Seahawks legend, ESPN analyst Matt Hasselbeck previews Hawks-Vikings
Dec 10, 2018, 12:25 PM | Updated: 12:28 pm
(AP)
Matt Hasselbeck played in some of the most memorable games ever at CenturyLink Field, but on Monday night he’ll be a spectator for a marquee matchup between the Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings, two teams jockeying for position in the NFC playoff race.
Hawks-Vikings previews: O’Neil | Clayton | Huard | Moore | Stelton | Rost
Hasselbeck is in town as part of the ESPN Monday Night Football crew, and he joined Brock and Salk on Monday morning to provide a look at the game and share what he’s seen out of the Seahawks this season.
When it comes to Monday’s contest, Hasselbeck said the 7-5 Seahawks have the benefit of establishing their identity early in the season, unlike the 6-5-1 Vikings.
“I think the Seahawks had figured out who they are after the first two weeks of the season and the Vikings, they’re not there yet,” he said. “They probably will figure out who they are, you gotta sometimes dip low to take a good, long, hard look in the mirror, and I think the Seahawks did that.”
Seattle found that identity after a 24-17 loss in Chicago to the Bears in Week 2, Hasselbeck said, and he thinks the Hawks would be eager to play that same Bears team, the likely NFC North champion at 9-4, in the postseason.
“After that Chicago game, (the Seahawks) really have picked it up and played much better – and even in that Chicago game. I bet you leaving Chicago they probably (felt) like, ‘You know what, if we have to come back to Chicago in the playoffs, fine. We can absolutely, 100 percent play with that team. We don’t doubt it. We weren’t sure who we were at that time. We are a much better team.’ And that’s OK, too. It’s OK sometimes to lose in a regular season matchup when you know you’ll get another shot at them in the playoffs.”
You can hear the full interview with Hasselbeck at the start of the embedded podcast in this post (or at this link), and hang around for the final segment when Monday Night Football play-by-play announcer Joe Tessitore joins the guys for Answer the Question, Jerk.