The Descent

It was bang, bang, interception. A neutral opponent would face an uphill battle. Less than five minutes into the first quarter, the Seahawks looked dead in the water.

1-10-SEA 37 (11:43) 8-M.Hasselbeck pass short right to 17-M.Williams to SEA 40 for 3 yards (58-S.Shanle).

Seahawks split five wide. Saints rush three. Matt Hasselbeck takes the snap, cocks and fires towards Mike Williams. Williams is breaking out towards the right sideline and away from Scott Shanle. He pulls it in, redirects clockwise, is wrapped and dropped after three.

2-7-SEA 40 (11:16) 8-M.Hasselbeck pass short left to 87-B.Obomanu to SEA 46 for 6 yards (33-J.Greer).

Hasselbeck receives, drops and zings towards Ben Obomanu. Obo is uncovered in the left slot. Tracy Porter blows through a block attempt by Williams and closes on Obomanu. He evades, angles left up field and is dropped by an ankle tackle by Jabari Greer.

That sets up third and one. Which should be good, but turns disastrous.

3-1-SEA 46 (10:38) 8-M.Hasselbeck pass short right intended for 87-B.Obomanu INTERCEPTED by 33-J.Greer at SEA 45. 33-J.Greer ran ob at SEA 35 for 10 yards.

Seahawks set: 2 WR (left), TE (right), I (right).

Saints: 4-3 over.

Obo motions from wide left to behind right guard, back towards left tackle, stops and begins to sprint right. Snap.

Hasselbeck rolls right but mostly backwards. He throws off his back foot towards Obomanu. Jonathan Vilma has keyed Obo from the outset and is closing, ready to stop the completion for a loss. The pass sails high and wide-right. It deflects off Obo's outstretched hands and spirals up and towards Greer. Greer picks the pass and runs up the right sideline. Michael Robinson closes his lane and Greer runs out of bounds.

Saints ball. Seahawks 35. Saints win probability: 70%.

And that's conservative.