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July 2009
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| November 2006The Big Hit Heard Around the World. It's a Seahawks memory I will never forget. The year was 1988. Denver Broncos cornerback Mike Harden layed out Hawks receiver Steve Largent. Largent's career came close to ending when he was bashed to the turf by Harden. Largent's helmet was mangled and two teeth were broken. He was out cold for five minutes. Now to the Seahawks memory. When the Broncos and Hawks met again that same season, Largent would get his revenge. After Harden intercepted a pass, Largent reacted with a monster tackle that sent Harden flying. What a play, what a moment. Largent admitted he wanted to hit Harden as hard as he could. "It wasn't meant to be a vindictive thing but it sure felt good," Largent said after the game. I shared my favorite Hawks-Broncos moment, what's yours? ...Jay Cutler will make his first start Sunday versus the Broncos. Apparently, the Mile High city is going crazy for all things Cutler. His jersey is flying off the shelf. Maybe it's me, but everytime I see Cutler in his #6 jersey all I can think about is Bubby Brister. I'm sure you old Seahawk fans can relate. I don't know whether to feel sorry for Jake Plummer or not. Sounds like they berated him and beat the confidence out of him. Look for the Seahawks to throw it to anyone who's not being covered by Champ Bailey. Chiefs coach Herm Edwards calls him one of the best cover guys he's seen. Before becoming a head coach, Edwards was primarily a defensive back coach. Plus, he played cornerback in the NFL for 8 seasons. So when Herm says he's good, I believe him. Also, it sounds like Denver's run defense is having a few issues. Shaun Alexander could have another big day. Don't forget to watch the Mike Holmgren show following the game. It'll be a live show and you'll hear from the coach and players first on KING 5. So stay after the game for the Mike Holmgren Show. ...Spoke to a pal who is also a Denver fan, and has been for years (well before I was born). Guy knows football (he routinely kicks you-know-what in his Fantasy league). The old man is worried for his Broncos, with Cutler behind the center. Worried about the mistakes a young QB makes. Kept saying he was worried about what the Hawks blitzing will do. Mumbled under his breath about an undersized Denver O-line. SI.com has an article that agrees with him, partly -- at least why Cutler won't be the next Romo or Rivers (at least not yet). Expert picks for this week? ESPN is behind, but is leaning with Denver. CBS Sportsline? 5 picked Seattle to win, 1 picked Denver. And finally, USA Today. Same thing -- 5 for the Hawks, 1 for Denver. Now I just have to talk my bud into flying into town to watch the game at the Alfstad abode. One of us should have the chance to gloat. His team kicked the Hawks you-know-what for so long with Elway behind the center, maybe this time...it'll be me. Odds are still hovering around three points, favoring Mike Shanahan's Broncos. This game could easily be that close. Both teams are 7 and 4. The Broncos are a little more desperate, being third in the good old AFC West. Cutler, the 11th pick in last year's draft, will start at QB for Denver. If the Hawks D were more ball-hawking, this would excite my inner-fan more. But Shanahan is a smart coach. It's hard to imagine Mike putting Culter in a place to make too many mistakes. So the Hawks front four and linebackers will have to step up and stop Tatum Bell. The Denver RB will likely play after missing the last two games, both losses. The Bronco's offense ranks 22nd in the league. Their players could rally around Cutler, but if the QB struggles early they may lose their steam--changing a QB this late in the season can be tough on the psyche. On Denver's side, the team hasn't lost three in a row since 2003, winning six straight home games vs. the Seahawks. The last time the Hawks won in the Mile High City? 1995. ...The old history teacher, Mike Holmgren, insisted today he believes in investigative journalism. But when Holmgren compared KING5's breaking news coverage Tuesday to Watergate, we understood the boss definitely wanted to douse the fire around his quarterback's broken finger. Holmgren has "that way" of looking at you. I knew it when I saw it today as Mr. Holmgren approached me on the practice field. He likes to control the message around his football team. As well as he coaches, he manages the media better. Breaking news about a finger doesn't exactly fit into Mike's plan, so I played along while he talked and I listened. After three decades-plus in coaching, Mike understands we have a job to do, and he helps us do it. His reactions today were all part of that process. Smart, well planned and great "sound" for television. The best reaction came from the Seahawks players. My question was simple, "Which one of your body parts deserves as much coverage as Matt's broken finger?" Chuck Darby shared a big laugh with me, and Jordan Babineaux said "no comment" before he broke into a big laugh and smile. Nobody would touch it. I knew before I asked. Just like Mike Holmgren knew what he would say about Hasselbeck's broken finger long before we asked today. ...In this afternoon's press conference, Coach Mike Holmgren said the break in Matt's finger/hand will not be a factor in the QB's performance this Sunday vs. the Broncos. Right now Matt is listed as probable. Precautions are being taken in practice this week not to aggravate the boo-boo. Other injuries of note: WR's Bobby Engram and Darrell Jackson (knee) are also probable. Questionable are: Rocky Bernard, Sean Locklear, and Itula Mili (You may remember the hit Mili took? Landed the TE a concussion). D.D. Lewis is doubtful and C Tobeck is out. ...Sounds like Center Robbie Tobeck is back home and getting better. Doctors will run more tests on Monday to see if the infection (abscess) is any better. In the meantime, Coach Mike Holmgren ruled Tobeck out for Sunday's game with Denver. Chris Spencer