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July 2009
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| October 2006Did you see Hawks center Robbie Tobeck dress up as Mike Holmgren at Grant Wistrom's annual Halloween charity bash? Tobeck was dead on -- from Holmgren's custom short shorts for practice (that's how we know when its really cold. if Coach wears pants, it's officially COLD), to his tilted Hawks cap and his glasses. Tobeck even covered his mouth with Mike's sacred play chart (so lip readers can't steal plays, of course). Robbie's one of the few players who dares to pull Holmgren's chain. And even though he'll never admit it, Coach loves every minute of it. Tobeck's played long enough and well enough to get away with it, and Holmgren fires right back. A few years ago, Mike gave his "compact" center a custom set of golf clubs -- they were cut down for someone about 3 feet tall. The team roared and so did Robbie. Relationships like that are rare in the NFL. It takes a lot of time, work and a lot of winning to build. I can't talk about Wistrom's party without mentioning all his charity work for children with cancer. Grant and his teammates all deserve credit for raising thousands of dollars (again) for families who need all the help they can get. ...Many of the recent posts have been stressing over the Seahawks current predicament. So I decided to take a step back. Am I fooling myself thinking the Hawks are going to be okay? Take a look at the two main reasons I believe the team is going to make the playoffs with home field advantage: the NFC West and the schedule. What's ahead: Raiders, Rams, at 49ers, Packers, at Broncos, at Cards, 49ers, Chargers, at Bucs. A combined 26/38. On paper, the only difficult teams the Hawks face ahead are: the Rams (here), Broncos (away) and Chargers (here). Take those teams away, and the rest are a combined 12/31. And the next four? With Matt healing and Shaun returning? Well, three of those games are home games, with only the 49ers away. Compare that to the Rams schedule: Chiefs, at Seahawks, at Panthers , 49ers, Cards, Bears, at Raiders, Washington and at Minnesota. Which schedule would you rather face? Which team is better? If the Hawks aren't NFC West Champs again, there are bigger issues than waiting an extra week to make sure Shaun's foot is ready for the rest of the season. ...Coach Holmgren announced in today's press conference that Shaun Alexander will sit out one more game, as his foot injury has yet to heal enough for him to play. Expect Shaun back by the Rams game. This doesn't really surprise me, given how much the team has invested in the MVP. No reason to chance anything in a game versus Oakland that has the opening line favoring the Seahawks by 8 points. But I do expect, given the coach's comments today about a lack of any running game, to see the Seahawks try and maintain a better offense, have a better time of possession, and simply call more run plays. ...It's not the, don't shudder, talent. No way. Tatupu, Peterson, Hamlin...I could go on but what's the point. They are a talented bunch, the Hawks D. And as a Hawks fan, I have to hope the defensive coaching staff -- who was obviously embarrassed -- will figure this out. And they can do it while the players take a refresher course on tackling. But hey! The team nearly won in KC. Never an easy place to play. The offense scored when it needed to. Branch, well, his sheer will is the kind of determination fans want to see from the defense. And you have to admit, Seneca did much better than expected. Jerramy returned with a TD. And finally, to brighten the day for all those Hawks fans who don't want to read another single sentence about how bad that loss was -- as SI's Peter King wrote in today's Monday Morning QB, "Chiefs have put up 30 and 35 against San Diego and Seattle the last two weeks." King follows that statement with: "Without three of their five MVPs from the 2005 season (Hasselbeck, Shaun Alexander, Steve Hutchinson), the Seahawks came very close to an unlikely win at Kansas City." True. So cheer up. They're still the best team in the NFC West. ...Hats off to Seneca Wallace. Hats off to the offensive line for stepping up and only allowing one sack. Hats off to Deion Branch -- what a stud. And hats off to the refs. Sadly, the defense is simply not good enough. Fans have to hope the Seahawks coaches figure this out, because the defense they're putting on the field does not look Super Bowl worthy. 35 points given up. Linebackers out of position. I don't mind Peterson getting beat by Tony Gonzalez. But third and long equals first down for the other team way too often. 499 yards by KC. Averaged twelve yards per pass. Hamlin having to make eleven tackles. Well, at least the schedule looks soft ahead. With his playing status in question because of a groin injury, Damon Huard guts it out as I predicted on my blog last night. His little brother Brock is dancing around the newsroom right now, but the Seahawks nation is signing the blues. What's up with the Hawk's defense. Larry Johnson and Huard torch the hawks defense. Time to start blogging. What's wrong Hawk fans? ...Another painful loss for the Seahawks, 35-28, in a game dominated by Kansas City RB Larry Johnson. He had four touchdowns (3 running, 1 passing) on 41 touches, as the Hawks defense had a tough time stopping the run. Both teams played back-up QBs. Damon Huard, despite a groin injury, threw 17/25 for 312 yards. Seneca Wallace was 15/30 for 198 yards, 3 TDs and 2 INTs. And you have to give the gold star of the day to Neon Deion Branch for stealing the ball after a Kansas City interception, giving the Hawks a fighting chance in the fourth quarter. But no matter, as the Hawks fall to 4-3 on the year. As for Seneca Wallace, does anyone think we would've won it with Hasselbeck? As my wife asked, can the Seahawks stop anybody when it's third and long? Doesn't seem like Boulware was the only issue this D faces. The linebackers seem to be over-running plays and often look out of position. Huard was doing well before the Hawks arrived at KC, and now the injured QB is finding the middle wide open. LJ is a stud, but Seneca is playing better than expected and the D needs to step up. At the half, on third down the Chiefs are 4 of 7. Damon Huard is 9 of 15 for 165 yards. LJ already has 94 yards. Ken Hamlin is having to make too many tackles, leading the Hawks with six. ...No surprise to the Seahawks, KC QB Damon Huard will play despite his groin injury. Inactive for the game, Matt, Shaun, D.D. Lewis, Floyd Womack, Engram and Tubbs. ...I spoke with Kansas City Chiefs QB Damon Huard and he says he's still a game time decision. Huard has a groin injury and has not been able to practice with the Chiefs since he was injured on Thursday. He says he's frustrated, but there's nothing he can