This is just what Julian Peterson wanted.
A rematch.
A chance at redemption.
The Chicago Bears – again.
“They’re the only team that convincingly beat us,” the Seattle Seahawks linebacker said after Saturday’s 21-20 win over Dallas. “I feel like all the other games that we lost, we kind of beat ourselves. But Chicago really took it to us on both ends of the ball.”
When the Philadelphia Eagles beat the New York Giants in an NFC wild-card playoff game Sunday afternoon, the rematch was set. Chicago, which pummeled the Seahawks 37-6 in October, will host Seattle again Sunday at 10 a.m.
While Peterson is excited about getting another shot at the Bears (13-3 during the regular season), some of his teammates are less enthusiastic.
“They are a very, very good team; the best defense in the NFL,” quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said. “You might have to be crazy to hope to play them – I don’t know.”
The craziest thing is that the Seahawks are still alive after Saturday’s game against Dallas. The Cowboys were lining up for the game-winning field goal before holder Tony Romo mishandled the ball and basically handed Seattle a win.
That, combined with Sunday’s result, means the Seahawks will get another shot at the NFC favorite Bears.
“They’re a good team, and they had a first-round bye, but we want a shot at them,” Seahawks offensive lineman Sean Locklear said. “We thought we had a good game plan going up there at the beginning of the season, but they got the best of us. Their offense was on fire, their defense shut us down.
“We’ve said all along we want a shot at Chicago. … I’m pretty sure we’ll be ready.”
The Seahawks have recent history on their side. The past two times the Bears had a first-round bye, they lost home games in the divisional round – to Philadelphia in 2001, and to Carolina last January. Chicago hasn’t won a playoff game since 1994.
This year’s Bears have their own set of problems, despite their conference-best 13-3 record. Defensive tackle Tommie Harris, who terrorized the Seahawks in the October meeting, is out for the year with an injured hamstring. Quarterback Rex Grossman has been so inconsistent that his starting job is in jeopardy.
But the Seahawks have had plenty of problems of their own this season, leaving head coach Mike Holmgren to wax nostalgic after Saturday’s win.
“While I have been frustrated at times during the year, I’m about as proud of this football team as any team I’ve ever coached,” he said. “… We get to play another week.”
And Seattle also gets a chance at redemption.
“We’re not scared of anybody,” Peterson said. “We’re not going to lay down for anybody. I don’t care what the score was – they could have beat us 99-0, and I’d still be looking forward to (playing) them.”
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