The Biggest Upset in Six Days

I understand that NBC is really into overhyping anything that happens on its NFL package. 

That said, Bob Costas, Tony Dungy et al calling last night's Seattle Seahawks 41-36 win over the New Orleans Saints the biggest playoff upset in history is pretty ridiculous.  OK, the Seahwaks at 7-9, had the worst record ever of a playoff team, and the Saints were the defending Super Bowl champs.  Still, there have been many upsets that were much bigger -- Joe Namath and the New York Jets beating the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III, the Patriots beating the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI, the Giants beating the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII (man it hurts writing that one).

But let's boil it down further.  This was a wild-card game between a bad division champion and a team that couldn't win its own division.  The Saints, though still a good team, had problems running the ball this year and were banged up on defense.  Sure, I expected New Orleans to win, especially since they beat the Seahawks in the regular season, but that game was in New Orleans.  But in this Any Given Sunday league, to say Seattle was a prohibitive underdog is, well, obviously untrue.

I can safely say, however, that the Seattle victory was the biggest upset in six days.