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July 2009
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| October 2007During the bye week, Darryl Tapp underwent minor surgery on his right hand. The defensive end is wearing a ginormous enclosed cast. He calls it his club. Tapp will wear a smaller cast for the game Sunday against the Cleveland Browns but he still will not have any use of his hand. He said the biggest challenge is in the running game because he can't use his hands to get to the back or get around blockers. No word yet on how long Tapp will wear the cast but he says he's getting used to it and should be fine for the game. ...This is a warning to all trick-or-treaters, Matt Hasselbeck will be roaming the streets tonight! No..no..not as himself. Matt will be dressed up as the "Burger King Guy." And, of course, he won't be alone. Matt is taking his daughters and son door to door through the neighborhoods. One of his daughters is a mermaid. The other is a football player. I asked him which football player and he said, "I think she's wearing number 8...if she wants any candy she will be." As usual, the media laughed and Matt kept a straight face. Classic. His 2-year old son, Henry, is captain hook. And I'm willing to bet those Hasselbeck kids are going to get their fill of "big" candy bars. Having a Burger King dad with you doesn't hurt! ...Just got back from Holmgren's Wednesday press conference. First, my thoughts and then I'll post the highlights. After listening to the coach and looking at the numbers, the Browns may be more of a challenge than I originally thought. This feels like a game this Hawks should win, especially since it's a 1 pm PST kickoff. And while we all know the old cliche, any team can win any Sunday, the Browns recent winning is due in large part to the big play. Something the Hawks have been susceptible to in recent years. Which means -- in my mind -- this game comes down to the play of the Hawks defense. ...Maybe it is from a narrow-minded quarterback perspective, but keeping Hasselbeck upright and comfortable will be a huge indicator of success in the second half of this season. He has already been sacked 16 times this year, which ranks 21st in the NFL. Particularly alarming, however, is that in the most recent weeks many of those sacks have been crushing blows. It is one thing to be dragged to the turf, it's quite another to be ear-holed and driven into the turf. ...One note I forgot to highlight on 3rd Down Conversions was the fact that in 2005 (not a bad year for the Hawks), the team converted 19 of 19 third and one, or fourth and one, chances. Extending drives, wearing opponents down, and controlling the clock were key components of that Super Bowl team's success, and a lot of that began by dominating third and short. ...A three foot putt should be a whole lot easier than say, a 27 foot putt, right? Well, when it comes to the Seahawks 3rd down conversion rate of the same distances, the answer is no! This season, a lot like last season, 3rd and 1 is turning into a lot of lip-outs and near misses. The Hawks are just 4 of 8 in that down and distance, and just 8 of 19 (42%) from 3 yards or less. Remarkably, from 3rd and 7-9 the Hawks are identical in conversion numbers, 8 of 19 (42%). These short yardage struggles have a lot to do with the Hawks ranking #28 in the entire NFL on 3rd Down conversions. ...If you were giving the Hawks a midseason report, what would the grade be? C? FOX Sports is giving the team a C+. Pollard Update: The TNT is reporting that during surgery, doctors discovered that the Hawks TE has a torn meniscus in his knee. Diagnosis has Pollard out this week, and probable for the 49ers game. And as if things couldn't get worse, the eye-poking G for the Rams, Richie Incognito (rumor has it he jammed a finger into Rocky Bernard's eye at the end of the last game), is likely out for the season (knee). Ouch. Any bets on the Rams not winning a single game this year? ...The Hawks returned to practice today in Kirkland. Well, not all of the team. The Seattle Times is reporting that Matt Hassebeck, Deion Branch, Leonard Weaver, Sean Locklear and Daryl Tapp did not take the field. Expect these guys to practice on Wednesday. Pollard underwent surgery, and is not expected back for the Browns game. ...Yes, you read that title correctly. The 4-3 Browns are favored over the Hawks this Sunday, but only by 1.5 points. You can read more about the oddsmakers' decision, here. Anyone want to bring up Holmgren's record after the bye week? Didn't think so. Two more notes: Spent the weekend in Vancouver, BC and came away very impressed with the amount of visible Seahawks fans (the bellhop admitted a rare weekend in BC -- said he's usually down in Seattle for the Hawks). Also, here is a nice Halloween homage to the Hawks from a West Seattle pumpkin carver--the 12th Pumpkin. And lastly, thumbs up for this week's return of Deion Branch and DJ Hackett. No word yet on Pollard. ...I am just now getting over the Husky Hangover, and could not muster a football blog this weekend. Thus, I will pick up the pace and get the countdown to #1 going. #7: EST will play a critical role in the 2007 Hawks campaign. The trip to Cleveland on Sunday will be the tone-setter for three East Coast trips