Saints vs Seahawks: Key Storylines That Will Determine Outcome of NFC Clash

The Week 13 edition of Monday Night Football features two teams well-versed in the ways of playing at home, as the New Orleans Saints make the trip to CenturyLink Field to take on the Seattle Seahawks.

Seattle is a stellar 10-1 and has plenty of momentum, with six straight wins. However, the Seahawks are not without their serious issues heading into a contest with major playoff-seeding implications. 

New Orleans is right behind at 9-2 and currently the top team in the NFC South, although a loss Monday would allow Carolina officially back in the conversation.

Both sides have plenty of hurdles to jump in order to secure comfortable footing when the playoffs roll around.

Can Seattle Overcome Loss of Important Secondary Pieces?

There is a slight alleged rift in Seattle right now between certain groups of players after cornerbacks Brandon Browner and Walter Thurmond were handed suspensions from the NFL per ESPN:

Regardless of how things play out in the locker room, the focus here must be on how this impacts the Seahawks on the field.

With Drew Brees and the high-octane Saints offense coming to town, now was not exactly the best time for Seattle to lose members of its secondary.

Sure, Richard Sherman will be on the field, but he will be easily avoided by the cerebral Brees. Seattle has the No. 2 pass defense in the NFL with an average of 180.4 yards allowed per game, but that rank may take a significant nosedive after Monday.

Will New Orleans Fold Away from the Dome?

As mentioned, the Saints and Seahawks know a thing or two about the value of home games.

New Orleans is undefeated this year at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome but has dropped two contests on the road.

Of course, Seattle is very good at home, too:

This matchup clearly favors the Seahawks. One has to wonder if Brees and the offense will be as effective in a noisy environment rather than a hushed dome. New Orleans escaped a noisy dome in Atlanta in Week 12 with a 17-13 win, but going to Seattle is a different beast entirely.

If the Saints cannot win, they may end up taking another trip to CenturyLink Field in the playoffs.

Can Russell Wilson Overcome the Odds at Home?

Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson was extremely effective in the month of November on his way to six passing touchdowns and two interceptions. As Fox Sports illustrates, he was one of the top passers in the league:

Once again, Wilson will be without receiver Percy Harvin, who sounds likely to miss the game per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport:

Not good timing on Harvin's part, so Wilson will have to continue to utilize his other playmakers on offense and lean on Marshawn Lynch and the running game.

New Orleans is a stellar defensive team that ranks No. 3 in the league against the pass with an average of 198 yards allowed per game. If Wilson is going to keep his positive streak alive and all but assure his team plays at home in the playoffs, he will have to do so in the face of a great defense.

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