Drew Brees, if you continue to suck tonight, just know you always have a gorgeous wife to go home to, despite being winless. Since I'm going to be watching this game for the entire duration of the Arizona-Colorado NLCS game, any updates from the commentariat would be most welcome. Oh, and a prediction? OK. Seahawks 24, Saints 13.

Is it just me or is every time a team is struggling or inconsistent, the coach tells the analyst (who tells us) that they basically just need to run the ball? I know this is a football truism, but after hearing Madden repeat it with regard to the Seahawks, I think we can just take that as a given now.

I'd forgotten that Mack Strong is done due to that spinal column injury -- Shaun Alexander is going to miss him big-time. Fullbacks do not get enough love in this league. Saints kick off to the Hawks, and they're at the 23. Short out to Bobby Ingram on the first play, and since Deion Branch is gone too, this is going to be a tough slug-out. Hasselbeck slugs another pass to Ben Obamanu (sp?) for a quick first down. Next passing attempt is incomplete. Alexander gets his first carry for five for a third and three.

"He's not a north-south guy, he's a weave guy." - JM, on Shaun Alexander. Saints sack Hasselbeck on third down, and they'll be punting -- except the snap is fucked and the fumble goes all the way into the end zone, where Aaron Stecker picks it up for the score. Olindo Mare's kick is good, and it's 7-0, Saints -- as we're taken to break with Soundgarden's "Spoonman" (Alice in Chains' "No Excuses" played during a montage pre-snap.)

I sense I will be recognizing damn near all of the bump music today, given that the "grunge" era was during my very, very impressionable years musically.

Josh Lewis takes the kickoff back to the Seattle 24, and the Seahawks will try this offense thing again. Alexander gets one yard on his next carry. We've got third and long right now with a time out.

I believe that is the only way the Saints could possibly score a TD. - Matt

The way the Seahawks look right now on offense, the Saints' O may not have to do much. Another side note: when Sir Charles enters the booth on TBS, if any of you watching could leave any particularly funny moments in the comments here? I bet AA would love it.

I like that Vizio commercial with Tomlinson -- every time he gets his helmet out of the closet to watch football, I laugh, even though the joke is kind of lame. Delay on the field since the Cable Cam has apparently fallen on to the field. I'm sneaking looks at baseball until they fix the damn camera.

OK, we're back after watching an incredible line drive DP hit by Eric Byrnes to Josh Fogg, and he got it to Troy Tulowitzki, who nearly turned another triple play for the Rox this year. Seattle has punted, and the Saints offense has the ball for the first time. Reggie Bush just ripped it through for 20+ on his first carry. Bush gets it again for a short swing pass on the next play. Aaron Stecker will run it on 3rd down, but not get enough. Madden's right, that was a shitty play call on 3rd and long in Seattle territory. Saints punt, and it's a touchback.

Alexander picks up a 1st by rushing outside the tackles on some good blocking. The Hawks are driving, and Hasselbeck underthrows Ingram on a first in NO territory -- which he really should have gotten a lot more on, seeing that Ingram was being covered by an LB. Hasselbeck's timing is off again on 2nd, and they've got 3rd and 10 right now. (Baseball update: Matt Holliday just went yard off Livan Hernandez.) Hasselbeck goes end zone for Nate Burleson, and Mike McKenzie knocks it down. Here comes Seattle's third punt....yawn. Fair catch at the 13 yard line.

A Flock of Seagulls for the bump music? Really?

I'm hoping Madden will say that the best way for these teams to get some O going is to recruit Eric Gagne - Anon

I don't care who you are, that's just funny (unless you're a Red Sox fan.) Aaron Stecker is rumbling and stumbling for a first down on his first catch, but there's a flag on the play -- and it's called on the Saints for an illegal man downfield, which means "forget that play ever happened." Bush gets four yards on 1st and 15.

Could this be the worst combination of live-blogs ever? - AA

At least you will have some form of offense tomorrow from Eli and Plaxico. I don't know where the offense is coming from here -- oh wait, maybe Reggie will do it, he takes a screen pass for 11 yards when he was probably not going to get a damn thing when the play started. After that first down play, the Saints get stuffed twice and we've got another third and long.

"The Saints got nothing on Lofa Tatupu." - JM
"Not even half a loaf." - AM

Bizarre play as Brees throws to David Patton, and Jordan Babineaux punches it out -- but the Saints get the ball recovered further down. NO gets flagged for holding, so move it back 10 yards. Devery "Butterfingers" Henderson has an incomplete pass thrown his way. Brees hurls over to Lance Moore, who took Henderson's starting spot.

Reggie is picking up some serious rushing yards right now, and all we're hearing is about how he's not going to be your normal power guy, but he can run inside. If I'm not mistaken, isn't Seattle's D-line and linebackers one of the smallest of those groups in the league? It should be easier for Bush to break out, if that actually is the case. Never mind. He gets stopped at the line of scrimmage on the next play. Saints 7, Seahawks 0, as the first quarter ends.