to follow. Philadelphia, Carolina and Atlanta all linger on the schedule, and though those teams' records may not be daunting now or even when they actually match-up, those 5+ hour flights and time zone changes define daunting. ...Over the next seven days, as I round out the Top Ten and prepare for our next Fone Zone, I will utilize comparisons to the 2005 Seahawks. I do so not to infer this is the same team, but to compare and contrast from a baseline season that took this franchise to the Super Bowl. ...Perusing an AP article about the Hawks, I saw that Matt had to forgo a trip to Disneyland with the wife and kids this week, staying in Kirkland to heal that oblique muscle. Shame. Quick quotes from the article, to satisfy any bye week craving: "The fact is we are leading the division," said coach Mike Holmgren. "I really believe our best football, particularly on offense, is ahead of us," he said. "Our defense is coming. They've shown flashes of being very good, and then sometimes where we can't do much on third downs, things like that." "It's going to get a little tense around here if I don't see some improvement," Holmgren said. The Hawks don't play a team with a winning record until Dec. 16th (Carolina). ...Watch any football game, at any level, and one can quickly surmise how important turnovers are to the game's outcome. As one climbs from Pee-Wee to high school, and up to college and professional football, the number of possessions in a game become more and more precious and critical. If you can win the turnover battle, and give yourself one, two or three more possessions in a game, the oppportunity to win really grows. The 2007 Seahawks are currently +7 in the turnover margin. In the Super Bowl year of 2005, the team ended the season +10. ...With the Hawks DT woes, it's logical for fans to wonder if the recently cut ex-Falcon Grady Jackson is in the minds of management in Kirkland. As the TNT noted, assistant head coach Jim Mora is the perfect candidate to tell Ruskell if the 35-year-old, 350 pounder is worth picking up (last year, Grady led the NFL with 13 tackles for a loss. This season, he has 5 1/2 tackles for a loss, and one sack). Word today has the Titans interested. Grady himself has made it known he'd like to stay in the division. Note: Jackson filed a lawsuit against Atlanta in the off-season, claiming the release of his medical records (the fact he failed a physical last summer) hurt his value as a free agent. The suit was settled before training camp. ...Beginning the Top 10 list, looking back at the first half of the season I felt it appropiate to place Special Teams #10. It has been at times both brilliant and game-changing, and at times frustrating. The brilliance has been the kicking of Josh Brown and the return game of Nate Burleson. Josh is 13 of 14 on the year, and his only miss was a kick that was blocked. Nate is 3rd in the NFL in kickoff return average and changed the Rams game with a 91-yard touchdown return. He also changed the Buccaneer game with a 57-yard punt return and has averaged over ten yards a punt return. ...Over the next ten days, leading up to the Cleveland game a week from Sunday, I thought I'd look back at the first half of the year and preview the second half. In doing so, I thought I would format my own Top Ten List. A list that will showcase areas of the team that need improvement as well as areas where the team needs to maintain and build off their current successes. Expect #10 this afternoon... ...
The Times is reporting that No. 81, Nate Burleson, will be named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week tomorrow. You may remember Nate returning the second half opening kickoff 91 yards for a game-changing TD. Congrats to Nate. Keep those TD wings flapping. ...The debate over Shaun Alexander's worth continues into the bye week. Thanks to Hawker37, here's a look at Shaun's contribution to the team thru '05--and why fans may want to be patient (btw, run blocking continues to be a huge problem). Shaun Alexander franchise records thru '05:
Week 7 Anchor Picks So that leaves Dennis (2) and Jean (2) tied for first and Lori (1) in third. We'll let the anchors take a well deserved week off during the bye, to return to the news department. ...After looking more closely at the Seahawks deficient running game, Mike Holmgren says Shaun Alexander "has been a little unfairly criticized." Holmgren defends his MVP runningback saying, "I'm here to tell you. There's not much there." The problem with the running game lies more in what's ailing the offensive line. "We must improve how we're blocking the run -- assignment-wise, edges, technique, everything -- to give our guys a chance," the coach says. ...The Seahawks have been given the bye week off, but players on the injury list are required to stay in Seattle and work with the training staff on getting healthy. Marcus Pollard is expected to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee either today or tomorrow. The 35-year-old tight end has missed practice the past two weeks with pain in his knee. Recovery from the surgery is expected to take about three weeks. He will probably miss the Cleveland game on November 4th, but should be back for the Monday Night game against San Francisco on November 12th. ...