will start again at center (and will for awhile longing until Tobeck returns to playing shape). He's doing pretty good filling in for Tobeck. At least 201 yards of Shaun Alexander good. I'm sure Robbie is at home thinking of pranks to pull on his teammates - so when he comes back he'll be fully stocked with tricks. A couple of other notes: Wide Receiver Bobby Engram is out for Sunday's game, too. Fullback Josh Parry has been moved to the IR with a bad foot. Be sure to log on to KING5.com later when we'll give you the full update on Matt Hasselbeck's finger. Plus, we'll put up the video from Coach Mike Holmgren's presser and any other player we interview. ...Crackerjack job by our sports department getting the news out last night about Matt's broken finger. At noon, Mike Holmgren will announce the severity of the break. Click back to KING5.com's sports section or go straight to Seahawks.com (under multimedia) to listen to the presser streamed live. That's the great thing about working sports in a news station, if they want to send the trucks to cover weather, sports is out of luck. I haven't touched this in awhile, so I thought I'd check out how the Seahawks stand in the league. The offense is currently 19th in the NFL, the defense is 18th. Kickoff and punt returns are 10th. Scoring-wise, Seattle is 12th. Turnovers? Ouch. 26th. If you want to check out stats, the NFL.com has a nice layout. Check it out. And tune back at noon for an update on Matt's injury. ...No news back from the Seahawks may be good news following a report that Matt injured his non-throwing left hand in last night's game. Expect to hear more about the severity of the break and any limitations the QB may face tomorrow, when Coach Holmgren holds his Wednesday press conference. On a better note, the Seattle Times is reporting that kicker Josh Brown will be named the NFC's Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in last night's Snow Bowl. This is Brownie's second such honor this year. ...KING 5 has learned that Matt Hasselbeck has broken a finger on his left hand. We've placed a call into the Seahawks to confirm the injury, but we haven't received a call back. According to FOXsports.com, the Seahawks Quarterback was suppose to have an MRI on his non-throwing hand. It sounds like it shouldn't affect him too much. But maybe we should see after a game. Can you imagine almost 100 snaps hitting his broken finger? OUCH! Matt is a tough guy, but that'll still hurt. ...That's the opening line, at least. Check out the early odds, here. And in case you've been dealing with too much snow lately, here's a report about the Bronco's starting QB Jay Cutler in place of much-aligned Jake "The Snake" Plummer. Cutler was this year's first round pick for Denver. Now about last night. It's hard to say too much, because the first half was so slick the folks behind me kept joking Qwest field needed a zamboni between quarters. But the Hawks tackling was, again, awful. They'll have to quit using their arms to win at Mile High. Power Rankings? ESPN has the flavor of the month, Dallas, atop Seattle in the NFC, 6 to 8 respectively. For a look at the current playoff picture, right now Seattle is the third seed in the conference, behind the Bears and the Saints. And if you haven't had a chance to read the local articles about the Jekyll and Hyde impersonation by Matt last night, check out this story by the TNT's Dave Boling. ...I think it's safe to say the rust has fallen off of Shaun. Yet again the stud shines in prime time as the RB torches GB for a season-high 201 yards (a career-high 40 carries), against a team that hadn't given up 100 yards to a back this season. Give Matt another week (and less snow) and as the rust falls off, I think there are some very sunny skies ahead for the Seahawks -- heading towards the playoff with a two game lead in the NFC West. And while Jerramy needs to catch the ball, DJ was superb. Other than the turnovers the feel of the game (I have yet to watch it on the DVR) was all Seahawks. It never felt like it was out of reach for Holmgren's crew. And in end, the point spread matched the opening line -- 10 points. One last point, kudos to the special teams. I know the Packers are heavily wounded, sapping at the strength of their special teams. But Nate seemed about to break through every time. Frozen tundra in Seattle? Snow favored the Packers? Welcome back Shaun. Welcome back Mr. MVP. ...The slippery conditions are forcing turnovers all over the place. Just spoke to K5's a.m. weather guru, Rich Marriott. Rich said that fans can expect the temperature to be around 34 degrees come kick-off, with possible snow showers. At the end of the game, the meteorologist said to prepare for temps in the low 30's (possible 20's) with more snow showers. Drive safely, and come early if possible. Check back later in the day at the KING5.com weather section for a more current forecast. ...Or ESPN's MNF. I'll leave the final decision to fans. Some of the prime time tidbits: Mack Strong and Julian Peterson will introduce the starting line-ups. Peterson will be miked-up for the game. The pregame show will have "Coffee with Matt Hasselbeck." Matt takes a tour of Seattle's top coffee houses with former USA soccer standout (current ESPN reporter) Julie Foudy. Also, Comedian Jimmy Kimmel is set to visit the booth. ...If you were too snowed-in to catch Sunday night's Mike Holmgren show (aired here on KING5 right after Sunday Night Football), here are some of the highlights from the interview: Holmgren said Matt Hasselbeck has improved this week. The Pro Bowl QB is not at 100-percent, Holmgren said, but is improving. Holmgren also said Matt will likely be able to avoid a rush when pressed. As far as Bobby Engram, the coach said there has not been much improvement in the WR's health status. Bobby is getting better, but slowly. Matt Hasselbeck also spoke to Paul Silvi on the show. The QB said he was looking forward to MNF and felt his knee was ready to go (and get hit). But Matt said he'd miss C Robbie Tobeck's experience on