do about the injury, just hope for the best. Huard's status still depends on how his injured groin feels in pre-game warm ups. I think the former Puyallup Viking and Washington Husky will be ready to roll come game time. Huard is playing with alot of heart right now and will do whatever it takes to get on the field against Seattle. Lets hope his borther Brock Huard is ready to roll right after the game on the Seahawks Fone Zone on Northwest Cable News! ...After the injury to Chiefs QB Huard, oddsmakers finally dropped KC from 6 and 7 point favorites to only 4 or 4.5. Also on the Hawks bandwagon, ESPN's Mortensen changed his Expert Pick from the Chiefs to the Hawks. CBS Sportsline's Accuscore Game Forecast (I get a kick out of this computer model, runs the game via stats like a zillion times and comes up with the AI winner) has actually shifted slightly more to KC since the injury update -- having the Chiefs winning 72 percent of the time. I wonder if the AI can predict Denny Green's on-screen blowups following the next Cardinal meltdown? ...ESPN is reporting that Seahawks RT Sean Locklear has been suspended by the NFL for this Sunday's game versus the Chiefs. The suspension stems from Locklear's actions last January, during an altercation with his girlfriend in a downtown Seattle bar. He was charged with assault, and made a plea bargain over the summer that avoided going to trial. With Locklear suspended, expect Tom Ashworth to start at RT. Ashworth has practiced with the first team offense this week, as Locklear recovered from an ankle injury. ...ESPN is reporting that Damon Huard did not practice today and may not play Sunday against the Seahawks, after injuring his hamstring (not groin, as I stated earlier). Rookie QB Brodie Croyle worked out with the first string offense today. Croyle played a limited role in a 45-0 blowout against the Steelers, going 3 of 7 for 23 yards and two interceptions. We won't know for sure if Huard will play until game day. ...As you've probably heard, KC's QB Damon Huard injured his groin yesterday in practice. The backup QB was pressed into action after KC's starting QB Trent Green was knocked into 2009 with the hit of the season. If Huard cannot play (we'll know more after practice today), rookie Brodie Croyle would have to step up. As far as the Seahawks O-Line, RT Locklear is still having issues with his ankle. If he can't play, expect ex-Patriot Tom Ashworth to fill in. Sigh. At least Pork Chop is practicing again. ...Ok, here it comes. Doom and gloom from all sides. Your head has to be all work or family if you haven't read this week about how the Madden Curse has finally struck the Hawks, followed by the Super Bowl Losers Jinx. Please. Maybe all these writers need to read their horoscopes first and then go get their palms read. After a tough battle at KC, these Hawks have the Raiders and Rams, at home, then go on to the 49ers and Packers. With Shaun back soon, this caliber of a team should easily be 8-3. However, no tarot decks are needed to see how the experts are picking KC this Sunday. In true Halloween spirit, this weeks picks: the ghouls at ESPN's have yet to select, so check back after the sun sets. The goblins at CBS Sportsline are 5 to 1 Chiefs -- one greedy goblin taking the points. And the zombies at USA Today? Yup - all stumbling and mumbling with arms outstretched about KC. (Oh yeah, and the Hawks have a new website, complete with Invasion of the Podcasts at Seahawks.com) And no, Dr. Frankenstein cannot bring Matt and Shaun back early. But any team can win any week. And that's a fact. ...Update: Mike Holmgren announced in today's press conference that starting SS Michael Boulware is out for the KC game, and will be replaced by Jordan Babineaux. Also possibly out of the starting lineup is first round pick Chris Spencer, who will be spelled at LG by rookie Rob Sims. Both may see playing time and it's not sure who will start. Bobby Engram will return to practice, but with the scout team. Also, LG Floyd Womack should see some limited practice time as he heals. DT Marcus Tubbs (knee) may not practice this week but is expected to play against the Chiefs. ...Holmgren just gave an injury update at his weekly press conference. Alexander ran on the treadmill yesterday, and his foot is feeling good. "The target is next week's game," Holmgren said. Hasselbeck is in a brace and on crutches, and he's starting rehab. Holmgren says team doctors are still estimating 3-4 weeks out. Engram is practicing today, but it's up to him how he's feeling. "He's gaining weight, it's all going in the right direction." Tubbs has a sore knee, but he'll be OK to play. Womack is practicing more, and he's "probably" ready for next week. ...Hawks fans all know how hard it was for the team to win in KC when the Hawks were in the AFC West. 19 and 5 at Arrowhead. Times have changed, teams have changed, yet the banged up Hawks now face a Chiefs team with QB Damon Huard fifth in the NFL in passing, and RB Larry Johnson fourth in the AFC in rushing. Add TE Tony Gonzalez and I think struggling SS Michael Boulware may end up getting benched. I still have to ask: What is up with the Hawks defense? A little refresher: KC lost to the Bengals, Broncos, and the Stealers. They've beaten the 49ers, Cardinals and most recently the Chargers (late field goal). Who needs to step up for the Hawks: Offensive line, the entire defense, special teams and the coaches. I'll puke if I see another opposing RB or WR throw a touchdown pass. And what's up with the same-old, same-old play calling? My two cents, Seneca is completely off the hook for this one. ...The TNT is reporting that the Seahawks have picked up QB Gibran Hamdan as a backup QB, behind Seneca Wallace and David Greene. You may remember Hamdan was on the team during training camp. After Hamdan was dropped by the Hawks, he was picked up by the 49ers and eventually dropped during their final team cuts. When he played for the Seahawks in the NFL Europe, Hamdan was named Offensive MVP (2006), leading the Amsterdam Admirals to a 6-1 record before going out with an broken ankle. Hamdan was originally a seventh rounder selected by the Redskins in 2003. To pick Hamdan up, the Seahawks released PR/WR Willie Ponder. ...As reader Rob Skinner pointed out in response to my last blog, the Seahawks may not be in that bad of shape with Seneca Wallace behind the wheel of the big rig. Keeping the defensive woes out of this discussion, Steve Kelley at the Times makes a great point: It's the last year of Wallace's contract. If ever Wallace needed an audition, the time is now. In Wallace We Trust just got a whole lot greener. So how far have the Hawks fallen in the national spotlight? ESPN's Power Rankings dropped the team to 11th, from 5th. More of a wait-and-see approach, if you ask me. Odds for the Kansas City game