In the AP photo, Darryl Tapp walks off the field at the end of the game. Tapp broke a bone in the first half and played the second with it wrapped. ...In case you missed the Mike Holmgren Show on KING5, coach Holmgren told Paul Silvi that tight end Marcus Pollard will probably have his knee scoped Monday. Holmgren thinks he needs to get the knee cleaned out. With the bye week, Pollard will probably only miss one game. But then again, he's older (35 years old, if you're wondering). If nothing else, it looked like Hawks TE Will Heller would do fine keeping Pollard's spot warm. Heller caught two touchdowns versus the Rams. ...Matt Hasselbeck didn't have his best game against the Rams, but he was also playing through pain. Mike Holmgren says Matt was injured early in the game and gutted it out. Hasselbeck's injury is an oblique muscle. The QB said he didn't even know he had an oblique. Matt said he didn't think it was serious, and he could have finished the game if asked to. Our NFL insider, Brock Huard, says baseball players usually take a couple weeks to rest after an oblique injury. Hasselbeck says he'll take the rest and the bye week, but he'll be just fine for Cleveland on November 4th. ...
Now we're talking, the Hawks defense obliterated the Rams at Qwest: 2 fumbles, 3 interceptions and 7 sacks (4 of them by Darryl Tapp, who also forced a fumble.) Other standouts: Burleson ran back a kickoff for a TD, Josh Brown was four of four, and Heller grabbed both of Hasselbeck's touchdown passes. Justin will be back from the game shortly, but in the meantime, I'll just point out that Alexander didn't have that breakout game he was hoping for: 19 carries for 47 yards and no touchdowns. In fact, Morris had 42 yards on 10 carries. Hmmm. ...We're looking better than last week, but the game is still too close for comfort, especially playing one of the worst teams in the NFL. And I don't know about you, but watching Matt nurse those sore ribs on the slideline is making me a little nervous. He started off hot, and now he's 13 of 25 for 145 yards. Alexander is 11 carries for 35 yards. The defense is doing a tremendous job so far: Bulger is 2 of 10 and the Rams have just 34 yards rushing. ...Just got an e-mail from our executive sports producer, Tony White, about today's inactives against the Rams. Looks like D.J. Hackett's ankle is still a little too sore yet. WR D.J. HACKETT Heading to the game soon. Questions loom: Which Shaun will show? Will DJ Hackett play? How badly hurt is the limping TE Pollard? Can Weaver find his guy, and block effectively for no. 37? And on D, Mebane has to step in. Rocky Bernard is hurting. CB Josh Wilson is hobbled, too. But as Hawks fans know, the Rams are even more hurt. Stephen Jackson is out. QB Bulger (ribs) should be. Holt, Bruce and Looker are all gimpy. If the Hawks win this one, they'll have the same record as last year at this time. Go Hawks. ...The drill: If you have a question for the coach, post it in the comments below with your first name and the city where you live. Then watch The Mike Holmgren Show on KING5, directly following Sunday Night Football. Be sure to get your question in during Sunday's contest against the Rams, to give the K5 sports producers time to get the question to Paul Silvi. ...Time for week seven's KING5 Anchor Picks. After last Sunday's stinker (no one picked the Saints), Jean Enersen is still in the lead with two correct predictions. Dennis Bounds and Lori Matsukawa are both tied with one. Week 7 Anchor Picks As far as the national experts, ESPN is picking the Seahawks, CBS Sportsline is 50-50 with the spread, and USA Today is all Hawks. The line has the Hawks by 8.5 with an O/U of 39. ...
For those who hadn't heard, Hawks practice was held early today due to the storm. The Seattle Times is reporting that Rocky Bernard (groin) and Marcus Pollard (knee) did not practice. Reports also have DJ Hackett still recovering. It's unknown if the WR will play this Sunday. As far as the Rams , Dante Hall is likely out, and Leonard Little did not practice. RB Steven Jackson was limited. WR's Holt, Bruce and Dane Looker all practiced. ...Remember the camera that almost hit Matt, and then Bobby, on Sunday? The operator says the camera stopped functioning correctly...because of the 12th Man. Cable Cam, the California-based contractor, said the operator of the motor that powers one of three axes on which the cable runs failed to turn on the switch. The operator then didn't hear the crew's yells to turn on the motor over the noise of the crowd at Qwest Field. So gravity won. To read more about the incident, and Sunday Night Football's apology for airing Holmgren's play sheet during the game, read this AP article. ...Deion Branch and T Ray Willis are still out, and Rocky Bernard and TE Marcus Pollard did not participate in practice today. DJ Hackett did, but was limited. Rams wideouts Drew Bennett, Dante Hall, and Torry Holt (knee) did not practice. Neither did Leonard Little (toe), and C Brett Romberg. Isaac Bruce (hamstring), Steven Jackson (groin), and Dane Looker were limited. ...Just got back from Wednesday's Mike Holmgren press conference at Hawks headquarters. Some highlights: First, the injury report: DJ Hackett should be back Sunday and Deion Branch is still set to be back after the bye-week. Holmgren stressed he needed to get out of the gates quicker (sound familiar?). When asked about the play calling, Coach said he was only disappointed with the second to last play in the game -- a draw. As Holmgren said, "I'm going to keep calling the plays and work my way out of this." He added they want to eliminate what they're doing wrong as a team and "Forget about the opponents a little bit." Mike also said the players may not get the bye-week off. Keep reading for more notes, including thoughts on Weaver and the defense. ...The commish reinstated former Seahawk receiver Koren Robinson. K-Rob is eligible to play for the Packers right now, if they want to activate him. Robinson served a one-year suspension from the NFL on the heels of a DUI bust in Minnesota. The suspension was part of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's tough love to any rule breakers. Apparently, quarterback Brett Favre was stumping for his return. ...