the field. Lastly, Paul interviewed Grant Wistrom, and asked the DE about the state of the Hawk's D. Wistrom said consistency was key. To improve, the defenders needed to be in their gaps and make the tackle. When asked about Favre, Grant said the Packers QB would make the Hawks defense pay if the players didn't take care of their responsibilites (see gaps and tackles). Thanks to the readers for leaving the Coach a question. Don't forget to Ask Mike a question for next week. Listen for the answer right after the Prime Time game, next Sunday. ...Green Bay Defensive End Aaron Kampman, among the NFL leaders in sacks with 10 this season, suffered a groin injury in practice on Saturday. The Packers are listing him as probable for their game at Seattle on Monday night. Either way, Kapman is banged up and that's good news for the Seahawks. No Seahawks Fone Zone this week, but Brock Huard will join Paul Silvi live on Northwest Sports Tonight (9:30-Northwest Cable News, 10:30 Kong-TV). ...Coach Mike Holmgren confirmed that Matt will start on Monday night vs. Green Bay. However, Center Robbie Tobeck was hospitalized with an abscess in his hip and will not play. He is being treated with antibiotics. Chris Spencer will start in his place. RT Sean Locklear likely is out as well, leaving Ashworth to fill in. Tests for WR Bobby Engram were not good enough to allow him to play. On the Green Bay side, Brett Favre has been practicing and is expected to start. Odds are in for the MNF game, with Seattle the favorite by 9 points. Update: For more on Tobeck's hip abscess, ESPN has an article worth reading. ...Did you know the Seahawks have only beaten one opponent with a winning record this season? That is one reason why Steve Kelley at the Seattle Times believes this year's troubles sit squarely on the broad shoulders of coach Mike Holmgren. Kelley also thinks Boulware needs to reenter the starting lineup, and bring some much needed tackling back to the Hawks D. But before you read the article (and it's worth reading), this week's Power Rankings: Si.com has Seattle slipping to 11th. CBS Sportsline has the Hawks maintaining, at 8th. ESPN has the team in 11th. Oh, and the odds for the GB/Hawks game? Pick 'em. Just like SF. No fooling. ...There is no shortage of drama this year for the Seahawks. So in honor of the late Robert Altman -- a true master of drama-celluloid who passed away today -- here's a few news twists to save from the cutting room floor. The highs: Believe it or not, the Seahawks are still third in the NFC behind the Bears and Giants. They're followed by Carolina and Dallas. Read more about the high stakes in the TNT. The lows: No run defense, shoddy tackling, two many turnovers, and ESPN has Seattle dropping in the spotlight, from 7 to 11 in their Power Rankings. The real drama: Mike Holmgren turns bright green, letting loose a Hulk-like tirade in the locker room after the SF debacle -- even locking out the assistant coaches. A barrage of language he has since apologized to the players about -- although Tatupu tells the Seattle Times the players deserved the lashing. ...From today's press conference: Matt Hasselbeck will start Monday, versus the Green Bay Packers (sounds like Brett Favre will play as well). The offensive line may get a boost, as Robbie Tobeck and Sean Locklear will both likely be back on the field. We'll know more about WR Bobby Engram's status following this week's test results. One last note, ESPN is reporting that Green Bay backup QB Aaron Rodgers is out for the season, after breaking his left foot in the fourth quarter of last Sunday's loss against New England. ...The NFL has flexed its muscles, moving the Sunday Dec. 3rd game to late night - taking the Hawks Prime Time in their matchup versus the Broncos. From NFL.com: The Week 13 Seattle Seahawks-Denver Broncos game on Sunday, Dec. 3, will be played at 8:15 p.m. ET on NBC. The NFL is implementing for the first time this year a "flexible scheduling" element on Sundays in Weeks 10-15 and in Week 17. Flexible scheduling will ensure quality matchups in all NFL Sunday time slots in those weeks and give teams a chance to play their way onto primetime and into the late-afternoon 4:15 p.m. ET time slot on CBS and FOX. ...This weekend further reiterated why football at any level is the best reality TV going. The Huskies win the Apple Cup, Michigan and Ohio State combine for 81 points, and the 49'ers run for over 250 yards and beat the Seahawks, something they had not done since 2002. Ok, I've thought all along that the loss of Matt was more to this team than the loss of Shaun. That statement doesn't hint at who is the better player, but the West Coast offense Mike Holmgren runs needs a general to command it. And everything changes come the playoffs -- look at the Steelers run last year. If the defense can remember how to tackle, the Hawks will do fine and still win the division. The main issue yesterday was not with the offense, it was with the defense. Poor tackling allowed a good RB to have a career day. The Hawks offense (which, when healthy, is the team's strength) had a backup QB who was bound to have a bad day, they lacked Pro Bowler Matt Hasselbeck and Pro Bowl Center Robbie Tobeck. Also unavailable? Last year's leading receiver Bobby Engram. And then there is Shaun, a Pro Bowl MVP, All-Time TD leader and RB in his first game back since breaking his foot. Caution would tell fans not to get too down, not yet. They're still behind the wheel. As long as this team learns how to tackle come playoff time, it'll be a whole new ballgame. Fans should just hope the Hawks get their act together and don't blow too many tires in the next few games. ...There's alot of talk about Shaun, and whether or not he should've played today. Keeping it short and sweet: The Seahawks need Shaun to be on the field, and up to speed, to have the best shot they have to make it far into the playoffs. Shaun will need one, two games under his belt to even start to catch up to the flow of the game. Shaun is last years MVP. Shaun owns the record