I'm with Kornhole..there should be NO WAY we are a +3. Just goes to show what the betting public really knows.
Seattle is 3-5 on the road and mightily struggles on real grass. Wilson and Lynch both have their numbers dip dramatically (9TD-8INT and over 5 ypc to about 4 ypc).
They haven't won a road playoff game in 30 years. They haven't won in Washington since the 90s.
Last year, while its true both teams were different and had different QBs, I believe we beat them in Seattle...Grossman and Helu vs Tavares Jackson and Lynch. Seems to me there are alot of familiar names on their roster from that game:
Guys like Mike and Mike just go by the "wow" factor and what have you done for me lately. Seattle crushed a couple cruddy teams and the media drools over them.
Last week vs St Louis they gave up 6 sacks and recorded 0..
It will be an interesting game but I am a bit surprised that most people aren't weighing in the home field advantage as much as I believe they should. Seattle, from the dawn of time (I am a Raiders fan too and followed them back in the early 80s) has been great at home and bad on the road. 2 of their 3 road wins this year were vs Arizona in free fall mode and Buffalo at in Toronto.
Also its not like the skins are playing the Steelers or Cowboys where there would be a good representation of their fans buying up seats in Fed Ex. Hawks fans have to travel across country and I doubt there are too many here.
quiet on complaining on the line Vegas has been wrong about the skins all season and been paying off big for skins beters
I plan on money lining the skins for +140
Blow hards like Colin Cowherd are in love with Seattle and still do not respect the skins. They will learn.
From ESPN.com's MVP Watch article. I bolded what I would consider relevant.
Quote:
Wilson leads the NFL in QBR since Week 10 (84.1) and ranks second to Manning since Week 5 (81.7). He tied Manning's rookie record for touchdown passes with 26 even though Seattle kept its offense under wraps for the first few weeks of the season. His plus-16 margin of touchdowns to interceptions was the best by a rookie in NFL history. Wilson posted an 8-0 starting record at home. He also leads the NFL in QBR on the road since Week 8 and it's not close (92.7 for Wilson, 88.7 for Ryan and 84.7 for Manning). He has 10 total touchdowns and just one turnover on the road over that span. Wilson has five touchdown passes and no picks in his last three road games.
Those folks do some nice work. I'm guessing a Seahawks fansite could compile something very similar by cherry picking bad plays by the Redskins over the course of a season as well. That's not to say that the Redskins won't be able to exploit some of those breakdowns, but that also doesn't mean that a handful of bad plays are indicitive of a defense's overall ability.
I admire all of the enthusiasm but the bravado might be getting a bit overboard. People act like having the Seahawks favored in the game is some sort of slap in the face. The Redskins were 2-2 all year against playoff teams and only 1 win during the winning streak was against a playoff squad, and that was an improbable OT win against the Ravens. Combined record of teams faced during the run was 48-64. Seattle closed the season 7-1 against teams with a combined record of 62-64-2.
quiet on complaining on the line Vegas has been wrong about the skins all season and been paying off big for skins beters
I plan on money lining the skins for +140
Blow hards like Colin Cowherd are in love with Seattle and still do not respect the skins. They will learn.
Cowherd is a ******, but I do believe he is from Washington State. Might explain his love for the Seahawks.
Skins are underdogs at home and every thing I seem to read and hear says the Skins will lose. Odds are stacked against the Skins to be sure, but the one important thing I've learned from watching Griffin this year is that anything is possible with him behind center.
I admire all of the enthusiasm but the bravado might be getting a bit overboard. People act like having the Seahawks favored in the game is some sort of slap in the face. The Redskins were 2-2 all year against playoff teams and only 1 win during the winning streak was against a playoff squad, and that was an improbable OT win against the Ravens. Combined record of teams faced during the run was 48-64. Seattle closed the season 7-1 against teams with a combined record of 62-64-2.
I'm not sure if it's bravado as much as it's people not being convinced that the Seahawks are some juggernaut team headed here that we should fear. The Hawks were a below average road team this season, and the only win over a team above .500 they got away from CenturyLink was an overtime win over a beat up and dragging Bears team that imploded down the stretch and only got to 10 wins because they were fortunate enough to play the Cards and Lions to end the season, and tbh, they would have lost to the Lions if they didn't hand them the ball multiple times on their side of the field. Literally by every objective metric offered, the Hawks are an appreciably worse road team than home team, to the point that they are basically a different team away from home.
