Seattle Seahawks stay tops in the NFC West despite loss to the New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints improved their record to 7-3 on the season after defeating the Seattle Seahawks by a score of 34-19 on Sunday 21 November. But ironically it is the Seahawks who are in pole position
to qualify for the play-offs as, between them and the Saints, it is they who lead their division with a record of 5-5.
How it happened
Drew Brees had a tremendous year last season in leading the New Orleans Saints to the Super Bowl championship and seems poised to do it again with another outstanding performance throwing for 382 yards
and four touchdowns. Brees threw touchdown strikes to Marcus Colston and Robert Meachem who each caught two.
Chris Ivory had a decent day running the ball for New Orleans as Reggie Bush did not make his return. Ivory ran for 99 yards and one touchdown. His performance proved to be the difference as Matt Hasselbeck
also played well throwing the ball for Seattle, but the Seahawks lacked a ground game gaining just 58 yards.
The Saints scored 20 points in the second quarter to go into half-time up 27-16.
Playing from behind, the Seahawks were forced to pass the ball and Hasselbeck threw for 366 yards and didn't throw a single interception. His effort wasn't enough as Marshawn Lynch's two second half fumbles
slowed the Seahawks down.
What they're saying
The Saints are playing the kind of football lately that was reminiscent of their form last season and it has people in New Orleans excited. "Today we played at times as well as we've played all season,"
Brees told reporters after the game. "That's gets you excited because you feel like, man, we're knocking at the door. Just imagine if we can continue to kind of get all the weapons back.
"We are on the cusp," he added. "We had some weapons last year, but I think we have some guys emerging now that we really have a lot of places that we can spread this ball around."
Even Seattle's head coach, Pete Carroll was impressed the way his team were outplayed by the Saints. "Their offense and Drew Brees did what they were famous for – threw the heck out of the football," he
said. "They played a great game on offense. We couldn't slow them down when we needed to."
What it all means
The Saints improved their record to 7-3 but still trail the 8-2 Atlanta Falcons and can feel the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are also 7-3, clawing at their heels. The Saints travel to Dallas to take on the
Cowboys on Thursday 25 November. The Cowboys are only 3-7 this season but have won two in a row under their interim coach Jason Garrett.
The Seahawks are now 5-5 and are one of two division leaders with a negative points differential. Even at minus-48 they are a full game in front of the NFC West standings. They host the Kansas City Chiefs
next Sunday 28 November.
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