are still on hold, although USA Today has the Chiefs by 5. For you fantasy buffs out there, NFL.com takes a look at the situation with Matt and Seneca (they also think Shaun could be back by this weekend. I'm not so sure about that). And for today's capper...Matt talking about how he thought the hit that cost him a few weeks could've been avoided (Did I already say thanks to the football gods for not taking Matt out for the season?). ...From Chester Taylor's record-breaking 95 yard touchdown run to the Seahawks' starting quarterback hobbling off the field in the 3rd quarter, yesterday's debacle of a game was nothing but ugly for Hawks fans. Okay, aside from the headache the Hawks coaching staff has on the offensive side, the defense was totally exposed. Special teams, a killer. Secondary, a killer. And, other than seeing the back of Michael Boulware's jersey while chasing after Taylor on his way to 6, where the heck was he all day? This defense is supposed to be the safety net. Julian Peterson. Grant Wistrom. Lofa Tatupu. Bryce Fisher. Leroy Hill. Chuck Darby. Marcus Tubbs. Add them together and that's 1836 pounds that Chester Taylor blew over like a feather. Taylor, with 169 rushing yards, is the first back to top 100 yards this year against the Seahawks. So, yes, without Matt Hasselbeck the offense has questions to answer. But the defense has it's own bag of issues to tend to. ...In today's press conference, Coach Holmgren announced QB Matt Hasselbeck has a sprained medial collateral ligament and is out 3-4 weeks. He'll likely return mid-November, for the San Francisco or Green Bay game. Until then, in Wallace do Hawks fans trust. For some good news, Holmgren expects Floyd Womack and Shaun Alexander back for the Nov. 6th game against Oakland. That doesn't help against the Chiefs, but what could. I remember many a humbling losses when the Seahawks travelled to Kansas City. We'll have to trust the reasoning behind not picking up a veteran QB and trust Mike's confidence in Seneca. But if the defense gives up so many big plays as they did Sunday, it won't be pretty. I thought this defense was supposed to be better than last years? ...We're all waiting for word on how long Matt Hasselbeck will be out with that sprained right knee. He'll receive an MRI test later today to judge the extent of the injury. We'll post the prognosis as soon as we hear it. And stay tuned for Coach Holmgren's press conference at 2:15 p.m. today (we'll stream it live on KING5.com.) ...Video clips after the game: Perhaps it was where I was sitting -- way up in the nosebleeds -- or the fact I was comparing the noise to the Giant's game, but the 12th Man was uncharacteristically quiet as the Vikings had their way with the Hawks. History has proven that a loud crowd at Qwest Field can win games, and I think today's complacency is somewhat to blame for ending the Hawks' 12-game home winning streak. ...Okay, I'll now state the obvious and point out what every fan at Qwest Field saw in today's lost to the Vikings: The Hawks lost on both the offensive and defensive lines. Big time. They lost the battle in the trenches. The Vikes were in the backfield way too often, and on offense, they manhandled the Hawks front four. By sheer weight. In the secondary, Kelly Herdon is being picked on. Often. For the third straight week he seemed out of position. Special teams gave up too many big plays. The two big returns hurt. Even the 12th man seemed to show up complacent. One thing to think about: If Matt cannot play next week, Seneca will do better after a week of running the number one offense. But the Hawks have consistently been unable to run the ball this season. That could be a BIG issue in the weeks to come. Get ready, Hawks fans. The season just got more...interesting. Wallace took to the field in the third quarter and threw an interception in his first series. One more interception and two fumbles later, Wallace was 14 of 25 for 134 yards. Not a great performance for Wallace's first major NFL duty, but he'll certainly improve. Meanwhile, we'll wait for details on how serious Hasselbeck's injury is... Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck left the game with a sprained MCL in the 3rd quarter. Brock Huard says he's more than likely done for the day, but it was a good sign to see Hasselbeck leaving the field on his own power. Tight end Jerramy Stevens will play in Sunday's game against the Vikings, Seahawks coach Mike Holgrem confirmed Friday. He has not played so far in 2006 because of multiple knee surgeries in the offseason. Although Nate Burleson won't say it, everyone knows he's burning to have a big game. Six games into the season the 49 million dollar receiver has seven catches for 104 yards and a touchdown. Nate is the ultimate "team-first" guy, keeping his frustrations inside saying, "I'm just trying to fill a niche." Come on, man! Here's how I see it. Now he's in his hometown, ready to showout in front of his old O'Dea buddies and his super-achieving athletic family. Oh, and, um, if you didn't remember...his old team is the Vikings. So maybe this week will be it. Maybe Burleson is past the "oh, man" dropped passes and jitters learning the fast-paced West Coast offense. Maybe. And, maybe, this week he'll show it. ...What to expect this Sunday? The tangibles: Shaun, out. Bobby, out. D.D. Lewis questionable. Wideout Nate Burleson pumped to play his old team, while Deion and Matt begin to understand each other better. Morris in, going against a Vikings defense that has only allowed 74 yards rushing per game. Hutch in (white and purple), and a Minnesota offense that has only allowed seven sacks (the Seahawks have allowed Matt to be sacked seventeen times). Stat of note: The Vikings defense has scored three touchdowns this season, one fewer than their offense. After winning last week in St. Louis, the Seahawks should come out pumped. If (and that's a big if) the Vikings can weather the first two quarters, I'd expect the game to be tighter than the six-point spread held by most oddsmakers. ...So who are these Vikings the Seahawks will face this Sunday? As I said earlier, they are 12th in the NFL in total offense, 5th in total defense. Not bad stats. But misleading, it seems. (As Dan Marino said last night on Inside the NFL on HBO, the only stat that matters is who has the most points at the end of the game). So who have the Vikings defeated to reach such heights? The Portis-less Redskins. The Smith-less Panthers. And didn't Roy Williams get hurt during their win versus the Lions? Now for the Shaun-less Seahawks. That's one way to pad the stats. So its hard to say their defense has been dominant, simply by who they've beaten. One more useless stat to ponder: The Vikings are 13-4 after their bye-week. Tied for best in the NFL with Dallas and Denver. ...Of course the big story