Even down the stretch, during the time that they supposedly got hot, they lost to a very pedestrian Dolphins team, squeaked by the aforementioned Bears team, beat two teams badly in the midst of horrible seasons that wound up with them firing their head coaches after the season, one in a game that was essentially a neutral field game and the other in a game that featured a team receiving historically bad qb play. They beat a 49ers team that played in the previous Monday Night game against a tremendous New England team in NE in what was an emotional roller coaster-type game that was very protracted and likely energy depleting. After that game of the year candidate, the 49ers then had to fly all the way back across the country, prepare for the Hawks and then fly to Seattle in a flight thats essentially like flying from DC to Boston. The Hawks then played an average but feisty Rams team to a draw deep into the fourth quarter at home in a game that saw RW get sacked 6 times.
Think about it, beyond a 3 game spurt, featuring two games against abysmal teams and another against a team that basically had everything stacked against them on the road including an injury to their most valuable defensive player and a clearly rattled (undoubtedly by the great homefield environment in Seattle), inexperienced qb, the Seahawks have been a very average offensive team in the aggregate, and that fact was reinforced by their performance against the Rams. Now, they're flying east to play a team that is themselves playing with confidence, has the no. 4 scoring offense in the league, is playing much better defensively since the bye week (surrendering under 20 point a game since the bye), has played the run really well all season, has tremendous special team coverage units to counterbalance Leon Washington, has the benefit of homefield advantage including all of the trappings that come with it (crowd noise, stadium specific field conditions etc.), and a significantly more experienced and in my opinion higher grade coaching staff. People have whatever degree of confidence they have because they aren't staring down the 90s Cowboys. They are facing a team with a non-elite qb that plays worse across the board away from the confines of their home stadium including defensively. It won't be easy, and the Seahawks certainly can win, but one doesn't have to stretch his mind far to envision a very tight, competitive game that's there to be had in the fourth.
I'm not sure if it's bravado as much as it's people not being convinced that the Seahawks are some juggernaut team headed here that we should fear. The Hawks were a below average road team this season, and the only win over a team above .500 they got away from CenturyLink was an overtime win over a beat up and dragging Bears team that imploded down the stretch and only got to 10 wins because they were fortunate enough to play the Cards and Lions to end the season, and tbh, they would have lost to the Lions if they didn't hand them the ball multiple times on their side of the field. Literally by every objective metric offered, the Hawks are an appreciably worse road team than home team, to the point that they are basically a different team away from home.
Even down the stretch, during the time that they supposedly got hot, they lost to a very pedestrian Dolphins team, squeaked by the aforementioned Bears team, beat two teams badly in the midst of horrible seasons that wound up with them firing their head coaches after the season, one in a game that was essentially a neutral field game and the other in a game that featured a team receiving historically bad qb play. They beat a 49ers team that played in the previous Monday Night game against a tremendous New England team in NE in what was an emotional roller coaster-type game that was very protracted and likely energy depleting. After that game of the year candidate, the 49ers then had to fly all the way back across the country, prepare for the Hawks and then fly to Seattle in a flight thats essentially like flying from DC to Boston. The Hawks then played an average but feisty Rams team to a draw deep into the fourth quarter at home in a game that saw RW get sacked 6 times.
Think about it, beyond a 3 game spurt, featuring two games against abysmal teams and another against a team that basically had everything stacked against them on the road including an injury to their most valuable defensive player and a clearly rattled (undoubtedly by the great homefield environment in Seattle), inexperienced qb, the Seahawks have been a very average offensive team in the aggregate, and that fact was reinforced by their performance against the Rams. Now, they're flying east to play a team that is themselves playing with confidence, has the no. 4 scoring offense in the league, is playing much better defensively since the bye week (surrendering under 20 point a game since the bye), has played the run really well all season, has tremendous special team coverage units to counterbalance Leon Washington, has the benefit of homefield advantage including all of the trappings that come with it (crowd noise, stadium specific field conditions etc.), and a significantly more experienced and in my opinion higher grade coaching staff. People have whatever degree of confidence they have because they aren't staring down the 90s Cowboys. They are facing a team with a non-elite qb that plays worse across the board away from the confines of their home stadium including defensively. It won't be easy, and the Seahawks certainly can win, but one doesn't have to stretch his mind far to envision a very tight, competitive game that's there to be had in the fourth.
