Warren Moon’s heart is with the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game

SEATTLE – Once again, the city is abuzz about the Seattle Seahawks’ return to the NFC Championship Game, and no one is more thrilled than Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Moon.

The University of Washington legend and former Seahawks quarterback plans to be among those cheering Sunday at Lumen Field, where Seattle will play host to the archrival Los Angeles Rams. With a chance to earn their fourth Super Bowl berth, the Seahawks are built for this moment, Moon believes – and he’s relishing every step of the ride.

“Without a doubt, it’s a big family affair here in Seattle, especially right now,” Moon said during a lengthy interview this week. “Everybody is very happy that they’re back in it. This is what we’ve been waiting for.”

The championship game appearance is the Seahawks’ first since the 2015 season. From 2004 through 2017, Moon served as a radio color analyst for the franchise, which won Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014. Seattle also reached the Super Bowl in 2006. Both locally and nationally, the Seahawks achieved their highest level of popularity under former head coach Pete Carroll, whose hard-hitting Legion of Boom defense captivated fans.

Moon, a big supporter of that group, admired how the team played under Carroll.

Although second-year Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald, who was formerly the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive coordinator, operates differently than his predecessor, their results are similar.

This season, the Seahawks topped the league in scoring defense, allowing only 17.2 points per game. Additionally, they ranked third against the run, 10th against the pass and sixth overall. Obviously, Moon said, Macdonald’s approach is working.

“When I first met Mike last year, I was impressed with him, and I knew what he had done at Baltimore, the type of defenses they had there,” said Moon, who makes his year-round home in nearby Redmond, Washington. “I knew he wanted to bring that same type of intensity to his defense here, with all of the different [quarterback blitzes] that he brings, which was totally different than what Pete used to do. Pete’s defenses were more basic. They were two-deep zone, three-deep zone, four-deep zone and rally to the ball.

“Mike has all these different [blitzes] and different [coverages]. He really tries to confuse the quarterback. And these days, with as good as the quarterbacks are, that’s the way you almost have to play. You have to confuse them. If you just sit back and play regular zone defense, they’ll eat you alive.”

The Rams are as good on offense as the Seahawks are on defense.

In the regular season, the Rams averaged 30.5 points – second to none in the NFL. They also led the league in total offense, passing offense and ranked seventh in rushing offense.

The NFC West foes split their two previous meetings this season. Seattle won the division and earned the conference’s No. 1 seed, securing homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

In the teams’ third meeting, Moon expects to see quite a show.

“Well, my heart is with the Seahawks. I want to see them win and go back to the Super Bowl. But what my gut tells me … it’s going to be a very close game,” Moon said. “I was rooting for Chicago [against the Rams in the divisional round] because I didn’t want us to have to play the Rams again.

“Ever since [Rams head coach Sean] McVay has been there, we’ve had a problem with them. We know how to play them – we just have to take care of the ball. Now, if we take care of the ball, if we protect it and execute the way we know we can, we’ll win this football game. We’ll be in a good position – especially with the energy that’s going to be in this stadium.”

One of the loudest stadiums in the league, Lumen Field was rocking during Seattle’s 41-6 rout of the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round. Moon expects Seattle’s intense fans (nicknamed the “12s” for the 12th man) to bring it even more than usual.

“Last week’s game against the 49ers reminded me of those Super Bowl days,” Moon said. “The crowd was just amazing. It’ll be that way again this week.”

Moon has no reason to think otherwise. Always eager to get loud, Seahawks fans could take it to another level on Sunday – especially with a Super Bowl berth at stake.

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