The underdog Seattle Seahawks emerged with a halftime lead against the defending champion New Orleans Saints in the opening game of the NFL playoffs on Saturday.

On the strength of three TD passes by QB Matt Hasselbeck, the Seahawks took a 24-20 lead into the half.

The Seahawks won the NFC West despite have a 7-9 record. They became the first team in league history to win a division with a losing record.

Because of NFL rules that guarantee home playoff games to division winners, the Seahawks won right to host the 11-5 Saints. The Saints have never won a road postseason game.

The Saints opened a 10-0 lead but kept allowing the Seahawks back into the game. New Orleans RB Julius Jones lost a fumble after a Seattle punt, a turnover the Seahawks turned into a field goal.

Then with just 1:23 left in the half, Hasselbeck connected with WR Brandon Stokley on a 45-yard scoring pass that finished a 76-yard drive.

The Saints kicked a 22-yard field goal as time expired in the half to make the deficit just four points.

The 24 points allowed were the most allowed by the Saints in a first half this season.

Update, 6:30 p.m. ET: Hasselbeck threw a 30-yard TD pass to Mike Williams to extend the Seahawks' lead to 31-20 with 11:48 left in the third quarter. It was the first drive of the second half.

Update, 6:46 p.m. ET: Olindo Mare booted a 39-yard field goal with 5:27 left in the third quarter to give the Seahawks a 34-20 lead.

Update, 7:10 p.m. ET: Saints RB Julius Jones scored a 4-yard TD run with 13:11 left to make the score 34-27.

Update, 7:26 p.m. ET: Saints K Garrett Hartley booted a 21-yard field with 9:16 left to shorten the Seahawks' lead to 34-30.

Update, 7:43 p.m. ET: Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch busted loose for a 67-yard TD run -- breaking multiple tackles en route -- to give Seattle a 41-30 lead.

Update, 7:52, p.m. ET: Saints WR Devery Henderson scored on a 6-yard TD pass with 1:30 left. But the Saints failed to convert a 2-point conversion to leave the score at 41-36.

Update, 7:57 p.m. ET: The Seahawks closed out the upset. Final score 41-36.

-- Sean Leahy