for most TD's in a season. Now that he is healed, Shaun needs to be on the field and getting his feet under him. The Hawks need Shaun. And so do the fans. ...Before every Seahawk fan jumps off the band-wagon, lets go over a few things. The Seahawks are still in first place, with the Packers and the Cardinals on the near horizon. The Seahawks were missing Matt Hasselbeck, Robbie Tobeck, Bobby Engram and Chris Spencer on Sunday. These are all key pieces to the Seahawks puzzle of success and all are expected too be back very soon. Three interceptions, two lost fumbles and the Hawks still had a chance to win the game with our back-up quarterback. I don't know about you, but I don't fear a 49'er sweep when they come to Seattle on December 14th. As a long-time Seahawks Fan, I understand the frustrations after a brutal loss in San Francisco, but Hawk fans should re-joice in the fact, that the true team leader Matt Hasselbeck is coming back and the NFL's MVP can't do much worse than he did at Monster Park. Glass Half-Full over and out! ...I'm going to keep this short and sweet. Well, sweet for some, sour for others. But here's the deal, if Shaun Alexander is not ready to go physically, mentally, and, most importantly, unselfishly, then he just shouldn't play. I was by no means expecting a 100-plus yard day from the reigning NFL MVP, but I did expect him to be out there for his team before himself. Shaun carried the ball 17 times in his first game back from his foot injury and gained...(drum roll, please)...37 total yards! And before you turn your nose up to that, know that one of those carries was his longest rolling up 16 yards on that single play. So let's look at it that way. Minus that one play, Alexander averaged a yard and a half per carry. On top of that...his performance was against San Francisco who ranks 19th in the league against the run allowing an average of 4.2 yards per carry against, for the most part, average joe's. I'm not 5'11, 225 lbs, and I swear I could at least do that. When Shaun was asked if he felt okay, his response was, yeah, I feel fine...I'm good to go. Well, my question is....why didn't he go anywhere!? Shaun Alexander spoke with KING 5's Paul Silvi after the game. "Our team has always been so talented that we could fall for the trap of not playing fired up in the first half. And I think we learned a valuable lesson playing down," Alexander said. As for his foot, Alexander said the coaching staff wanted to pull him out but he said his foot was doing just fine. But he admitted it took a while to get up to speed. "It's been a while since I got out there and played. It took me the first two quarters to get comfortable," he said. "I try so hard to set this high goals that are almost unthinkable and I think the Seahawks family has got on my page with it now." Well, any team that coughs up the ball that much is almost guaranteed to lose -- barring a miracle. At the end, the Seahawks had a couple of chances handed to them. Too bad they had to climb such a hill. After the game, Seneca Wallace was trying to take all the blame. Sorry, but the loss was a team loss. The backup QB was bound to have a bad game, sooner or later. The defensive tackling in the first half was atrocious. Gore's good. He may be real good, one day. The defenders seemed to be trying to tackle Gore with their arms. And then the penalties: false start, offsides, encroachment -- oh, and Jerramy's only catch was too seconds before a horrible fumble. No flexing that bicep now. And while it's always easy to second guess after the fact, the play calling at times seemed...predictable. Did anyone else want to see Seneca run more? See Mo have a few more carries? The Thursday night game at Qwest against these Niners just got more interesting. ...Four turnovers, key penalties and a lousy run defense cost the Seahawks the game against the 49ers in San Francisco. Seneca Wallace threw three interceptions, and Shaun Alexander was held to just 37 yards on 17 carries. Meanwhile, San Francisco RB Frank Gore racked up 212 yards on 24 carries. Which leads me to bring up the following points: Let us know what you think in comments (below the photos.)  This photo sums up the day. That's Seneca on the right. The Hawks (6-4) are now just one game up over the 49ers (5-5) in the NFC West.  Darrell Jackson hauls in a 41-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.... Late news just before game time from the Seahawks: Shaun Alexander will return, but Matt Hasselbeck will be the third QB, which means he'll only play in an emergency. Seneca Wallace will start. ...Still no word on Matt and Shaun, we'll have to wait until game-time to see if they'll play. I think we'll see Shaun, but seeing Matt would be a surprise. If readers get a chance, don't forget to ask Coach Holmgren a question, to be answered in his show, Ask Mike, which airs here on KING 5 after Sunday Night Football. (Tip: they tape the show directly after the Hawks game, so the earlier you get your questions in the better for our producers) ...The shower of tears following a "hold your breath" finish tells you just how much was riding on this one. The Cougs were in it for more than the Huskies but pride meant just as much to the Dawgs as all the marbles to WSU. If you didn't follow that...here's what I'm talking about. The Cougars had a chance to make their mark with a 3rd straight win for the first time in Apple Cup history. And, on top of that, UW denied the Cougs a 7th win on the season, which would most likely have secured them a bowl game appearance. So, all the kudos to the Dawgs, but for some reason I witnessed more purple tears than crimson and gray. I'm not implying anything...just throwing that out there. But let's get to the meat of the game... ...Coach Mike Holmgren announced after practice today that Shaun Alexander and Matt Hasselbeck will be both game day decisions, on whether they will play Sunday versus the Niners. Both players practiced on Friday. Also of note: Richie Incognito and Issac Bruce of the Rams were fined by the NFL for