Saturday January 7th
Wildcard Weekend
(6) Detroit Lions (9-7) vs. (3) Seattle Seahawks (10-5-1)
CenturyLink Field, Seattle WA
8:15 P.M. ET
Light snow is possible for second half of #SEAvsDET game tonight. No accumulation, but a pretty sight
— Seattle Weather Blog (@KSeattleWeather) January 7, 2017
Although many may believe that the Seahawks are going to run away with this wildcard matchup, that may not be the case. The Lions are one of the most surprising teams this year to make the postseason, especially after the offseason departure of Calvin Johnson. Matt Stafford has taken this team that has no true identity on the ground, and lifted them on his shoulders (and arm) to relevance once again. Stafford has the ability to put up big numbers in the passing game, but will he be able to do it against the Legion of Boom?
While Detroit’s strength may be their offense, the strength of the Seattle Seahawks is their defense. Sure, the Seahawks have playmakers on offense in Russell Wilson and Doug Baldwin, but they haven’t been without their faults this season. The Seahawks have struggled to run the ball this season, and their ability to find consistency in the running game against the NFL’s 18th ranked run defense will be a huge factor in this game. in fact both team’s rushing attack has been so bad that neither team has a back that has passed the 400 yard mark on the season.
DeAndre Levy being questionable is a huge disadvantage for this Lions squad. The Lions will need Levy in the lineup to contain Russell Wilson to the pocket as much as possible. Without Levy shadowing Wilson for the evening, Wilson can escape to the outside at will and show off the talent that helped him bring his team to two Super Bowls in his first four seasons. (this is his fifth)
The Seahawks have history on their side against the Lions, going 8-5 against them all-time including four of the last five. Neither team showcasing an impressive record in the playoffs, as the Seahawks are 15-14, while the Lions are an abysmal 7-12.
The Seahawks get a huge advantage playing at home. Not only do they have the 12th man, which is an advantage in itself, but the Lions have only played three outdoor games all season, and lost all three of those games.
Prediction: Lions 17 Seahawks 21- If this game was in Detroit, I would be tempted to pick the Lions, but the outdoor game in the cold with arguably the rowdiest crowd in all of professional football is just going to be too much for Matthew Stafford and the Lions to overcome.
Next Page: Miami Dolphins vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
