Vinnie Iyer breaks down the ongoing action of the Redskins-Seahawks first-round NFC playoff game:
Punt returns: It was a great first quarter for Seahawks punter Ryan Plackemeier, who dropped both of his boots inside the Redskins’ 5. Meanwhile, Nate Burleson has continued to look good fielding punts. This is another big edge for Seattle.
Play that grungy music: Strangely, I’ve been dusting off some of my favorite “older” CDs with Pearl Jam’s Ten and Nirvana’s Nevermind back in heavy rotation. And NBC’s also playing up to the Seattle theme with their bumper tunes. They can go ahead and also mix in some Hendrix.
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Dream Weaver: Quick, who had Leonard Weaver in their pool to score the first touchdown of the postseason? Weaver scores from 17 yards out after Alexander was ruled down (and not having lost a fumble) after his preceding 17-yard scamper. Also, Maurice Morris had a key third-down conversion earlier in the scoring drive. So it’s not just on Alexander. 7-0, Seattle.
Wrist watches: There have been injury issues with the wrists of both Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander, but that’s not a problem today. Seattle is sticking with the M.O. of having Hass spread the ball around often to set up Alexander on the ground, and it’s working well early.
Not-so critical conditions: The weather doesn’t seem like it will be much of a factor. It’s 41 degrees in Seattle, with only light rain and some gusts from the South. That’s good news for Todd Collins and Matt Hasselbeck to get the ball to their wide receivers. I give that edge to Seattle, especially with the venerable Bobby Engram, who already has a nice 18-yard catch.
Pre-kickoff thoughts: The big early storyline in this NFC wild-card game is Sean Taylor vs. Shaun Alexander. For the Redskins, they will need the early emotional fuel to match the fire of Seattle behind the fired-up and loud crowd of Qwest Field. For the Seahawks, considering the rainy and gusty conditions and Washington’s aggressiveness in going after the quarterback, Alexander will need to look like the old (younger) Alexander to take some major pressure off Matt Hasselbeck.↵
LiveBlog: ‘Skins-‘Hawks, first quarter
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