unsportsmanlike conduct, following the late TD by Steven Jackson. Is it okay to thank Incognito for losing his cool? ...It seems like every week the Hawks face a former player giving the opposing team "secrets" about the playbook. The 49ers are no exception, having Trent Dilfer as a backup QB. But as an article in the TNT points out, the Hawks also have a backup QB with Niners knowledge -- Gibram Hamdan, who tried out for the team after being cut by the Hawks in the preason. Hasselbeck says in the article, "He’s kind of given us a great picture of how they run (their offense)...It’s like having Alex Smith out there telling us what to do." The other byline is stud LB Julian Peterson's return to the Bay. After coming to Seattle in the offseason, the Freak is on pace to be at the top, in sacks all-time, for the Hawks. He also, according to the SF Chronicle, can't stand having to wear the number 59. ...Or Monster Park at Candle...whatever. ESPN's experts are still behind (why they do this on Thursdays kills me -- probably as simple as managing the talent). SI's Peter King is picking the Hawks, although The NFL Guru admits if he had guts, he'd pick the Niners. CBS Sportsline's Accuscore dubs Seattle the winner, 71% of the time (3 for, 3 for the spread in their picks). USA Today is all Hawks, 5 for 5. Odds? Pick em. That close. ...ESPN is reporting that the Seahawks have signed QB Seneca Wallace to a one-year extension. Wallace would have been up for free agency in March. Details were not reelased, but ESPN says that Wallace was given a raise to $700,000 for this season, and the 2007 extension year is worth $800,000. Update: Latest reports have Seneca already under this extention, signed by Wallace before the season began. For those who want more, the TNT's Mike Sando has a breakdown of the deal. ...Coach Holmgren held his Wednesday press conference and here's the latest injury report: D.D. Lewis, doubtful. Shaun, Matt, Bobby Engram, Sean Locklear and Robbie Tobeck, questionable. Rocky Bernard, Kelly Herndon and Jimmy Williams probable. Alexander will practice today. Matt's status for the 49ers game won't be known until Friday. ...Most people who were at Sunday's game probably already know this, but Deion Branch is the father of 5-year-old twin sons who were born prematurely. You'd know this because they aired his public service announcement for the March of Dimes Washington Chapter that aired at Qwest Field before the game. If you haven't seen it, here's a link. ...Now somebody will complain that I am using the language wrong, spreading illiteracy, and I'll have to curtail my desire to tell them that this is a blog (and English is a proper noun and should always be capitalized). But I digress. Odds for this weekend? Too close to call right now, as the opening line is on hold while awaiting word on Shaun and Matt (and Gore's noggin, too--likely). More Power Rankings: Yesterday's readers already know ESPN's. SI.com also has the Hawks moving into seventh place, and even has some nice words about Morris. CBS Sportsline has the team in 8th. Something is in the water at USA Today as they have the Hawks in eleventh, behind the Jags, Cowboys, and Eagles. Huh? If you get a chance, check out how the Playoff Race is forming: Seattle is the number three seed in the NFC, based on a head to head vs. NY. ...Former Seattle Seahawk, Trent Dilfer, is loving life with his new team, the San Francisco 49'ers. The former Seahawk was traded to the 49ers from Cleveland to serve as a mentor to the 2005's Draft's #1 pick Alex Smith. Dilfer brings a wealth of experience to the 49'ers and he also has first-hand knowledge on how to win a Super Bowl. Dilfer says this San Francisco team can beat anyone and they can also lose to anyone on any given Sunday. We may not see Dilfer play on Sunday against the Seahawks, but his presence will be felt on the field through his team leadership. Lets just hope he doesn't give the 49'ers all of the Seahawks secrets. It was sad to see Dilfer leave the Seahawks, but I think his departure has also helped Matt Hasselbeck become the true leader of the Hawks. ...SF Coach Mike Nolan thinks RB Frank Gore will be okay for Sunday's game versus the Hawks. Gore suffered a concussion against the Lions -- a game where the RB ran for 159 yards, including a 61-yard touchdown. He has 831 rushing yards so far, and stopping him will be key for the Hawks to get a win. As far as the 49ers defense, they rank 25th in the league (giving up slightly more yardage per game than St. Louis). One final note: in today's ESPN Power Rankings, the Hawks have moved back into the top ten - landing in the 7th spot, thanks to an all around team effort. And more importantly, just as Matt and Shaun gear up to return. ...Today Hawks coach Mike Holmgren said his two hurting stars, QB Matt Hasselbeck and last year's league MVP Shaun Alexander, have been cleared to practice this week and may appear in Sunday's game versus the suddenly resurgent (and tied for second place in the NFC West) 49ers. Alexander will run some Wednesday (the players are off until then) and doctors will watch his foot to see how he's doing. Both Shaun and Matt need to get in game shape. Matt did some drills today to test his side-to-side motion. Depending on how well his knee improves, he could practice on Friday. And if Hawks fans want to watch it again, the NFL Network is replaying the matchup Tuesday at 5 p.m. and Wednesday at 10 a.m. If you haven't had a chance to see these produced games yet, they're well worth watching. The NFL Network cuts them down to 90 minutes and intermixes soundbites from players and coaches. Another article worth reading is the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's article on the impact of Ram's center Richie Incognito's penalty on the game. Seems some of the Rams think the Hawks should have been flagged. And if you still want more, ESPN's John Clayton breaks down the win, and what Nate thinks of being called a hero. ...We're putting the finishing touches on the Mike Holmgren Show as we speak. Be