Do you think that Hasselbeck is a poor "wet ball" QB? He hasn't had to contend with the rain until recently and he lacked his usual accuracy the last 2 games at Qwest. He looked pretty good in the nice weather of Arizona and TB.

Mike, how does the Dallas injury situation compare to ours? Are they as hard hit in any area as we are at cornerback, and to a lesser degree at WR? Also do you think the Dallas morale problems and general team disunity will play any factor in the game itself or is it just media hype?

I think one thing that most people are forgetting about Hasselbeck is that he's still playing injured. His mobility is limited by his knee and I can't imagine that his finger is 100% yet on his hand either. Granted it's a non throwing hand... but it still takes the brunt of the force on snaps.

Two of the last 5 Super Bowl winners did not have a bye and had to win 3 en route to their Lombardi:

Tough Odds

Since the Wild-Card System began in 1970, only eight wild-card teams have advanced all the way to the Super Bowl. Of those, only four won the Super Bowl.


In 1969, the AFL implemented a playoff format that had the top two teams in each division qualifying for the post-season. The Kansas City Chiefs, who did not win the AFL Western Division title, accomplished the tough feat of advancing through the AFL playoffs before defeating the NFL champion Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV.



1975 Dallas Cowboys (10-4-0, 2nd Place, NFC Eastern Division)
Divisional Playoff – at Minnesota Viking – (W) – 17-14
NFC Championship – at Los Angeles Rams – (W) – 37-7
Super Bowl X – vs. Pittsburgh Steelers – (L) – 21-17


1980 Oakland Raiders ( 11-5-0, 2nd Place, AFC Western Division)
Wild-Card Playoff – vs. Houston Oilers – (W) – 27-7
Divisional Playoff – at Cleveland Browns – (W) – 14-12
AFC Championship – at San Diego Chargers – (W) – 34-27
Super Bowl XV – vs. Philadelphia Eagles – (W) – 27-10

1985 New England Patriots (11-5-0, 3rd Place, AFC Eastern Division)
Wild-Card Playoff – at New York Jets – (W) – 26-14
Divisional Playoff – at Los Angeles Raiders – (W) – 27-20
AFC Championship – at Miami Dolphins – (W) – 31-14
Super Bowl XX – vs. Chicago Bears – (L) – 46-10

1992 Buffalo Bills (11-5-0, 2nd Place, AFC Eastern Division)
Wild-Card Playoff – vs. Houston Oilers – (W) – 41-38 (OT)
Divisional Playoff – at Pittsburgh Steelers – (W) – 24-3
AFC Championship – at Miami Dolphins – (W) – 29-10
Super Bowl XXVII – vs. Dallas Cowboys – (L) – 52-17

1997 Denver Broncos (12-4-0, 2nd Place, AFC Western Division)
Wild-Card Playoff – vs. Jacksonville Jaguars – (W) – 42-17
Divisional Playoff – at Kansas City Chiefs – (W) – 14-10
AFC Championship – at Pittsburgh Steelers – (W) – 24-21
Super Bowl XXXII – vs. Green Bay Packers – (W) – 31-24


1999 Tennessee Titans (13-3-0, 2nd Place, AFC Central Division)
Wild-Card Playoff – vs. Buffalo Bills – (W) – 22-16
Divisional Playoff – at Indianapolis Colts – (W) – 19-16
AFC Championship – at Jacksonville Jaguars – (W) – 33-14
Super Bowl XXXIV – vs. St. Louis Rams – (L) – 23-16

2000 Baltimore Ravens (12-4-0, 2nd Place, AFC Central Division)
Wild-Card Playoff – vs. Denver Broncos – (W) – 21-3
Divisional Playoff – at Tennessee Titans – (W) – 24-10
AFC Championship – at Oakland Raiders – (W) – 16-3
Super Bowl XXXV – vs. New York Giants – (W) – 34-7

2005 Pittsburgh Steelers (11-5-0, 2nd Place, AFC North Division)
Wild-Card Playoff - at Cincinnati Bengals - (W) 31-17
Divisional Playoff - at Indianapolis Colts - (W) 21-18
AFC Championship - at Denver Broncos - (W) 34-17
Super Bowl XL - vs. Seattle Seahawks - (w) 21-10

It looks like no 9-7 team has ever won the Super Bowl.

While heartened a bit by the play of Hass this weekend, I am quite concerned for this weekend. While the Pokes are certainly in disarray, I am not looking forward to TO and Glenn against our DBs, given both starters are out. This game is not a gimme by any means.

If Hawks need inspiration for Dallas game up to the impact of 'Rudy"
I think Thursday Holmgren should play , for the team , the forth quarter through post game of the Boise State / Oklahoma game . Talk about awe inspiring on never give up against all odds . It had all the cliff hangers of a blockbuster movie from underdog , do not belong status through winning with gadget plays and the marriage proposition from one of the star players to the head cheerleader .

Brought back memories of " The Replacements " with Keanu Reeves . The QB throws the INT ( rather than Keanu coming in in 4th ) with 1:26 left in the forth to give Sooners the lead yet pull it together to come back and win it .

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wil

Will Trufant be ready?

I thought that Hasselbeck was pretty mobile getting away from pursuit against the Bucs.

Z

The '79 or '80 Rams won their division and made the Super Bowl at 9-7 but lost to Pittsburgh.

I'll point out again here that I was 10-6 in picking games this week and beat you both. Also called the Stealers, 49ers and Packers wins. No brag, just fact.

JimW, you're point about the Chiefs winning Super Bowl IV is what I always point to when the NFL says the Raiders were the first "wild card" team to win a Super Bowl. NOT! KC did in the 1970 Super Bowl, the last real one when there were two leagues.

"I am the champion, I am the champion; of the world!"