=== 12 Men On Defense  ===

Dungy noted that the Seahawks held the Rams to 6 points -- and no touchdowns, despite a turnover on the Seahawks' 20-yard-line. 

Dungy attributed this directly to the Qwest enviornment.  "Don't underestimate how hard it is to play there," he said, and this is coming from a guy who had Peyton Manning in tow, to deal with those problems.

The Seahawks' defensive players are the ones who know how to synch up with the crowd.  "Mostly we were in our base defense," Carroll said after the game. 

In a friendly environment, talented players seem to sense hesitation and the right moment to attack.  They seem to sense when a team is too confused to coordinate the more complex type of improvisations.  The players on the field seem to flow with the effect that the crowd has on the other team's football players.

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=== 7 DB's ===

Dr. D has been fascinated, all year, with Carroll's Babineaux-Milloy dime defense.

Because the Seahawks have two or three strong safeties, they can play fully seven (7) defensive backs at one time and, usually, not be punished too sternly by the running game.  In baseball terms, it's a little bit like throwing strikes to a little banjo hitter who isn't capable of doing anything more than swatting a single at most.  Why would you ever walk him?

Well, if the Seahawks aren't going to suffer running-game consequences for putting 7 DB's in, they can "cheat" to their own massive advantage.

........

During the Rams game, there were plenty of 2nd-and-10's, 3rd-and-7's in which the Hawks could get away with putting their dime on the field. 

We'll have to see if the Hawks can generate any long-yardage downs against Drew Brees.  But if they do, their dime (and the Qwest crowd) could very well give them a chance to be effective.

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=== Sense of Proportion, Dept. ===

The Seahawks were playing a 7-9 team on Sunday, and had their hands full enough scraping out a victory with the ends of their fingernails.  

Remember Mick and Rocky?  Rocky's beggin' for the rematch.  Mick slaps him hard with a left and Rocky can't stop it.  "See dat?  Dat's what you get from a broken-down old pug like me.  What's the CHAMP gonna do to you!"

I dunno.  Hurt me bad.

"No, kid.  Hoit ya poimanent.  POIMANENT."

The Saints come in as the bullies.  But who knows.  An early turnover or two in the Hawks' favor, a Washington return, and all of a sudden, either side could win.

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BABVA,

Dr D