Whitehurst did a great job of not losing last night. The fact that he didn't commit any turnovers is likely the reason the Hawks won. He also made just enough great plays to lead the team to a win. All this said, I think Hasselbeck gives them a better chance to win on Saturday, as long as he can stay in the game, of course. The main reason for this thinking is that, as Chris Collinsworth pointed out on a couple of occasions last night, a seasoned veteran QB is generally much better at identifying specific defensive matchups that can be exploited for big plays, which is something the Hawks will likely need a lot of to win on Saturday.

My "X-factor" for the Hawks' chances in the playoffs (no matter how far they might miraculously go) is Russell Okung. Seems to me the Hawks have looked much, much better all year on offense when he has been able to play. He's not polished yet, but he's already the best O-lineman on the team as a rookie. If he can get and stay healthy, I think either quarterback will be much more effective. Hasselbeck has been extremely injury-prone, but I think that's due to the savage beatings he's been taking due to poor pass blocking since the departure of Hutchinson and the retirements of Big Walt and Mack Strong. His whole body is probably more or less mush by now. When he gets good protection and at least some production from the running game (or, when the O-line shows up), Hasselbeck is still capable of putting up great numbers.

It'll be fun to watch. They're a team with nothing to lose and a chip on their shoulders, which can be dangerous. Starting out with a home game doesn't hurt either. If they can somehow get past New Orleans, the next stop would be Chicago, where they have already won once this year....