players. Here is Drew Brees on his team solving their road problems, via Larry Holder of the The Times-Picayune:

"I think there's three main things we need to do: We're going to change up the Gatorade flavor and feel good about that; we're going to change our travel sweats; and we're going to have the hotel change up the beefy mac recipe the night before to give it just a little extra kick." 

Those are the words of a man who's been here before and is confident in his ability to deliver. Yes, the Saints did go 3-5 on the road this year—which can't be ignored for a sixth-seeded team—but three of those losses were by six points or less. The only true horror show was the debacle in Seattle, but we will get to that later. As far as the road woes and cold weather argument is concerned, Bill Barnwell digs up some excellent statistics and debunks those oft-cited talking points in his excellent piece from Grantland.com:

"Really, he's about the same in miserably cold weather as he is in scorching temperatures. When was the last time you read an article suggesting that Brees and the Saints offense couldn't handle the heat?" 

This also bolsters the fact that the Saints really do have an ideal matchup with Brees against Philadelphia's pass defense. Throw in the fact that wide receiver Marques Colston ratcheted up his performances toward the end of the season—catching 28 passes and scoring three touchdowns over the final four games—and the Saints offense is in great shape to wreak havoc on Philadelphia's shoddy secondary.

Even if you accept the argument that the Saints falter in cold weather and can't hang on the road, you can just as easily point to the Eagles lackluster 4-4 home record and call the home-away debate a wash. This helps the Saints get past the Wild Card Round, but what about afterward? 

The Saints road will go through Seattle should they beat the Eagles, and the 34-7 beatdown the Seahawks dished out to the Saints earlier in the year does little to inspire confidence in a deep playoff run. However, that game seemed to be more of an anomaly than anything else. The players seemed deeply confused about just how poorly they played. Tackle Zach Strief said as much to Katherine Terrell of The Times-Picayune:

"We had a good week of practice. I think guys were prepared. I think guys were in the right frame of mind going out there," said Strief. "And yet, you play like that. It's hard to point as to why."

Brees had one of his worst games as a pro, going just 23-of-38 for 147 yards and one touchdown. That is one piece of history that is unlikely to repeat itself.

Further evidence supporting the notion of an aberration? The Saints rebounded by crushing the Carolina Panthers the next week by a score of 31-13, another team they may face in this postseason (they split the season series at a game apiece). A short memory is a great key to success in the NFL.

The Saints also boast a strong defense to go with their hyper-competent offense. Much of that credit goes to Rob Ryan, who turned the worst defense in franchise history into a solid unit that gave up just 305 yards per game and 19 points per game. Their defense doesn't rely on luck either; the Saints have a zero in the margin column when it comes to turnovers and rank in the bottom half of the league in interceptions and fumbles forced.

The Saints strong defense is highlighted by two excellent pass rushers in Cameron Jordan and Junior Galette, who racked up 12.5 and 12 sacks, respectively. They will be tasked with harassing Foles in the first game and then containing potential foes such as Russell Wilson, Cam Newton and Colin Kaepernick.

Now, the loss of rookie safety Kenny Vaccaro to injury in Week 16 is potentially the strongest argument against the defense's continued success. Pulling this Saints' safety pin can be the catalyst for the whole postseason blowing up in their faces. As a shining example of a proficient open field tackler, the loss of Vaccaro will hurt the Saints against the spread offense of the Eagles. It also limits them against teams like the Seahawks with bruising running back Marshawn Lynch or the Panthers and their mobile quarterback Cam Newton.

As far as running the football goes, the Saints are one of the few teams in the NFL that can establish a strong offense without any semblance of a rushing game; just ask Pierre Thomas or Mark Ingram fantasy owners. Speaking of Thomas, he is listed as out for at least the Eagles game, according to Mike Triplett of ESPN.com. 

He led the team with 549 rushing yards, but that statistic alone should tell you all about which set of shoulders in the backfield will be carrying the Saints. Darren Sproles should be able to pick up his slack in the passing game, but it will be up to Mark Ingram to come through with some gutsy runs should the Saints call his number.

You can look at this team as a version of the 2008 Arizona Cardinals, who relied on their strong passing game at the expense of nearly everything else. That team defied lengthy odds to come within just a few plays of winning a Super Bowl.

That being said, a dark horse doesn't concern itself with oddsmakers or historical references. All you need to know about the dark horse is its thoroughbred pedigree. Watch out for the Saints this postseason. They have the pedigree.

Nate Loop is a new contributor to Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @Nate_Loop or check out Sidelines, where he is a Contributing Writer.

When the Seattle Seahawks officially locked up the top seed in the NFC and earned home field advantage throughout the playoffs, the first question everyone asked was who could possibly go into Seattle and do the unthinkable?

Which NFC team had the best chance of taking down the Seahawks and the 12th man?

Most people immediately look to the Carolina Panthers, one of the hottest teams in the league and the No. 2 seed in the conference. Others look to the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle's biggest rival and a team that can go toe-to-toe with the Seahawks physically.

However, everyone seems to be overlooking the team that is the true biggest threat to the Seahawks—the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Eagles are playing their best football of the season and are rolling right into the playoffs after winning seven of their last eight games.

