GOOO SEAHAWKS!!!

[Ripsnort]

see, there you go Rip...never under estimate your opponent. nobody expected the bucaneers to beat detroit or miami...and they did.

Of course I'm going to underestimate them, I'm a FAN. I will continue to under estimate the opponent just like I did after we spanked the Saints 5 weeks before in the playoffs. Part of me thinks it will be a close game, but part of me thinks our defense is going to be so fired up that there will be more TD's scored based on INT and Turn overs than offense-generated TD's.

Speaking of Buccaneers, this Seattle defense is a much better (and much deeper in talent level) than that of the 2002 Bucs defense. Does anyone remember the name of the starting QB for the bucs? Rarely except a Bucs fan. Well, it didn't MATTER because DEFENSE wins CHAMPIONSHIPS. That's what that team in 2002 was known for.
 
(For the record, the QB was Brad Johnson. Most people are stumped by that question...they only remember the team by their awesome defense)

Here is a good article showing two charts, how the Hawks defense lines up with the greatest defenses of all times (under more restrictive rules today) and a chart of the past 10 years. Some amazing numbers by this defense.
http://sportspressnw.com/2173362/2013/getting-defensive-how-the-seahawks-stack-up

[gyrene81]

   meh...seahawks are still going to lose to whichever afc team makes the final cut.   

[Zoney]

  meh...seahawks are still going to lose to whichever afc team makes the final cut.   

Yup, they lost at home to the Cardinals.   Bwahahahahaha.......

[Ripsnort]

  meh...seahawks are still going to lose to whichever afc team makes the final cut.   

Needless to say I like our chances should we get past the Niners.

[Ripsnort]

Yup, they lost at home to the Cardinals.   Bwahahahahaha.......

It was bound to happen after a team record streak of 16 straight at home.

NFC West is the toughest division in football hands down, with 3 of the top 10 defenses all residing in the NFC West.
Around these parts, we called that loss "The best thing to ever happen to the team, to let them realize to never let your guard down". 

[Plazus]

Rip,

Do you think Russel Wilson and Pete Carrol could be a QB/HC "duo" for the next several years and make yearly runs to the playoffs and have similar success as Tom Brady/Bill Belichick of the Patriots? That is probably a bit of a stretch at this point though. Thoughts?

[Ripsnort]

Rip,

Do you think Russel Wilson and Pete Carrol could be a QB/HC "duo" for the next several years and make yearly runs to the playoffs and have similar success as Tom Brady/Bill Belichick of the Patriots? That is probably a bit of a stretch at this point though. Thoughts?

I don't think so. Pete Carrol is 62 years old. Most people are considering retirement at that age.

What I find interesting is that the AFC game this week-end features two of the oldest QB's to ever play in a championship game of this caliber, and in the NFC game, the combined age of the two QB's makes it the youngest two QB's to ever play in a championship game of this caliber.

[Karnak]

I hope it is a good game, a close game in which nobody gets hurt and the Niners win.  I'd rather see the Seahawks win than any player on either side get hurt though.

We all know it is going to be a chippy game as the rivalry between these teams is pretty intense.

I do agree with the pundits that this year the four best teams made it to the championship round, no fluke upsets.

(My non-fan estimation puts it at about 60-40 odds that the Seahawks will win.  Before watching both teams play last weekend I had the odds at about 95-5 for the Seahawks, but if they don't step it up they could watch the Superbowl from home)

[gyrene81]

lol, tough game so far. looks like the #1 defense showed up on the other side....

GO BRONCOS!!! 

[Karnak]

Congrats.  I hope the refs favor you guys as much against the Broncos as they did against the Niners.

[gyrene81]

great game...seahawks won a tight game.

[Biggamer]

the refs screwed the pooch on that game big time

[Karnak]

I will say that I really wish there had not been so many injuries for both teams.  I'd have rather seen the Seahawks blow the 49ers out and have no injuries on both teams than what happened.

[Drano]

Richard Sherman seemed quite pleased with the win in that post game interview. 

[Hajo]

Since I have no dog in the hunt for the super bowl I do have a few observations for what it is worth.

The two best quarterbacks of the 4 teams that played today played in the AFC Title Game.

Since the first Super Bowl the majority of the wins were by teams that were lead by superstar quarterbacks.

Only a few teams won the Super Bowl with just ok QBs like San Fran and Seattle have.  Ravens (Trent Dilfer)

Redskins twice with Doug Williams and Mark Rypien who had great single years, no more then that.

Jim Plunkett won a few I believe but he only had a great few years, as Williams, Rypine, Dilfer.  All had

mediocre careers at best.  Wilson and Kapernick are just ok, nothing great.  As a matter of fact Wilson has

looked very mediocre the last 6 weeks.  Kapernick is no world beater yet either.  They may become better

in the future but as of now neither is super star talent.  So...in stating that I would have to pick the Broncos

as the favorite.  Doesn't matter what kind of defense you have or how good it is to Manning.  He'll find holes in it

He imho is the smartest QB in the game.  It will be easier for the Defense of the Broncos to defend against the

offense of the Seahawks then it will be for the Defense for the Seahawks to out guess Manning.

Close game...........Broncos prevail.  And Karnack  I agree....some horrible calls against the visiting team in Seattle.

Appears to happen frequently.  Remember last year?