Carroll praises Seahawks defence

Head coach Pete Carroll praised Seattle Seahawks after they reached the NFC Championship game with a 23-15 win over New Orleans Saints. The Seahawks collected their second victory over the Saints this season, having beaten them 34-7 in the regular campaign, and set up a title game with either San Francisco 49ers or Carolina Panthers. On a blustery day Steven Hauschka hit two field goals in the opening quarter, before Marshawn Lynch ran in the first touchdown of the match. Hauschka added another goal as the top-seeded Seahawks opened up a 16-point lead going in to the final quarter. The Saints finally got on the scoreboard through Khiry Robinson and Marques Colston but Lynch's second touchdown ensured Seattle's triumph, and Carroll was delighted how they executed their tactical plans. "I thought we had a lot of cool things happen in this game," he said. "I like that we took care of the football on a day like this throughout and we ran the football like we wanted to and Marshawn had a big game for us and the defence wouldn't let them have anything. "We just kind of held out, bleeding the clock. I think it was a very, very good day on defence, although I am very disappointed in the way we tackled today." Carroll also hailed the performance of running back Lynch, who carried the ball 28 times for 140 yards and scored two touchdowns as they marched into the championship game for the second time in the franchise's history. "I think it's (Lynch's performance) pretty much the same always," he added. "He battles every week and when you give him chances he makes plays. "He's had such a consistent run for us for three years now. Three straight thousand yard years and ten plus touchdowns. He continues to crank it out for us. "You've got to love his last touchdown run. That was maybe 'Beast Mode 2' but it was a very cool way to end that game and to give us the chance and score that we needed to put it away."