Divisional Play Off - Sunday 14th January 2007

The thing I don't like about the play offs is the over analysis of each game. You know the stuff like the Bears are 4-0 against right handed quarterbacks with a limp in play off history ergo the Bears are going to romp it.

Seriously, I did actually read on a Chicago based site that Matt Hasselbeck has a passer rating of 106.7 in the 4th quarter in games closer than 7 points but as far as far as I'm concerned it's all statistical bollocks.

Sure we've got to talk about something so I bring you last years Bang Cartoon showing how a certain Bear injured his leg Click Here

To be fair to Bears QB Rex Grossberger he has played every game this season unlike some "unfavre" like QB's I could mention but the problem has been that his QB rating has been bouncier than the inflation rate in Guatemala.

He surpassed himself in the final game of the season, the home defeat against the Packers, with a big fat zero, but my favourite was a 1.3 against the Vikings. As if to illustrate the nonsense of it all the Bears WON that game. Worst of all was his ability to only record a 100.5 against the useless Seahawks in week 4.

In other shocking news both teams have suffered injuries since early October which might affect the outcome this time around.

The good news is that the Seahawks might well have Hasselbeck, Jackson, Branch, Engram, Stevens and Alexander on the field together for the first time this season. So can't pass, can't catch and can't run come together all at once.

I'm frankly surprised that I've waited until the 8th paragraph but I can't talk about the Bears without thinking of the now immortal Denny Green phrase "If you wanna crown them, then crown their ass, but they are who we thought they were, and we let 'em off the hook" To see the video of this modern day classic click here

I will view this weekend's game not so much as Seattle's Divisional round match up but a quest for redemption for the former Cardinals coach and my motto will be 'Do it for Denny'.

So who can we trust? Who can we believe? How about the bookies who currently have the Bears 8 1/2 point favourites. Well, it's a good bet but bookies are basically kings of everything that is statistical bollocks so I'm not setting much store by them. Sure the Bears are 'favourites' but there is more than a sneaking feeling that this game is winnable for the Hawks.

It might be something like Pam Oliver being in conjunction with the moon and Uranus but sometimes the winner doesn't come from the favourite but from the team that believes and has faith in their opponents to screw it up should the chance present itself, or do a Romo, as it is now known.

The weather in Chicago come game time is expected to be a -1C with snow likely and 15mph winds. So a bit like Seattle in November then if our Packers game is anything to go by. We laugh in the face of cold weather because we are the Seahawks who say Ni and we will bring you a shrubbery.

I hesitate to call this preview Python-esque but you might have gathered that I'm not taking this very seriously at all which is what I urge you all to do. Sit down with whatever refreshments you prefer and enjoy the game, life is way too short to worry about Rex Grossman's passer rating.

Talking of enjoying the game then a number of Seahawkers will be meeting up in London and in Leeds to take in the game and possibly the occasional beer, clean living souls that we are. The Seahawks have been on TV more that I ever thought possible but we've had to wait for the play offs to get one at a good time for a meet up.

One thing that I can reveal is that a well known UK NFL fan has finally seen the light and decided to become a fully fledged Seahawk. Unfortunately TV commitments prevent him from attending either meet up or else I'm sure he'd be there.

Have a good one.

HawksHead

11/1/06

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