If the Seahawks want to keep their daunting 15-1 home record the last two seasons intact, there are a few reasons why they better hope they don't cross paths with the Eagles.

An improving defense that makes plays

The Eagles have a strong run defense and a play-making secondary. Despite ranking dead last in passing defense, allowing 290 yards per game, the Eagles are making up for it with 31 takeaways, good for second in the league.

They are also continuing to get better in scoring defense, allowing 20 points per game over their last nine games. Takeaway the one hiccup against the Minnesota Vikings and that number drops to 17 points per game, which would be third-best in the league.

The Eagles are not a shutdown defense, but led by Trent Cole, DeMeco Ryans and Brandon Boykin, they are certainly good enough to make a deep playoff run complementing an elite offense.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFo3FtCVKuE

Nick Foles is playing at an all-time level

Is it possible for a player to be an elite game manager and still put up video game numbers, because Foles has done just that.

Some may take offense to calling someone playing as well as Foles a "game manager," but that is not a knock on him, merely a testament to how well he has controlled games.

Since taking over as the starter, Foles has led the Eagles to an 8-2 record with a ridiculous touchdown-interception ratio of 27-2. He has thrown for 2,891 yards and has a league-best passer rating of 119.2.

He has done all this despite attempting over 30 passes just three times and throwing over 35 passes just once.

In comparison, Alex Smith—someone who has been known to be a game-manager—has thrown less than 30 passes just four times and less than 35 passes seven times.

Foles has simply been a remarkably efficient quarterback this year, doing a great job of letting the running game carry the load and picking apart the defenses when they over-commit to stopping the run.

The quickest way to let a game get away from you when you're playing in Seattle is to turn the ball over and Foles has proven to be the best in the league this season at taking care of it. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD3RdnJcMLw

LeSean McCoy is a superstar

The Arizona Cardinals have a venti-sized task ahead of them Sunday. They have to go to Seattle and figure out a way to beat the Seahawks at home to have hope of chasing down a wild-card spot. The Seahawks are undefeated at home this season and are 12-2 overall.

It’s going to take more than a macchiato to break through a Seattle defense that shut out the New York Giants last week, but it can be done. The Carolina Panthers and Indianapolis Colts have both beaten Seattle, so why couldn’t Arizona be the third team to do so?

Grab yourself a double chocolaty chip frappucino blended crème with no whip and extra espresso shots to get ready for the game plan that Arizona can use to post a win this week. At least it won’t be worse than last year’s 58-0 debacle. Few players currently on the roster were on the team when that disaster happened last season.

Take the crowd out of it as early as possible

CenturyLink Field is one of the most difficult places to hear plays being called. The noise was a world record until the Kansas City Chiefs came along and beat it. Simply put, touchdowns will get the crowd quieter. There’s nothing like a 10-point lead to silence some of the most raucous fans in football.

Keep Carson Palmer upright

It seems like a tired cliché, but it’s true when you take on Seattle. If you can keep your quarterback upright, you have a chance to win. When these two teams met earlier this season, Arizona allowed Palmer to be sacked seven times for 54 yards in total losses. The Cardinals will likely pass often to try and get back in the game if they fall behind. The blitzes will be coming, and the offensive line will have to find ways to give Palmer just enough time to release his passes.

Seattle disguises coverage well as we see on this play.

The Seahawks looked to bring their linebackers on a blitz but then dropped off into pass coverage. It essentially left three defenders against the offensive line. Left tackle Bradley Sowell tried to come over but allowed the nose tackle to run free in the backfield for a 13-yard loss. Mistakes like that can’t happen.

The first meeting between the two teams ended with Palmer completing 30-of-45 passes for 258 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. At the time, it was a season-high for completions, and Palmer looked more comfortable.

Let’s take a look at a successful play from the first meeting of the season between these two teams.

Palmer is in the shotgun and has a running back alongside him. Arizona has three receivers bunched at the top of the formation and Michael Floyd (white circle) on the bottom of the formation. You can see the route Floyd runs and he makes a three-yard catch before cutting farther left. He picked up a block from Larry Fitzgerald and made a 14-yard gain. Yards after catch are going to be big in this game.

Pick on the new guy, maybe

Seattle found out it will be without cornerback Brandon Browner indefinitely after he lost his appeal yesterday on a year-long suspension. The news, reported by Chris Wesseling of NFL.com, means Seattle will have a potential weak spot in the secondary. Byron Maxwell was the fill-in starter last week against the Giants and did well against Eli Manning, picking him off twice.

Teams will attack new defenders when they come into a game, and it might be worth trying to attack Maxwell to have him prove he’s more than a one-week wonder.

Involve Ellington effectively to keep the clock moving 

The Cardinals have a very talented rookie running back in Andre Ellington. Not only is he averaging slighty less than six yards per carry, he can also add about 10 yards per catch. He can keep the Seahawks guessing on defense, which makes it hard to stop him. He's quick and unpredictable, which is a change from the plodding style of Rashard Mendenhall. 

There’s no doubt it will be tough but Arizona can follow this game plan and pull a huge upset.