this week is the return of All-Pro Left Guard Steve Hutchinson. Everybody wanted to talk about the much-anticipated first meeting of the 49 million dollar man and his old team. Everybody...except Mike Holmgren. The Coach diffused the question about possible interaction with Hutch by coyly saying, "[There won't be] much. He's got his job to do. I've got mine. He knows how I feel about him." Maybe he knows, but we want to know: Is he referring to how he felt about him when he was the brick wall along side Walter Jones, blocking for the MVP running back and giving Matt time to tie his shoelaces and eat a pizza before throwing the ball? Or is he refering to the guy who now dons purple and blocks for an offense averaging less rushing yards than it did the season before (All right, it's a small difference, but it's still a fact: 3.9 yards per carry in 2005, 3.8 yards per carry in 2006)? Either way, the dichotomy there is a mystery. So mysterious, it's almost uncomfortable to think about those two guys sharing a field again, let alone a conversation. ...Once apon a time not so long ago, Mike Holmgren was owned by the Vikings. The then-Green Bay coach went 5 and 9 against the horned ones. With the Hawks, well, we all remember the last time the Vikes came to town. The Seahawks went ballistic, scoring 45 points in the first half. I'm still in shock. While the odds are still heavily in the Hawks favor, what are the NFL experts predicting? SI's King is taking the Hawks by 3. ESPN, well, check it out for yourself. CBSSportsline is fifty/fifty, but they include the spread in their picks. And USA Today is all hawks - 5 for 5. But let's not take these Vikings for granted. Right now they are 12th in total offense, 5 in total defense. (Hawks are 20th and 15th) So make sure you bring it Sunday, bring it loud and blue. ...They all went something like this - "Nate, why haven't you caught more passes in Seattle?" The Hawks $49 million receiver answered 'em all with a smile. I asked Matt Hasselbeck today, "How many Pro Bowlers would stand in the rain for 10 minutes to answer questions from the media?" Matt's response, "I like the rain." The guy did it versus the Giants last year, and he did it in the clutch versus the Rams this year. Congrats to Seahawks kicker Josh Brown, not only for hitting the winning field goal, but for his repeated touchbacks. From Seahawks.com: Brown became the first kicker since 1997 (PETE STOYANOVICH) with a game-winning field goal of at least 54 yards on the game’s final play with his team trailing at the time and is the only player in NFL history to kick three field goals of at least 49 yards in the fourth quarter (49, 49, 54). The former seventh-round draft pick now has four career game-winning field goals on the final play, including two of at least 50 yards – his other 50+ yard game-winner earned him his first Player of the Week Award (Week 7, 2005). In Week 1 of this season, Brown kicked a game-winning 42-yard field goal as time ran out against the Detroit Lions to give Seattle a 9-6 win. ...Okay, I borrowed the headline from Bill Williamson at MSNBC. Has a ring to it. In the article, Williamson takes you on a quick refresher course on why the Vikes and Hawks' front offices won't be sharing each other's suites soon. According to the TNT (furthering the slather), the Vikings refused to make Hutch available to the Seattle media for questions today. Taking the higher ground, if your jaw dropped after seeing Matt take snaps in the shotgun (I remember the coach adamantly refusing to use the shotgun some years back for the same reason -- relieving pressure on the QB), USA Today breaks down how the Hawks and other teams are stopping the blitz happy league, with some words about the change from Jim Zorn. And if you're eating lunch at your desk yet again, Mike Holmgren's press conference is live at noon. No surprise, Engram likely won't play. Here's to Bobby's health, and to the WR getting better. ...The farther I am from the sidelines and the more games I watch, one thing becomes very clear about the NFL: The team that handles the peaks and valleys the best wins. The ups and downs of a possession, the ups and downs of a quarter or a half, the ups and downs of a game or stretch of games, handling the triumphs and failures -- produces champions. Three cases in point... ...Everyone saw it. Matt Hasselbeck and Deion Branch had a connection. Neon Deion (as he was called yesterday when sporting a bright lime green t-shirt and number 83 diamond studded medallion around his neck) was just as flashy on Sunday, registering 6 catches for 76 yards and two touchdowns. But more importantly than total yards (although maybe not on Sunday) is the fact that the money man from the Pats and the Hawks game saving QB look like they're on the brink of something. And I'll leave it at that. Okay, maybe I won't. ...Wow, talk about a home field advantage. I guess no one is betting against the Hawks, as they open up with a six and sometimes seven point advantage against the Vikings (I promise to try and say nothing this week about Hutch, other than I miss his blocking). So how are the Hawks fairing, as rankings come down around the league? Well ESPN's gurus have the team moving up from eighth to fifth in the NFL. And I guess the comeback did not impress Sportsline's Pete Prisco, who gave the team a B for their victory over the (no ten second runoff, sorry guys) Rams. Lastly, if you liked Matt's performance, go to NFL.com and vote for the QB as FedEx's Player of the Week. ...This Sunday it's a homecoming of sorts for Nate Burleson and Steve Hutchinson. The Seahawks receiver gets ready to face off against his old team, while Hutch is back at Qwest field for the first time since his departure to Minnesota. Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress had this to say on Monday about Nate and Hutch facing their old foes. "I think probably the biggest thing over the course of time is that you have to make sure they don't take on a significance in trying to do something that is not within the frame of things. Whether it's Nate or whether it's Steve, you have to make sure you don't get emotionally involved to the extent where you're out of body. You've seen guys get amped up for those kind of rivalries and sometimes in hindsight they look back and say, ‘Geez, I wish I would have just treated that like another game.' Whether they can do that or not, you encourage them to." ...Alright, any Seahawk fan knows the Hawks of the past could single handedly drop a near guaranteed win in less than five minutes. Remember the 2003 Baltimore Ravens overtime loss at HOME and the 2004 St. Louis Rams overtime debacle at HOME? Yeah, in both of those games the Hawks had a 17 point cushion only to be knocked on their keesters. Before your blood starts to boil recalling those performances (or lack-there-of), the Seahawks ARE proving courage, fight, will, and passion to win. When beating the NFC-leading Rams yesterday, the Hawks engineered and executed a white-knuckle drive to win on a last second 54-yard field goal. How did they do it? How did they beat the Giants and Cowboys last year the same way? It all boils down to experience and patience. Players have "been there, done that" enough - in both good and bad situations - that, as Deion Branch says, "We know what we have to do once [those situations] show up." Today, every player I talked to attributed the win to the coaching staff. The coaches prepared the players, put them through 'what-if' situations, and gave them answers. All the players had to do was listen. And they did. And they learned. And they were ready. Experience + Patience = Wins. ...Rams coach Scott Linehan told the AP today that the NFL should reconsider the "integrity of the 10-second runoff" after the 30-28 loss to the Hawks. Linehan didn't question the ruling, but the rule. "I think the integrity of the 10-second runoff is in question here because the whole idea is you can't have an illegal play of any kind without any timeouts while the clock is running to ensure that you get a chance to get a kick," Linehan said. Linehan envisions teams using the loophole to their advantage. Like completing a long pass and then having the downfield receivers run a play, taking the illegal formation penalty. I don't see that happening, but I understand the coach's beef with the rule. But hey, at least the refs got it right. Mike Holmgren held his regular Monday press conference today. Here are a couple unedited video clips... As we blogged earlier today, Alexander is out for two more weeks. "He's feeling great and chomping at the bit to come back," said Holmgren during this afternoon's press conference, but the doctors want to play it safe. Meanwhile, Bobby Engram is feeling better after being diagnosed with a thyroid condition, Holmgren said. "The medicine they've given him has really helped. It's unlikely we'll have him this week, but I'm hopeful that he could play against Kansas City." And as for Jerramy Stevens and his knee, "I think he'll be OK for this week." ...Well, well, well. A glance around the web leaves me feeling like the rest of Football Nation was watching the Rams lose to the Hawks yesterday -- and lose first place in the NFC West in the process. So what are the national writers saying? If you have some time, here's a quick double-mocha-espresso for all you blue bloods out there: ESPN's Len Pasquarelli breaks down the victory, from Holmgren's pregame preps, to the team's halftime adjustments. SI.com has video of Bob Costas and Peter King discussing Holmgren's halftime rant and how it changed the course of the game. And who is the Seahawks MVP so far? Sportsline's Pete Frisco says Matt Hasselbeck is cool, calm, and a game winner (as well as follically challenged). If you want to listen to Mike Holmgren's Monday Press Conference live, check back at 2:15 p.m. ...Mike Holmgren said this morning that Shaun Alexander will be on the injury list for at least two more weeks. While Alexander is walking around without pain, Holmgren said team doctors want to make sure the crack in his foot heals completely to prevent any re-breaks. ...Former Seahawk Isaiah Kacyvenski, who spent most of his time on the sidelines yesterday feeding the Rams inside information, said the last-minute penalty against the Hawks "doesn't make sense." With just four seconds left on the clock, the refs flagged the Hawks for an illegal formation, which the Rams believed should've resulted in a 10-second deduction from the clock -- which would have given St. Louis the win. But as referee Ed Hochuli explained, that rule doesn't apply to an illegal formation. "I guess that's kind of a loophole around the rule," Rams safety Corey Chavous said. Adds Kacyvenski, "I assume the NFL's probably going to look at it." Waah, waah. ...Josh Brown had a big smile on his face as reporters stopped him coming off the field after the game. "This is huge," he said. "You know, I'm forgetting the question because my mind is racing right now. But I feel awesome." Brown said he told the team in the third quarter that "this ain't over" but "we're going to win this game." Watch the video here. Video from the field after the game, plus excerpts from the Mike Holmgren Show... Losing Kaz was hard. Losing this game, knowing Kaz was helping the Rams, would've been harder. Kudos to the team for sticking with it. Kudos to the coaching staff for their halftime adjustments. The D brought it in the second half, and the offense changed their blocking scheme to protect Matt. Both helped. Kudos to a rookie punter fixing his earlier error and placing the ball correctly to help Brown hit a 54 yarder to win the game. Kudos to the entire defense to keeping the league leading Steven Jackson to 56 yards rushing. The Rams were 9-1 when the RB had at least 100 for the game. Kudos to Ed and his crew for getting the call right and not running 10 seconds off the clock. And a huge thanks to Matt, for staging his 13th fourth quarter comeback win. As we've all heard a zillion times, a W is a W. First place in the NFC West, baby. That's all that matters. Josh Brown's 54-yard field goal in the closing seconds caps a nail-biting Seahawks comeback against the Rams. Brown's first attempt of the day hit the left and the right goalpost (I've never seen that before), and then he proceeded to hit home two 49-yarders and that 54-yarder. Besides Brown, Deion Branch had a huge game with 6 receptions for 76 yards and two touchdowns. Hasselbeck was 19 of 34 with three touchdowns. Morris carried for 74 yards and 23 carries (and a nearly-fatal fumble). And Tatupu pulled in a key interception, interrupting Bulger's streak. All this after a downright terrifying first half, with the Rams running the field on offense and building up a 21-7 lead. But the Seahawks defense stepped up in the second half (with the exception of Torry Holt's fourth quarter TD pass) and helped the Hawks seal the win. MVPs of the game: Brown, Branch, Hasselbeck and the defensive line. Rams head coach Scott Linehan sporting a cheek injury from getting plowed over on the sidelines in the third quarter... The Seahawks have just 4 yards rushing in the first half, compared to 46 yards for the Rams (makes you realize how important Alexander is to this team). On the passing front, the Rams are dominating with 179 compared to 70 yards. "It seems like the defense is totally off kilter," Justin says in comments. "Kelly Herndon appears to consistently out of position. And the Zone D is not working at all. Where is Tatupu? Peterson? Wistrom? I can't tell by wathing on TV, yet it seems like the middle of the D is as soft as the corners. What else? Matt has