Seattle Seahawks: My Sincerest Apologies

I’m man enough to admit when I’m wrong. I don’t have much experience doing so because, well, I’m just not wrong very often.

I was wrong about the Seattle Seahawks—I mean, I was really wrong.

If you didn’t read my Wild Card Weekend predictions or my column on how the NFL needs to change its playoff format strictly because of what a disaster the NFC West was this year, then you don’t understand just how off I was about the Seahawks.

In the three days since their stunning 41-36 victory over the New Orleans Saints, I have received numerous comments from readers who, I am guessing, are Seattle fans. They have been all over me and a few suggested I issue an apology to the team for greatly underestimating it.

Even though Pete Carroll, his staff, his players and his owner could care less what I think, I am here to wave my white flag and apologize.

Here goes: I am sorry. I was wrong.

There. Are you happy now?

Too weak and insincere? Fine, I’ll keep going.

I’m sorry for relentlessly bashing you over the past two weeks and predicting that you would get embarrassed by the Saints. I was the only fool in America to do so and my credibility should forever be questioned.

I mean, there isn’t a soul out there other than yours truly who thought you would get annihilated by the defending champs after a season in which you won seven games, with just one coming against a team with a winning record.

And forget about those nine losses by 15-plus points; they didn’t sidetrack anyone from picking the upset.

Apologies to Matt Hasselbeck. I basically suggested he retire and sign up for his AARP membership prior to the game and then he goes out and plays like it’s 2005, throwing for 272 yards and four touchdowns.

Who didn’t see that coming? Hasselbeck was great in 2010, posting a solid touchdown-interception ratio of 12-17 and an outstanding 73.2 quarterback rating. In other words, Hasselbeck threw for one-third the amount of touchdowns he produced in the regular season in one playoff game.

That definitely wasn’t a fluke. My mistake.

To the running backs, namely Marshawn Lynch, I’m sorry. After 16 games of averaging a remarkable 89 yards rushing per game as a unit, which ranked a respectable 31st in a league of 32 teams, you managed to rack up 149 yards on 25 carries.

Lynch himself accounted for 131, including a 67-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter that iced the game.

We all knew Lynch was capable of that type of big play sprint since that 67-yard scamper was 11 yards longer than any run he has had in his NFL career. And there’s no way Carroll wasn’t expecting Lynch to give him seven yards per carry Saturday after averaging 3.5 during the season.

How could I ever doubt him?

The defense has every right to get defensive over my remarks. I’m sorry. The league’s 27th-best unit didn’t deserve one bit of scrutiny and if you told me prior to the game that the Saints scored 36 points and lost, I wouldn’t have batted an eye.

You were sensational, giving up 32 first downs, 474 yards, registered one sack and allowed the Saints to convert almost 50 percent of their third downs.

Be afraid, Jay Cutler. Be very afraid.

That’s all I have in me. I think I covered all the bases, so can we consider this matter settled?

Seattle deserves all the respect in the world. Heck, at this point I don’t see anyone in the NFC that can stop them from playing in their second Super Bowl in five years.

Atlanta? Chicago? Green Bay? What a bunch of pushovers.

Vegas doesn’t seem to agree with me. It’s Tuesday and the Bears are already 10-point favorites, meaning by Sunday the line will probably be at -12.

Apparently, bookies everywhere were sleeping between 4:30 and 8:30 pm this past Saturday or maybe they can’t erase the memory of Seattle’s dismal 16-game showing in the regular season.

What a bunch of fools.

Come Sunday, all of my money will be on the Seahawks.

For more, visit my website at www.pointbartemus.com, a sports forum.