Daily Dan Sports Blog

OK…Game Time!

Here are my picks for this weekend’s NFL playoff games…

Ravens 17 Steelers 14

Packers 27 Falcons 23

Seahawks 24 Bears 23 Same score seemed to work last week…not that I’m superstitious)

Patriots 28 Jets 17

© 2011 Dan Weedin. All Rights reserved

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12th Man

Okay…

Call me crazy. Call me a “homer.” Call me whatever you want. I have a funny feeling about this one.

Just like in the Holiday Bowl with the Washington Huskies, Pete Carroll and his boys are playing with house money. I feel a little 12th Man magic. It’s Buster Douglas over Mike Tyson; the New York Giants over the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl; it’s Washington over Nebraska…

It’s the Seahawks 24-23 over the Saints with an Olindo Mare FG at the end….

You heard it here first.

Watch for my Tweets during the game.

© 2011 Dan Weedin. All Rights Reserved

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I asked for it and I got it.

The 12th Man indeed showed up and so did the Seahawks defense. That was the loudest stadium I’ve ever been in and definitely had playoff atmosphere. The Hawks fed off it and it turned into another NFC West banner in Qwest Field.

A few comments from last night:

• I couldn’t believe arguing with people on the ferry ride home about Charlie Whitehurst’s performance. The dude was on the winning side of the game, for goodness sakes! Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think he’s our next franchise QB. However, he played a decent game (in fact his stats were better than Sam Bradford’s). His mobility saved easily 5 sacks and actually picked up positive yardage. Charlie’s job was to not lose the game and that’s exactly what he did. He’s a capable backup, a young guy who’s learning, and played a solid game. ESPN’s Trent Dilfer (a guy who won a Super Bowl as a “solid” QB) said as much after the game. Cut the guy some slack. He played a game good enough in the biggest game of the year.
• The defense was crazy. I know it wasn’t the New England Patriots, but Sam Bradford has had an excellent rookie year, and Steven Jackson is a stud. To hold the Rams to 2 field goals was unbelievable. I loved how Aaron Curry, Chris Clemons, David Hawthorne, Lofa Tatupu, and Marcus Trufant played. Will Herring played a great game. This was a total team effort and a sight for sore eyes.
• Pete Carroll is the right guy for this city. He brings a great energy that really gets the 12th Man going. I think good things are on the horizon.
• I expect that Matt Hasselbeck will start if he’s healthy. He’s the veteran; he’s got playoff experience; he played a good game against the Saints last month; and he’s the right guy. However, if he can’t go or plays poorly, I have less issues with Charlie Whitehurst than I did 2 weeks ago!
• Marshawn Lynch bounced back after being stripped of the ball and ran in “beast-mode” the rest of the way. He could not be stopped in the 4th Quarter when the Rams knew we were running.
• I don’t care what our record is. The Mariners won 116 games in 2001 and didn’t win the American League to go to the World Series. This is about getting to the playoffs by winning your division.
• I just LOVE that the Giants, who humiliated us at home earlier this year, aren’t even in the playoffs. That’s really cool.

This was a huge win for this franchise. Just like the University of Washington needed a bowl game and the rest was gravy; the Hawks needed to get to the playoffs and the rest is gravy. Two years ago, the Huskies were 0-12 and the Seahawks were 4-12. Now, the Dawgs have upset Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl and the Hawks are NFC West Champs. Unreal.

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12th Man

Dear Seahawks:

I’m going to the game tonight. Me and 65,000 or so friends.

We are ready. We will bring our A-game. We are ready for a 5th NFC West Championship in the last 7 years. We are hungry. We will bring it. Will you?

We can be the best 12th Man in the NFL, but it does no good if the first 11 are bad. It’s time to take that next step. No more excuses. We don’t care about the record. We just want a home playoff game next week.

Time to bring everything you have. Time to take the ball away from the opponent and keep it yourself. This is what we’ve been waiting for the last 2 years. Please be as ready as we are.

Game on.

© 2011 Dan Weedin. All Rights Reserved

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