absolutely no time to throw. Did the Seahawks really have a bye week?" And what about Isaiah Kacyvenski? The former Hawk is working overtime on the Rams sidelines, looking through photos, talking to coaches, dishing Hawks' secrets. You have to wonder if it's having an effect. The Tacoma News Tribune Reports Jerramy Stevens is out for today's Rams game. The Hawks hoped Stevens would soften the blow of losing Engram. But I guess it's better to have Stevens back healthy and for the long haul than bring him back too early. ...With Seahawks wide receiver Bobby Engram sidelined, DJ Hackett will be active for the first time since the Week Two game against the Arizona Cardinals. Hackett will work in the four-receiver sets with Darrell Jackson, Dieon Branch and Nate Burleson. ...Engram will officially sit for the Rams as Deion Branch moves into the split end position, replacing Burleson in the starting line up. Stevens and Tubbs will play, which should help the Seahawks on both sides of the football. As far as the experts around the league, ESPN's pundits are picking the Rams. Even with the spread inching towards the Hawks, Sportsline is nearly all St. Louis. Whatever. Three points ain't much, and over the last few years the oddsmakers have usually been dead on picking this game -- especially when it's in St. Louis. Lastly, here's a good preview of the contest and why the Seahawks need to keep Steven Jackson under 100 yards to win. As bad as the D looked in Chicago, look for Tatupu and company to be fired up come Sunday. ...Sunday night on the The Mike Holmgren Show, we'll read selected questions from Hawks fans posted right here on the Seahawks Blog. It's called "Ask Mike," and all you have to do is post your question in comments below along with your first name and the city you live in (we'll keep your email address private.) Then watch The Mike Holmgren Show after Sunday Night Football on KING 5 to see if we've picked your question from the list. ...For only the sixth week of the season this is a mighty big match-up with rather large implications, namely first place in the division. St. Louis is 4-1 with wins over AZ, DET, GB and the season opener at home versus Denver. That Denver game is the one to focus on and really previews this St. Louis team best. They forced five turnovers in that game (3 Int. and 2 Fumbles) and really propelled their ball-hawking style of play. They went on to win that game 18-10, and have gone on to lead the NFL in turnover margin at plus 12. They have intercepted 8 passes, forced 7 fumbles, and have yet to throw an interception and have fumbled away only three balls. Many coaches will tell you, and years and years of data will prove them right, that if you win the turnover battle you win nearly 3 out of 4 games. In Chicago, on the road, we saw the difficulty of overcoming turnovers. This St Louis team in no way resembles the Bears from a personnel or scheme standpoint, but they are making up for their deficiencies with the great equalizer, the turnover. Jim Haslett (Defensive Coordinator) has helped this defense immensely, but it is a group that the Seahawks dominated last year and from a personnel standpoint match up well with. One recognizes the names of Bulger, Holt, Bruce and now Stephen Jackson, who is leading the NFL in rushing, but it is an offensive unit that has had a hard time scoring in the red zone and scoring TD's in particular. I really think when it is all said and done, both teams will move the football, both teams will score a few points, but whichever team scores TD's (not FG's) and wins the 'Turnover Battle' will more than likely win this football game. And remember, on the road in a tough environment in Chicago, those were two factors that put the Hawks into a style of play (throwing nearly every down) they don't want to fall into in St. Louis, not with Leroi Glover and Leonard Little feeding off the crowd noise and pinning their ears back... ... It's turf, not grass. It's high-powered lights, not Seattle sun. It's RAMbunctious fans amplified inside a dome, not 67,000 true blue screaming 12th Men. Yup, its Edward Jones Dome, the home of the Saint Louis Rams... Michael Boulware will be back on the field Sunday, two weeks after a nasty helmet-to-helmet collision that left him with a concussion. “That was probably the biggest hit of my life," he said. "Portions of that were a complete blank. It felt like I was asleep. Obviously, I saw the film and I walked off the field and I remember portions of it. But the majority of it feels like a dream.... I’m glad I got all my memory back, and everything is working just fine." The Hawks are favored by 3, or 3 1/2, depending on which source you use. But this game feels tighter after watching the dismantling of the defense by...Rex Grossman. The early expert picks are out, and they are beginning to lean towards the Rams. I can't say I blame them, but my gut tells me the Hawks are going to show up to play -- unlike in Chicago. Rhodes will travel with the team, and as far as Engram's thyroid issues go he may end up sitting this one out. SI.com's rankings are out, and yet another sports guru has the Seahawks falling, even though the team had a bye. Look for that to change if they bring their A-game to St. Louis. That is if the Rams don't figure out how Chicago trounced the Hawks D. I still think that performance had to be a hiccup. ...Just passed on the wires...Shaun Alexander is out for Sunday's rivalry game with the Rams. Maybe, if things go well, he'll be back October 22nd for the Vikings at Qwest Field. You hope that he'll be 100% if and when he returns. You'd hate to see him rush back and hurt his foot again. Starter Bobby Engram is questionable. He's sick and resting at home today. For more on the Hawks, check out the jump. ...So here come the Rams. Seattle's biggest rival in the NFL (since they left the AFC). St. Louis is 4-1 and they're in first place. Last season, the Rams were 2-3 after five games. So what's the biggest difference between last year and this year? If you look at the numbers, they're gaining yards and scoring at nearly the same pace as last season under "Mad" Mike Martz. Here are the numbers: '06 '05 Yes, the glaring number is the takeaways/turnovers. There an NFL best +12 in just five games. Marc Bulger hasn't thrown an interception this season. In fact, he's thrown 214 straight passes without a pick. Maybe it's their new head coach Scott Linehan. More likely, it's the team's new defensive coordinator, Jim Haslett. The Saints former head coach is known as defensive guru. He played linebacker in the NFL. Before the New Orleans' job, he molded the Steelers defense in the late 90's. Attention Matt Hasselbeck and the Fantastic Four: If Rams CB Fahkir Brown's ankle limits him, expect rookie Tye Hill to start. I'm sure the Hawks will throw his way a lot. The