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The Seattle Seahawks are prohibitive underdogs as the first division champion in NFL history with a losing record. There are worrying signs, however, for the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints during their preparation for this matchup.
The Saints will have to overcome a depleted backfield when they head to Qwest Field on Saturday to begin their title defense against the Seahawks.
Seattle went 7-9 to win the NFC West by defeating St. Louis 16-6 last Sunday night in the final game of the regular season. The Seahawks entered the contest as losers of five of six, falling by an average of 18.2 points in those defeats.
First-year coach Pete Carroll isn't apologizing for getting in.
"We battled like crazy for this as did the other teams in our division as did the teams in other divisions so we're the last guys standing here," Carroll said. "We're proud of that and we're going to go represent and hopefully do something really special with our opportunity and see how far we can go."
Charlie Whitehurst filled in for an ailing Matt Hasselbeck and completed 22 of 36 passes for 192 yards and one touchdown against the Rams.
Carroll announced Thursday that Hasselbeck would return as the starter for the playoffs after being satisfied with how the veteran looked in practice.
"He's an accurate passer and the ball comes out very quickly," Saints coach Sean Payton said. "... He plays with very good tempo."
Another concern for Payton is the limited preparation time he's getting.
New Orleans (11-5) has a short week to go on the road and face a team it defeated 34-19 at home on Nov. 21. This will be the Saints' third game in 12 days.
"It is different from a time standpoint," Payton said. "When you play a Saturday game, there's a quick turnaround, but that being said, we're looking forward to the challenge."
Making the situation worse for the Saints is their backfield problems. Top rusher Chris Ivory and 2009 leading rusher Pierre Thomas had recently returned from injuries, but Ivory went on injured reserve Tuesday with a left foot problem and Thomas joined him there Wednesday due to a left ankle injury.
"That's tough," quarterback Drew Brees said. "You can't deny that just because of the physical presence they bring and obviously their productivity."
Ivory rushed 23 times for 99 yards and a score in the Nov. 21 victory. Reggie Bush and former Seahawk Julius Jones will get the bulk of the carries.
It shouldn't be daunting that more pressure will be placed on Brees, who led the NFC with 4,620 passing yards and 33 touchdowns. The reigning Super Bowl MVP threw for season highs of 382 yards and four TDs against Seattle in the last meeting.
"When you look at rest of the skill positions ... you find ways to pick up slack, spread the ball around, and hopefully you get some opportunities," Brees said.
The Saints probably do not want to see Hasselbeck, who threw for a season-high 366 yards versus the Saints. Hasselbeck's two best games in terms of passing yards over the past six seasons have come against New Orleans, including a 362-yard effort Oct. 14, 2007.
Hasselbeck also has won his last four home postseason starts.
The Saints, meanwhile, are 0-3 all-time in road playoff games. Payton indicated they may fly out Thursday night to give them a chance to get used to the time change and conditions, and they may practice Friday at Qwest Field.
"We know it's going to be a tough place to play," Payton said. "The crowd noise is as loud as it is in the league for an outdoor venue. We'll need to have a good week of preparation, weather included."
While New Orleans has the less healthy backfield, Seattle's has struggled all season to produce the league's second-worst rushing attack at 89.0 yards per game. Marshawn Lynch, though, turned in a creditable performance with 75 yards on 20 carries last week.
An improved running attack would be a boost for Carroll, who is looking forward to his first playoff game since his stint with the Patriots from 1997-99.
"We played some miserable football at times and looked like we didn't have a clue what we were doing. But the guys hung together with the whole thought of it," Carroll said. "How do we do it? By being consistent and not whacking out. I think we stayed very true to our principles and our beliefs, trusting that we're on course and we're going to be OK."