sure to watch it. Coach Holmgren talks about the great finish, the Deion Branch reverse, Seneca & Mo's performance, Matt Hasselbeck's future, and more. I know it sounds like I'm kissing up to the man, but Coach Holmgren is gold on this show. He is every week. I've heard some horror stories with other coaches shows in different parts of the country. We're lucky to have him. Plus, you'll see Nate Burleson explaining his role on the team and the punt return. Ken "the Hammer" Hamlin sits down with Paul, too. It's shaping up to be a great show. Catch it on KING-5, after Football Night in America. After the show, come back to the Seahawks Blog and let me know what you thought of Coach Holmgren's show. ...Pick your play of the game and Nate's return is hard to beat. But Seneca Wallace running the two minute drill to perfection was a treat to watch. After having a hard time moving the ball, when pressed to action the QB made intelligent decisions and, in my opinion, his pass to DJack sealed the deal. And while the Hawks offense got the job done on that last drive, the defense should be proud of standing up and shutting down the Rams when a stop was needed. And thanks to Mr. Josh Brown. Mr. Josh "Clutch" Brown. Wait, one last thing: a big slapping high five to the coaching staff for deciding to put number 81 back to return punts. Football games come down to a few big plays and Nate Burleson just turned in one of the biggest plays of the Seahawks season. With the Rams leading 16-14 in the 4th quarter, Burleson decides to forget the fair catch and his decision pays off. Burleson who has been criticized for his play in Seattle, turned in a 90 yard punt return which not only gives Seattle a 21-16 lead, but it also woke up the 12th man. Two things about this game stand out, first -- the rain. The sloppy weather has to help the Seahawks, not just in a home-field advantage sense (the Rams play in a dome, after all), but also because the St. Louis defense has been so porous lately (140 yards per game rushing allowed). The fear of Seneca breaking out of the backfield should create issues for the Rams, and open up both the running and passing game (anyone remember the Seahawks running a screen all season?). Second, the Rams have been coughing up thirty-three points a game over the last three games. The Hawks should see the end zone more than once. Here's to hoping Jerramy plays a part of that, steps up and silences the critics. One last note, the Hawks Marcus Tubbs was placed on IR, effectively ending his season. Heading to Qwest soon, won't have anything until after the game. Don't forget to Ask Mike (Holmgren) a question. Our crew interviews him right after the game, to air on the coach's show directly after Sunday Night Football. ...Hawks QB Matt Hasselbeck took reps with the practice squad Friday at practice. November 19th is still the target return date, although Matt concedes he needs to get in better shape. For a quick look at how he did and how Shaun is progressing, check out an article from ESPN. ...I'm still trying to figure out what the new NFL commish is thinking, fining Jerramy. Unless he sees something from a different camera, fining Jerramy is like getting a kid in trouble because the others kids say so--if you get my drift. Where's the proof Stevens did enough to warrant a knee in the groin? From Brayton himself? Sapp's accusations? Shell sticking up for his player? Strange. Jerramy may have let his mouth run, but I couldn't see him attempting to knee Brayton. At least not on the tape I was watching. Onto better things, oddsmakers still have the Seahawks ahead but have dropped the team to 3 point favorites. ESPN's Expert Picks are coming soon, but USA Today is 4 to 2, Hawks. And while the CBS Sportsline's Experts are 5 to 1 Rams, their Accuscore game forecast puts the Seahawks to win 58% of the time. ...Sure the Seahawks defense rallied and had a monster game on Monday night. But it was against the Raiders. The same Oakland Raiders that average an NFL worst 11.5 points per game on offense. The same Oakland Raiders that average an NFL worst 227 yards per game on offense. Let's not get carried away with Monday's shutout. Anytime you can do that in the NFL, it's a big deal, but it was against the Raiders. So that leads me to my point. Seattle's defense will get better soon. Here's how: Shaun Alexander's hopeful return November 19th against the 49ers. ...Today's injury report lists LB D.D. Lewis and DT Marcus Tubbs as out and will miss Sunday's game. RT Sean Locklear is doubtful. WRs Bobby Engram and Nate Burleson, as well as SS Jordan Babineaux, are questionable. Robbie Tobeck is probable. Shaun and Matt will practice later this week, but I'd be shocked if either suited up for the Rams. ...This from the Associated Press: ESPN's telecast of the Seattle Seahawks' 16-0 victory over the Oakland Raiders was the least-watched Monday Night NFL telecast. The game was viewed in 7,587,000 households, according to Nielsen Media Research. The previous low was 8,427,000 households for the St. Louis Rams' 28-21 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on ABC on Oct. 18, 2004. Even with Monday's low viewership, ESPN countered the game had the 10th-biggest audience for a cable program this year. "'Monday Night Football' has been a phenomenal success each and every week," ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz said. "Now, the top 10 most-watched shows in all of cable for 2006 are 'Monday Night Football' games." ...Today the NFL fined Raiders DE Tyler Brayton $25,000 for unnecessary roughness and Seahawks TE Jerramy Stevens $15,000 for unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct in the MNF game. The NFL Director of Football Operations said that while Brayton kneed his opponent in the groin, on the same play, Stevens attempted to kick Brayton in the groin. Additionally mention was made of a second-quarter play, when Stevens head-butted as well as taunted a Raiders player. Brayton released this apology: "I feel like I let a lot of people down. I embarrassed