Packers burned him a couple of times this past Sunday, including a 46-yard TD to Greg Jennings. Fair and Balanced: Besides Bulger, the Hawks will have to stop Stephen Jackson. The big back is tied with 49ers back Frank Gore for lead in rushing yards. Plus, Jackson leads the NFL in yards from scrimmage. AOL Sports has him #5 on the MVP List. Number 1 is Donovan McNabb ...Ok, I liked Kaz. Great guy in the locker room, and a high octane special teams player. Good luck with the Rams, Kaz. I hope you get on the field more often. But we've got a game to play and it ain't the Hawks v. Kaz. So, for a quick glance around the web: Without playing, the Seahawks slipped in the minds of ESPN's gurus-- dropping in their Power Rankings from 6 to 8. Oh, and this guy at NFL.com thinks Rams QB Bulger is a great pick up for fantasy players this week. Bring. It. On. And for one last look, USA Today has a new Team Report for the Seahawks. ...I spoke with former Washington Husky and St. Louis Rams receiver Dane Looker on Tuesday and he says the Rams are loving life with Isaiah Kacyvenski on their team. Looker says the former Seahawk brings a whole lot of energy to the team and he's already making big contributions on special teams. Besides the addition of Kaz, Looker adds that Rams defensive end Leonard Little is having a break-out season. Little currently leads the Rams with four sacks and could cause some problems for Matt Hasselbeck on Sunday. Looker, who is in his 5th season with St. Louis, also makes mention that quarterback Marc Bulger seems to be getting better and better each Sunday. Considering he's thrown 5 touchdowns and no interceptions in his last two games, I'd say Looker has a point. After practice Monday, Mike Holmgren obliged the media by answering questions about how the bye week went, Jerramy Stevens return from knee surgery, and preliminary thoughts of Saint Louis. And then came the ONE question that Holmgren refused to answer. Beat-writer Mike Sando brought up talk that recently cut linebacker, Isaiah Kacyvenski, who was signed by the Rams, has been talking to St. Louis media about his less-than pleasant (to put nicely) last phone conversation with Holmgren after Kaz bolted for the arch rival. Sando asked Mike what went wrong in the conversation and if the coach had cooled off over the weekend. Mike replied, "I really have no comment on that. Thanks for asking though." Sometimes when you don't say anything, you're actually say a whole lot more. It will be interesting (and weird, as Seahawks players told us) to see Kaz in a Rams uniform working against the team he'd been working for since he was drafted in the 4th round in 2000. ...After two knee surgeries on the same miniscus in less than six months, Jerramy Stevens is rehabed and ready to fill his much-needed role in the Seahawks offense. The funny thing is the starting tight end, himself, didn't think he'd be playing. I asked Jerramy on Sunday if he would be on the field against St.Louis. He said he didn't think he'd be playing after just one week of practice. But to his surprise and not so much ours, Mike Holmgren promised Stevens will play and should be on the field for about 30 plays or so. With the run game struggling, Jerramy's size (6'7", 260 lbs), ability to catch anything, and his attitude to block hard will help the Hawks offense tremendously. Last season, Stevens broke the franchise record for tight ends with 554 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns. ...A little over a week ago after the Chicago game, the Seahawks plane stopped in South Dakota after assistant coach Ray Rhodes was suffering from stroke-like symptoms. Turned out he was suffering from dehydration from not eating and drinking enough. Rhodes, as you know, has a long history of health problems. Fortunately, the doctors checked him out and cleared him to return to practice. But Steve Kelley with the Seattle Times worries that he'll become a distraction. "He isn't practicing what his doctors preach," writes Kelley. "For the sake of his family, for the sake of his health, and for the sake of his team, Rhodes has to begin taking more seriously the ultimate consequences of his unhealthy behavior." Well, both the defense and the offense will have two key players back for the Rams game Sunday as DT Marcus Tubbs and TE Jerramy Stevens took to the practice field today. However, as Mike Holmgren pointed out on his show here on KING5, Shaun Alexander is not expected to suit up and play. Safety Michael Boulware practiced, although WR Bobby Engram did not. Engram is expected to be available for the game. ...As Bobby Sims pointed out in a response to my last blog, the Seahawks next game against St Louis is much more interesting now that the Rams improved to 4-1, after a win against Brett Favre and the Packers. Should Hawks fans be worried? And who the heck are these Martz-less Rams? They beat the Bronco's in an impressive win, then choked against the 49ers. Since, they've been rolling, beating the Cards, Lions and Packers. If Alexander's foot hasn't healed yet, it'll make for an unpredictable game with an early lead in the NFC West on the line. Well, next week's match up with the Rams got more interesting after the loss against Chicago. I'm almost over that shellacking. Almost. What happened to the impressive D? Had to be a hiccup. So, what are the NFC West bad guys doing this Sunday? Well, the Rams are taking on the Packers. And yes, Favre is still behind the wheel. The Cardinals Dennis Green is hoping to save his job by starting Leinhart when the Chiefs come to town. And the 49ers are facing their foes across the bay, the apathetic Oakland Raiders. Who will get more yards, Moss or Gore? I'd bet on the RB. ...According to Shaun Alexander's doctor, Seahawks fans are dreaming if they think the MVP will be ready to play next week against the Rams. Shaun's doctor was overheard tonight commenting on the status of his injury. Despite Shaun's claims he's a fast healer, the doctor said he's out 4-6 weeks, end of story. This information was not released by the Seahawks but overheard in a public place. If Shaun is out the full 4 weeks, the earliest return date would be Oct. 29 against the Chiefs. ...While I was sitting in Soldier Field Sunday night, taking in the pre-game excitement and waiting for kickoff, I was actually disappointed with the lack of crowd noise generated by Bears fans. This was BEFORE the game started, and during the first quarter, when the game was still - A GAME. Their idea of cranking up the crowd noise, is running Bears highlight videos on the big screen, with various AC/DC songs blaring over the speakers (over and over). Talk about begging your fans to get fired up. It was a joke. I can't even imagine what it will be like in Arizona, San Francisco, and Tampa. Compare Soldier Field to Qwest Field, where