In a game straight out of the 'that's why they play game' department, the Seattle Seahawks, 11 point underdogs at home, put a thumping on the defending World Champion New Orleans Saints 41-36 to open the 2010 NFL Playoffs. Twice down 10-points in the first half, the Seahawks rallied behind quarterback Matt Hasselbeck to lead 24-20 at halftime.
Seattle got two touchdown receptions by tight en
d John Carlson in the first half while New Orleans scored on a 1-yard TD pass to Heath Evans and a 5 yard Julius Jones touchdown run. The Seahawks expanded their lead to 34-20 in the 3rd quarter on a 38-yard TD pass from Hasselbeck to WR Mike Williams and an Olindo Mare field goal. That set up a crazy 4th quarter that saw the Saints score 17 points of their own in an attempt to come back.
With a four point lead at 34-30, Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch, who started the season with the Buffalo Bills, was stuffed at the line of scrimmage before bouncing outside for a 67-yard touchdown run. Lynch broke no less than 5 tackles on the play.
The Saints did get within 5 points on a 6-yard Drew Brees touchdown pass to Devery Henderson, but could not convert the on-side kick with 1:30 to go allowing the Seahawks to run out the clock.
At 7-9, the Seahawks became the first team with a losing record to win a playoff game. They'll face the Falcons or Bears next week on the road.