myself, my family, the Raiders organization, the entire NFL," he said. "For that, I apologize. I kind of allowed my personal frustrations and emotions to get the best of me. My actions are inexcusable, provoked or unprovoked. I also apologize to Jerramy Stevens and Seattle Seahawks. Doesn't matter what the situation was, I had no right to do that." ESPN is quoting sources today, saying Tyler Brayton of the Raiders and Jerramy Stevens of the Seahawks will both be fined by the NFL for the kneeing incident. It is assumed Stevens will recieve a smaller fine. If you haven't heard Warren Sapp's reaction, it's worthwhile. "I saw who he was in it with and I knew exactly what it was," Sapp said. "He (Stevens) was laughing and giggling just like that kid that steals a cookie out of the jar...He's a sissy. No more, no less." Holmgren made note that he was going to have a talk with the team about trash-talking. Lastly, a couple more Power Rankings to look at: SI.com has the Seahawks moving into 10th place, and CBS Sportsline has the team moving from 14th to 11th. ...It comes as no real surprise that Mike Holmgren announced in today's press conference that RB Shaun Alexander is unlikely to play this Sunday when the Rams come to Qwest Field. Hints of this move came last week. And while Alexander may practice some this week, he probably won't be in good enough game shape to take the field. QB Matt Hasselbeck may practice later this week, but don't expect Matt to be ready for the Rams, either. While Shaun has taken longer to heal completely than expected, Hasselbeck so far seems to be healing within the original time table set by team doctors. Even without Matt and Shaun, the opening line favors the Seahawks. Odds are putting the Seahawks up by 4 going into the week. As long as the results are in from an early morning test, expect an update about Shaun Alexander's return status in Coach Holmgren's afternoon press conference. Tune into KING5.com for the 2:15 presser, or you can always stream it from Seahawks.com. Don't be shocked if Shaun is out one more week. Also, with a short week ahead, expect the Rams to come out aggressive early in Sunday's game. It looks like the Rams kickoff returner is out for the season with a knee injury. His backup, Kevin Curtis, also has a bruised chest. So the return game could be a wildcard. As far as ESPN's Power Rankings, the Seahawks moved up one, from 13th to 12th. And one last thing, according to the PI, Seneca Wallace's 37 yard scramble tied for second-best among Hawks QBs. The record? Held by Jim Zorn, 41 yards, 1979 versus KC. ...Most of you likely saw Raiders DE Tyler Brayton kneeing Seahawks TE Jerramy Stevens towards the end of the game. Say what you will about the Raiders being dejected or Stevens being a talker -- I believe Coach Mike Holmgren made the right call by not going for it on 4th down, and instead kicking the field goal. The crowd wanted the Seahawks to stuff the ball down the Raiders throats and get a TD. But by not going for it, Mike calmed the players, deflated the tension, and put into place a idea cemented by former Sonics coach Nate McMillian: Respect the Game. As much as it would've been nice to get a TD, the points were the right call. ...The Seahawks attacked Oakland with a balanced attack, 164 passing, 207 rushing --and it worked well. Two backups also did well at the Qwest tonight, QB Seneca Wallace and RB Maurice Morris. And a big thanks to the entire offensive line for wearing down the Oakland defense--which was ninth in the league going into the game. Seneca had 176 passing and 49 yards rushing. And a career day for Mo, who ran for 138 yards. Another note, you can see an obvious connection between Seneca and WR DJ Hackett, who had four catches for 58 yards. ...Well, I'm about to sit down and watch MNF on TiVo. But at the game, the defense was constantly pushing Oakland's QB Andrew Walter backwards. Nine sacks, five in the first quarter--three on consecutive plays. It seemed like the front four was getting a great push, all game. Defensive coordinator John Marshall called a heck of a game plan. Shutting out any NFL team should be held in very high regard--first for the Hawks since beating the Eagles last year on MNF. Oakland had only 185 total yards. They were three for fifteen third down conversions. Ouch. And the D kept the running game under 100 yards (Oakland had 64). Kudos to the defense for bringing it. Ok, before the season started there was all this talk of the Seahawks new concession cuisine, and the hiring of a new company. I'd like to get the fans' take, because I'm still searching for a good meal. So far this season I've had the Misty Isle farms cheeseburger, and, honestly, the meat tasted breaded. The chili cheese french fries were, well, not good. And the Seahawks dog is pale in comparison to the last few years'. We've tried the Thai food, and it was as greasy as could be. The Taco del Mar chicken tacos are the best so far (they were out of beef today by the second quarter), although they could've used more meat. Does it always seem like the food runs out early? The one pretzel we've tried tasted like cardboard. (And I know its stadium food) I'd like to hear what other fans like/dislike -- so I can get a good bite at the Qwest. ...If predictions are correct, the greater Seattle area is set to get a month's worth of rain over these 24 hours. If you want current conditions, check out KING5.com's weather section. If you're heading to the game and need road conditions, DOT cams and the like, click here. There are also alternative ways from driving, like using the Sounder Rail, Amtrak, Metro Park and Ride. Get the details on Seahawks.com. Either way, leave yourself plenty of time to get to Qwest safely. And bring the parka. Last year the stadium handed out free rain poncho's and you can always buy extras at the team store. Heavy, heavy rain can throw a big loop in any game, and if yesterday's strange outcomes are any indiction, this game tonight could easily be close. There was a completely crazy game back in the