Sports Then and Now

In his first season leading the Seahawks, Pete Carroll guided the team to the playoffs, but not to a winning record.

The NFL is a competition that can be proud of the fact that it is competitive and consistently exciting, but there is one thing that it cannot boast at present and that is a strong NFC West.

With the Seattle Seahawks earning a spot in the playoffs despite the fact that they have endured a hugely disappointing season, it is surely to their utter embarrassment that they have made the play-offs with a 7-9 record and have since been reduced to the status of total outsiders in the battle to win the Super Bowl.

However, whilst this may well be the case, the fact is that once you reach the play-offs anything can, and possibly will, happen. Add into this equation the change in the NFL playoff overtime rules, which guarantee both sides the chance to score with their possession, and you start to think that it may be possible to win if a team can just make it to overtime.

Of course, having said that, the biggest factor according to american football betting pundits is that the play-offs bring a whole new level of pressure that can play tricks on even the most seasoned of players, meaning some could believe that Seattle can do the unthinkable and make a fist of it in the post season.

Although this is clearly unlikely, the New Orleans Saints are certainly not unbeatable, and with the Seahawks looking to pay back their fans for putting up with their poor performances this season, they could do just that no better than in front of a huge TV audience who will be watching their wild card game.

Should the players manage to pull off the win, they can safely say that they have no reason to be embarrassed to be in the playoffs any more.