For the Seahawks, it boils down to facing the Cowboys or the Bears
The Seahawks face a tough challenge tonight against the Chiefs. Win, and they’re in the playoffs. And they may avoid a road playoff game in Chicago.
The Seattle Seahawks have a lot on the line when they square off against the Kansas City Chiefs in week 16. Had they handled their business against the 49ers, this game wouldn’t be so important. A win tonight puts the boys in College Navy and Wolf Gray back in the playoffs. To my mind, it’s nearly as important that it gets Seattle a leg up on avoiding a trip to Chicago in the first round.
It isn’t that I don’t think the Hawks can handle the Monsters of the Midway. Seattle realized immediately after week 2 they should probably give the ball to Chris Carson, and give it to him a lot. Had they remembered he was on the team in the second half of that game, I expect the Seahawks would have been 1-1, instead of in a hole. Russell Wilson isn’t very likely to throw another pick-six either, considering that he’d only thrown one in his first six seasons.
Seattle Seahawks
No, I think a steady dose of Chris Carson would soften the Bears pass rush considerably. But the Bears still have Khalil Mack, who has been a nightmare for almost every quarterback he’s faced. I’d just as soon not have him dancing in the Seahawks backfield in the first round of the playoffs.
The Bears are two games ahead of the Cowboys in the standings, but they’re actually much better than Dallas. Chicago’s first loss was by one point at Green Bay. Two of their losses came in overtime. Their only defeat by more than a field goal was a seven point loss to the New England Patriots. That’s a pretty decent record.
Compare that record to the Cowboys six losses. Dallas has lost by double digits three times, including last week’s embarrassing shutout by the Colts. The Cowboys are certainly a more dangerous team since they welcomed Amari Cooper to the roster, but they’re hardly infallible, even with the former Raiders star. I’m not saying the Cowboys are pushovers, but they are much less consistent than the Bears.
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I’d also rather see Seattle in decent field conditions, which they’d see in Dallas. Who knows what kind of horror show the weather will provide in Chicago? The way injuries have piled up for the Hawks this season, I’d rather not see guys on bad wheels (like Doug Baldwin and K.J. Wright) on slippery turf. Let’s get two wins, and hit the Big D!