Seattle, New Orleans have their own amends to make

At a glance DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS TODAY’S GAMES All times Central New Orleans at Seattle, 3:35 p.m. (FOX) Indianapolis at New England, 7:15 p.m. (CBS) SUNDAY’S GAMES San Francisco at Carolina, 12:05 p.m. (FOX) San Diego at Denver, 3:40 p.m. (CBS)

SEATTLE - When they walked off the field in Atlanta last January after blowing their chance to play for the NFC championship in the final seconds, there were varying emotions brewing in the Seattle Seahawks’ locker room.

Anger, disappointmentand reflection were widespread. Some, like quarterback Russell Wilson, were already peeking ahead to what appeared to be a bright future. Some went the other route.

“We never want to feel that feeling again,” Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman said this week. “I thinkas motivated as New Orleans is from what happened to them the last time they came here, we’re just as motivated from what happened in Atlanta. We don’t ever want to go there and feel that feeling of regret, of disappointment, of anger, of frustration, of all those things that you felt after that game that you felt likeyou should have won.”

The Seahawks’ chance at making amends for what happened in last season’s playoffs arrives today when they host New Orleans in the NFC divisional playoff.

Only now the Seahawks aren’t the upstarts with little pressure and limited expectations. They are the top seed inthe NFC coming off a 13-3 regular season that matched the best in franchise history and well aware anything short of a trip to the Super Bowl would be a massive disappointment.

In many ways, the feelings the Seahawks had leaving Atlanta last season are similar to what the Saints felt leavingSeattle in December. The performance New Orleans put forth in a national spotlight was surprisingly unimpressive. Drew Brees was confused, Jimmy Graham was invisible, and the Saints’ aggressive defense was exploited by Wilson.

The 34-7 loss to Seattle was significant in forcing the Saints into challenges they faced, having to win in Week 17 just to make the playoffs and having to spend the entire postseason away from the comforts of New Orleans. They passed the first two tests, beating Tampa Bay in the season finale to wrap up the No. 6 seed in the NFC and then picking up the first playoff road victory in franchise history in a 26-24 victory atPhiladelphia last week.

Now the Saints get a chance at a bit of redemption.

“I was just hoping we have another opportunity, and here we are with that opportunity,” Brees said.

The Saints are subtly different - for better and worse - since that December blowout. They have been more committed to running the football over the past three games and capped the stretch with 185 yards rushing last week against the Eagles. That commitment will be severely tested by Seattle’s No. 1 ranked defense that gave up just 13 yards rushing to St. Louis the last time it was on the field. They are also better on the offensive line with the decision to replace Charles Brown at left tackle with Terron Armstead (Arkansas-Pine Bluff).

But New Orleans is littered with injuries, the latest being linebacker Parys Haralson, who was lost for the season with a torn pectoral last week. Running back Pierre Thomas is also questionable with a chest injury.

“There’s going to be attrition when you look at a 16-game schedule, and you hope that you stay healthier than most and you hope that you are able to keep most of your starters intact,” New Orleans Coach Sean Payton said. “We’ve had a handful of injuries defensively, a few on offense, and I think the key is developing the younger players, developing your back up players throughout the work week.”

Sports, Pages 15 on 01/11/2014

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