Seahawks fans ramp it up during pregame warm-ups and keep it ramped up the entire game, and it's not even close. I've been to a lot of Stadiums over the years, and I can honestly say, Seahawks fans bring it the loudest. Keep it up - it's a HUGE advantage for the players. If the Hawks expect to get back to the NFC Championship game, gaining home field throughout the playoffs will give them the best chance. ...The players had the day off yesterday but a couple guys were hanging around the headquarters in Kirkland anyway. None of them were real excited to rehash the thrashing in Chicago, but Bryce Fisher took one for the team and commented. I asked him about the physical nature of the game and how hard their pride was hit. His response was, "Any guy that can get punched in the face and smile after it doesn't belong in our locker room." He said it so matter-of-factly I didn't have the nerve to ask the 268 pound defensive end any more questions about losing the biggest fist-fight of the season thus far. Call me soft, but I'm only 5'7 and he could drop me with his pinky finger! ...There aren't too many positives coming out of Sunday's blowout on national TV - except maybe the status of Deion Branch. True he caught just 3 passes for 57 yards, but there is proof he's becoming a favorite target for Matt Hasselbeck after just 2 games. During the Hawks second quarter drive that led to a field goal, Hasselbeck chose to throw Deion's way in the red zone instead of Darrell Jackson or Bobby Engram. It's a situation in which Matt would usually use a tried and true "go-to guy." The pass fell incomplete, but the message was clear. Branch is the real deal, and could overtake D-Jack as the number 1 receiver. A couple weeks ago Jackson wrote "I want DB [Deion Branch] money" on the bottom of his shoe on game day. Start playing like him and maybe you'll get the fat contract you've spent the last few years lobbying for. Look yesterday wasn't a good gauge for any of the Hawks. You'd be hard pressed to find a player who played up to his potential, but it's worth watching the relationship that develops between Matt and Deion over the next several weeks. ...On the flight back from Chicago late last night, the Seahawks plane landed in Rapids City, South Dakota for a "medical emergency" for defensive assistant Ray Rhodes. According to reports the stop was "precautionary" and done on the advice of the team doctor, who was on board. Rhodes then flew back to Seattle on a commercial jet Monday. While the exact nature of Rhodes' medical problem wasn't disclosed, he suffered a stroke in September of last year and a "strokelike" episode in November. ...Do you think the men in the Hawks front office wish they would have communicated with each other now? Do you think they wish they would have made sure Steve Hutchinson knew he was wanted in Seattle? The Hawks offensive line has gone from the best in the league to middle of the road, and it all started with the loss of Hutchinson. Instead of Chris Spencer filling in this week for a hobbling Chris Gray, Spencer has to start for an injured Chop Womack. Gray tries to gut it up and simply can't match the awesome Bears defensive line. Amazing time and again to see the Bears rush 4 and still bring the hammer on Matt Hasselbeck. I love what Matt said after the game: "There's no excuse for this team to play like that." Bad nights happen in the NFL. They often happen on the road. Seattle can still have a great year, but they must get better up front. When Mike Holmgren says afterwards, "We're gonna fix what we can fix," I wonder how much fixing can be done on the offensive front. Is Seattle suddenly on the wrong side of too old and too young all at once? For one night the answer was "yes." There is no doubt about this one, Chicago was the better team tonight, and outplayed the Hawks in every facet of the game. The lack of red zone production, losing the turnover battle, getting sacked five times, giving up big play after big play, and allowing the national TV audience to watch the battering, makes for one long flight home and an even longer bye week. The most concerning facet of the game is the Seahawks inability this year to find consistency in their run game. There are no big plays, there are little creases, and the ineffectiveness of a balanced offense allows good defenses like the Bears to pin their ears back and harass Hasselbeck and the offensive line. The Seahawks must utilize the bye to get healthy. They must get Jeremy Stevens back in the loop. They must get Shaun back to full speed. And they must not allow the momentum lost from this game to linger. Based on the character of this football team and the leadership from Tatupu and Hasselbeck, I'm betting you'll see a very different performance in St. Louis in two weeks. In an interview with KING 5's Paul Silvi after the game (watch video), Mike Holmgren was surprisingly composed, and he admitted the Seahawks couldn't stop the Bears on both sides of the ball. "I'm not worried about our guys bouncing back. It's one of those tough lessons you have to have every once in awhile." He said that early turnovers were key, and "[Chicago] did a nice job throwing the ball deep, and we have to work on that.... It was a physical ballgame. I know we're better than we played tonight." When asked about the offensive line -- which gave up 5 sacks -- Holmgren said, "We're gonna fix the things we can fix." And there's good news about Michael Boulware. "He's not feeling so hot," Holmgren said. "[But] everyone feels he's gonna be OK and out playing the next ballgame." Ouch. The Bears defense and offense had their way with the Hawks. "They were just more physical," John Madden said. The most notable stat is Hasselbeck's two interceptions (he was 16 of 35) -- which set up 10 points for the Bears -- and he was sacked 5 times for a total loss of 49 yards. Hasselbeck is now tied for the most interceptions in the NFL with 7. On the ground, Morris had 12 carries for just 38 yards. The Hawks had the ball in the red zone twice, but ended up with two field goals. "It comes down to execution," Shaun Alexander said on the sidelines at halftime. "The Bears defense is really too good for us not to make every play count." Their offense wasn't bad either, now making the Bears the team to beat in the NFC. Meanwhile, Michael Boulware exited the game with a concussion after a nasty hit. Photos below... Apparently Rex Grossman read my blog post (below) about being overrated. Right now the Bears can do no wrong and the Seahawks can do no right. Brock Huard is currently pacing the NWCN news room and points to the Seahawks lack of converting on 3rd down conversions as the big key in this game. The Seahawks are currently 0-for-4 on 3rd down conversions, while the Bears are 4-for-9. Lets hope Seattle can get something going ASAP. ... |