Who said the Seahawks were a juggernaut? I really don't follow much local sports media. I also don't watch Sportscenter anymore either. Talking heads are just that.
Someone could pick apart the Redskins last 7 weeks just as easily. Two wins against the Eagles and 1 against the Browns, both teams who just fired their head coach. Overtime win against a slumping and injury wrecked Ravens team. 1 point win against a slumping Giants team. Win against Dallas where Romo threw for 441. Maybe last week's game you could count as impressive.
Also, don't buy into the group think on Wilson. See my earlier post about his QBR numbers. They might not have played the toughest road schedule, but you don't just get handed a ranking higher than Manning, Brady, Rodgers, and everyone else in the league. If you want to call him non-elite, that's fine, but you can't call RGIII elite then because neither one has distanced himself from the other.
In my mind, the biggest thing working in the Skins favor is the travel factor. The numbers about West Coast teams playing on the East Coast aren't pretty and the Seahawks' recent lack of playoff success is even more damning.
I'm actually expecting a Redskins win, but the way that some are lauding the Redskins after playing a group of mediocre teams and riding the Seahawks even though they faced tougher competition over that same stretch seems a bit ridiculous.
Seahawks faced tougher competition over the same stretch? Looking at their schedule, I am seeing a similar stretch of opponents that the Skins faced, but hardly tougher.
This game will be a challenge for the Skins. There is no doubt. The Seahawks are playing very good, and are probably the healthiest team in the playoffs. Their offense is effective and their defense plays a physical game.
Having said all that I think the Skins have a good chance in this game. Their Defense is aggressive and clicking at the right time. Cedric Griffin maybe playing adds much needed depth to the secondary as well. The offense is multi-dimensional and has the means to give a physical/aggressive D in Seattle fits.
Ultimately, the Skins will be involved in probably the best pure match up of the 1st round. I give the Skins even odds. Regardless, at this time, I am simply happy for a playoff game. Gives the young players valuable playoff experience and it gives us fans hope for the future.
I think it's a shame that the two hottest NFC teams have to face each other so early.
Still think this will be a tough test and won't be surprised of the outcome either way honestly. At least we have them on the road where they're not bolstered by their home crowd.
__________________
George McPhee....The Teflon GM. 15 years of failure and counting....
6 - Number of playoff series the Capitals have won since George McPhee took over as General Manager in 1997 (which makes him the third-longest-tenured GM in the League), three of which came in McPhee's first season on the job.
I like Barnwell's stuff and he did his breakdown of the game, including fairly lengthy discussions on each team's play in the second half of the season.
The article also links to a breakdown of the Redskins' running game and how Seattle might be well-equipped to handle it. (Edit: On a full reading of the article, it is light on the handling it part).
Like I said in an earlier post, I think external factors like travel are going to play a role since the teams look like they are fairly evenly matched on the field.
No score prediction from me. Just think these teams are to evenly matched for it. I do expect to see a healthy dose of Santana Moss, Logan Paulson and even a little Chris Cooley to negate the Seahawks two good/physical corners. Attack the middle of the field. This will also open up Morris running the ball.
On defense, Lynch must be stopped first and foremost. He runs with bad intentions so if the Skins don't shut him down early it will be a long day.
Still feels a tossup. I can see why the majority of media pundits seem to favor Seattle be on statistical stuff. Being home is huge. The wildcard for me is which coaches are going to scheme better.
Another part of me feels like a blow out one side or another is possible.
We weren't really in the Pittsburgh game, and the Panthes game was farther apart than the score indicates as well.
The premise that Seattle didn't have a single bad game is the point, they had their moments of playing underwhelming football. We let games slip away as well, but for the most part we were in every game. Even the Pitt game if it weren't for what 10 drops.
Vegas has been wrong about the skins all season and been paying off big for skins beters 
