Nothing matters but the #1 Seed.

[Wartooth]

I honestly think the Saints get home field advantage. Outside of playing us on Monday night, their remaining schedule is a complete joke.

Well sure they have a pretty cupcake schedule the rest of the way...They also have a stud tight end with a foot injury that could limit him for a few weeks.
He and Brees have been the only thing getting them wins, the Pats shut Jimmy down, and the Saints lost.
The Saints ain't all that, the defense is pretty good, but anyone with a decent running back has ran all over them.
They will lose a few more before they go the Seattle late in the season.

 

[kidhawk]

Jets are improved, (mainly due to QB change) and Cowboys are better than expected as you pointed out, but also, the Panthers are no slouch and they still have to play them twice.

We definitely have an easier remaining schedule than the Saints by a decent margin, IMO.

If we can beat the Saints (which I believe we will) they will have to win 2 more games than us the rest of the 9 games to take HFA. We are definitely in the driver's seat at the moment

 

[RolandDeschain]

If we can beat the Saints (which I believe we will) they will have to win 2 more games than us the rest of the 9 games to take HFA. We are definitely in the driver's seat at the moment

Dang right we are. We're guaranteed the #1 seed if we can win out, since it'd force the Saints to go 14-2 if they win everything except @ Seattle.

It'd be crazy if the top two NFC seeds were 15-1 and 14-2.

 

[RiverDog]

People seem to overlook this fact.

How often has the team that looked flawless 6 games in won the superbowl lately?

Last year the Ravens had the same record after 6 weeks, and that was with 4 of those games at home. After beating up the bengals and losing to the eagles, they won their next 4 games by a combined 13 points.

The year before that the Giants were 4-2, including a loss at home to the Seahawks led by QB Dr. Charles Whitehorse. At that point in the season their wins had been against the likes of the Bills, Rams, Cardinals, and floundering Eagles "dream team". No win in that run was "convincing".

In 2010 the Packers were 3-3, coming off overtime losses back to back to the redskins and dolphins and their only convincing performance, a home-field domination of the bills.

You have to go back to 2009 to find an eventual superbowl winner that was undefeated and dominant after week 6, in the Saints.

Just trying to give some perspective.

Lets not forget the fact that the Seahawks got better as the season went along last year, seem to get better as games go along this year, and that probably isn't a formula that will be changing any time soon.

I'm not sure if I'd choose the phrase "nothing matters but the #1 seed" to describe its importance, but it's hugely important, more so to us than any other team in the league. We currently sport the longest home winning streak in the league. Our 12th man is unrivaled in its effect on the game and is a huge asset to our defense. We can go to the SB without HFA, but it's a lot more problematic without it.

 

[BocciHawk]

I could see
#1 Seattle
#2 NO
#3 Chi
#4 Dal
#5 SF
#6 GB/DET

Sf would beat Dallas, Gb would probably beat the bears. So we'd host GB while NO hosted SF.

I am not sure if I buy this, but as a side comment, look at who you have listed, and who we'd want to travel to play.

Playing AT Green Bay in January? Ouch. Not great for Seahawks, turf team built for rain playing on grass in the snow...

Playing AT Chicago in January? Possibly worse than playing at Green Bay!

Playing AT New Orleans or Dallas? Domes with nice fields, so that's cool, but boy, it could be deafening, especially at Saints.

I think we want no part of playing AT San Francisco in the playoffs.

Basically when I look at this list of possible venues, the only venue that might be somewhat neutral in terms of a reasonable place to play is Detroit, and that's bad, that's three venues I really don't like (Chicago, Green Bay, San Francisco), two venues that could be annoyingly noisy (New Orleans, Dallas) and only one that would be quasi OK (Detroit).

I agree with earlier posters, too, that for our team, we get a bigger HFA than other teams seem to, probably because of the noise but also because other teams really don't like playing in 50 degrees and raining, while our team is used to it to a much greater extent. Very common for us to have typical Pacific NW winter weather during playoff games... and with our great running game, and ability to shut down the run, and the fact we can pass better in those conditions than any other team in the NFL, well, it's all good, nothing like home cookin'!

 

[RolandDeschain]

Bocci, we're a run-first team with a very good running game. We benefit in horrible weather. This team going to Green Bay in January and having a snowstorm would help us a lot more than it'd help the Packers.

 

[BocciHawk]

Roland, I agree with you in some ways (note my comments near the end), but I just look at the way the Packers fans refer to the Fail Mary game (stupid name) and how they got up for a preseason game... and the capacity of Lambeau, and the mystique... and the horrific games we've had in the playoffs there in the past... and boy, that's a lot of demons to slay in one game. I'd rather just stay far, far away from Wisconsin, thank you very much.

I would say that your comments and my comments are exactly why I do not fear the Broncos or Colts if we play them for all the marbles in February in New Jersey. Beast Mode in the snow is most likely unstoppable... conversely I like our defense and it's ability to shut down the run in the same conditions. I do not fear a dome passing team in the outdoors in January or February, period. I don't fear a pass first team in the outdoors in January or February either, unless they've shown an ability to shut down the run, which Denver has not.

 

[RolandDeschain]

Since there's virtually no one on this team, staff included, that was there for the last "bad time" at Lambeau, it really doesn't bother me in the slightest bit. I'll always remember that last horrible playoff loss in the snowstorm there, it's the loss that lost me a bet where I had to wear full facial makeup for a day at work, and take the guy I lost the bet with to Olive Garden for lunch in. Very embarrassing.

 

[HawkWow]

Id love to host SF in the nfc championship game

I think that's a definite possibility...if not probability. I want that match-up more than any other. So much so, that I am quietly rooting for SF to win just enough games to make that a reality. Short of the title, nothing would be sweeter (for me).

BUT....We have faced a schedule of average and below QBs thus far. With the exception of Luck. I don't need to comment further on how that one went.

Winning the 1 spot is definitely critical to our success. We cannot and do not lose at home. Visiting teams already understand this and likely (mentally) limp off the plane. HUGE advantage (TY 12). But as important as the 1 seed is, winning the NFC CG is not our final objective. We will be on the road for the SB and there's a 90% chance we will be playing the best QB we faced all year. Our D is playing very well, but must play better against top tier QBs if we are to win it all this year. The offense presents a bigger concern, IMO, but Harvin, and his presence, should add another 7 pts to our avg.

Nothing less than a championship will be acceptable in my book. We have a window, and it won't be open for as long as some might think.