mid-nineties in KC. If memory serves, Shaun Alexander came in to spell Ricky Watters and the game was suspended for a time due to poor conditions. Here's to hoping the 12th Man brings it. ...As an 8-year old making the trip from Puyallup to the King Dome to watch the Seahawks take on the Raiders, I remember the Raider Nation and the way several of those fans would enjoy taunting Seahawk fans, even 8-year old boys dressed up in their finest Jim Zorn jerseys. Now, the tides have turned and the Raiders are one of the worst teams in the NFL and the Seahawks are still the best in the NFC West. I'm not advising Seahawk fans to taunt the Raider Nation, but it will be sweet redemption and sweet music to my ears to hear the 12th man roaring as the Hawks rekindle an old flame with an old enemy, the Oakland Raiders. PS, No Seahawks Fone Zone this week, but Paul Silvi and Brock Huard will have all the action on Northwest Sports Tonight at 9:30 on NWCN or 10:30 on KONG-TV. ...First, let me say I was less than impressed with the Ducks' fans efforts. After the green and yellow faithful boo'ed the Washington band, even while they were performing the Oregon fight song (seriously! But it was a tribute and I'm sure they were forced to do it.), I didn't catch the bitter and sarcastic criticism and choice words that fans at Autzen Stadium are so known for. Bottomline, I was disappointed and mildly entertained. ...Well, looks like the Boz is showing up on ESPN's Monday Night Football (I also hear there will be a fish throwing contest) as well as an appearance by cast members from Grey's Anatomy. As a Seattleite, I'd feel better without any of the above except the fish. Geez. At least they're not spoofing grunge. What could be less Seattle? How about a guest appearance from Frasier? A monologue on what Metronatural means to you? How would you like the city to be represented? ...Because the Raiders are a lost franchise being driven by an owner who actually looks like a gnarled old pirate. Sorry, enough of slamming the Silver and Black. But right now, given their situation, it's just so easy. I can't help remembering Bo Jackson's return for a TD on MFN, running up the tunnel, and then I think of Boz and my face gets all red and I spit obscenities. But that was the Same Old Seahawks. Different uniforms, different team. Have I thanked Paul Allen lately? But these Raiders do have a great defensive end named Derrick Burgess who is playing out of his mind and worth getting to know. The TNT put together a good article on the DE that's worth the trouble. And for those who still remember the old rivalry, the Times has a couple more worth looking at, including the top ten matchups of all time. One last thing to think about: Eleven teams in the NFC still have a legitmate shot at the playoffs. Nine over in the AFC. And the Raiders ain't one of them. ...On the heels of the poorest defensive performance of the year, I am a little concerned about the Hawks mindset. More specifically, their confidence. Coach Holmgren addressed the defensive woes for much of Wednesday's press conference and pinpointed the biggest trouble being missed assignments. But, by my assessment of the debacle at Arrowhead Stadium, guys aren't wrapping up and tackling (which is an issue that's been getting worse since Week 4 against the Bears). This is the same defense of a year ago. Oh wait, they added Julian Peterson, who by the way, is tied for 6th place in the league with 7 sacks. So, I don't get it. Are the coaches overloading the players with too much material or are the players not studying tendencies and strengths and weaknesses of their opponents? Or, has it come to a confidence issue? ...I saw Stephen King's lecture last night at Benaroya Hall. The horror writer scared me more than these Raiders. Sorry to all the Silver and Black fans who live locally, but the Seahawks could lose Matt, Shaun, Marcus Tubbs, D.D. Lewis, Bobby Engram, have a hobbled Sean Locklear, Darrell Jackson, Floyd Womack, bench Michael Boulware and still win. The Raiders haven't won three games in a row since 2002. Wait, you still doubt me? Even though the game is in Our House? The Raiders have the worst offense in the league and the home team has won the last eight times. QB Andrew Walter (who?) has only made 43 percent of his passes, has thrown nine picks and three touchdowns (while being sacked 28 times). If the 12th Man shows up, this game is over. Quickly, Expert Picks. CBS Sportsline (which picks on the spread) has the Seahawks 4 to 2. USA Today, all Hawks. ESPN's running behind, but they're already leaning to the Hawks. ...Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said today in his press conference that all around lineman Floyd Womack will start at LG Monday against the Raiders, if he gets in a good week of practice. On the other side of the ball, DT Marcus Tubbs is doubtful with lingering issues in his knee. LB D.D. Lewis is also doubtful. WR Engram is questionable, but I'd be surprised to see him on the field. Matt is out, and for anyone holding onto some shred of faith -- so is Shaun. Out of the doghouse with the NFL, Sean Locklear should be back at RT as long as his ankle heals up. Odds you ask? The line still has the Seahawks by 8. ...It's no real surprise the Hawks are tumbling in every Power Ranking out there -- as if the rankings are any real measure of how good a team actually is. As a fan, I think they're there to either boost my fan-ego or simply tick me off. That said, ESPN has the Hawks sliding from 11th to 13th, but butters the blue-faced season ticket holder in me up by talking up the second half schedule. SI.com has the team taking a bigger dump, from 7th to 12th. CBS Sportsline seems more grounded, dropping the Hawks from 13th to 14th. They throw a bone to my fan-ego, conceding the team should still eek on into the playoffs. Whatever. Bring Matt back, Shaun back...and hey, LG Rob Sims looked pretty good in last weeks game. If nothing else, it made Spencer on the sidelines looked like he wanted to rip someone's helmet off. ... |