In the AP photo, Ravens LB Terrell Suggs deflects a pass by Rams QB Frerotte. The Ravens won 22-3. ...The Seahawks signed DT Howard Green today, filling the void left behind by the season-ending injury to Chuck Darby. According to ESPN, Green was released by the Vikings last September. Green played with the Saints, after being drafted in 2002 by the Texans. ...At Marcus Trufant's bowling and billiards charity tournament on Monday night, I had the chance to sit down with many of the Seahawks and get their thoughts on a couple of frustrating weeks. Hawks defensive end Patrick Kerney told me, "I wish I could play tonight. It's never easy to sit back after you lose a game like we did to Pittsburgh and New Orleans, but it's just a bump in the road. We have some things to fix. We need to come out strong this week in practice, play St. Louis tough, and then get healed up during the bye week." ...Losing Deion, DJ and Mack Strong obviously hurt the Seahawks offense. Losing Tubbs and now Darby will do the same to the Hawk's D. Even with Darby, the pass rush was non-existent Sunday and Bush ran at will. So how can the Hawks get to the opposing QBs? That worry is covered in an article at the Seattle Times. And at the TNT, how losing Darby hurts even more in the locker room -- the "Mack Strong" of the defense. Two other quick notes, the Rams Bulger says he'll play hurt this weekend, as the Cards Kurt Warner reveals he has ligament damage in his left elbow. ...Anyone catch the over-the-shoulder-shot of Mike Holmgren's "Seattle Seahawks Offensive Game Plan" sheet last night? The shot airs about 3:50 to go in the first half. The Seahawks are reportedly miffed at NBC for showing Mike's play sheet. I just rewound the DVR, and yep -- you can see the plays pretty darn clearly on a 42" plasma. Some of the terminology is complicated, but you can see how many plays there are for Seneca, base running plays, passes, screens, goal line, red zone, etc. The K5 news dept is doing this story right now, you can catch more tonight at five pm. ...The injuries keep piling up. Defensive tackle Chuck Darby will have season ending knee surgery soon. Darby torn his patellar tendon on his right knee on Sunday. It happened in the 4th quarter on a screen pass to Aaron Stecker. The injury should take about six months to heal. DT Brandon Mebane is scheduled to take his spot in the starting lineup. ...Plenty of blame to over-throw this Monday morning. And plenty for Mike Holmgren to fix, as is his responsibility for getting paid around $8-million a year. As Boling at the TNT puts it: Fix it, Holmgren -- this one's on you. Is there a way to get Shaun's attention other than benching the RB? What's wrong, Shaun? is over at the Seattle Times and Alexander hears boos as Seahawks lose second dud in a row is at the PI. The quote of the night from Alexander: "I just think they're (fans) feeling the same thing we all feel," Alexander said. "They want to see the four-touchdown and 200-yard games." ...What doomed the Hawks in this spanking? Poor coaching, second week in a row? (see: Seahawks failure to kick a field goal on 4th down with under a minute to play -- uh, what? Wasn't it all about the onside kick, anyway?) Or the fabled, third and so many yards, run Shaun up the middle for no gain? (Boy, the boo-birds were out every time 37 touched the ball. The RB really looked a step-or-three slower than two years ago). Or how about the "don't-pick-up-the-blitzing-Saints-safety" on third and we-really-need-this. Fans knew the Hawks' WRs were going to be out of sync, no DJ no Deion. But I expected something different out of the Hawks backfield. Re: the D? I don't know why the Hawks D is getting picked apart on third and a gazillion. Sure, the Saints were picking on Jennings. But what about a pass rush? The sad part? The Hawks are still tied for first in the division, which leaves the fans likely seeing the same old next week. Third and five, up the middle. ...We just gave the Saints their first victory of the year -- on national television -- and it's safe to say the Seahawks are in a terrible, embarrassing slide. Even the home crowd at Qwest Field booed the Hawks several times (and NBC's Al Michaels and John Madden openly questioned Holmgren's calls. Ouch.) Alexander had just 35 yards. Justin will be back from the game shortly to post his painful analysis. In the meantime, leave your thoughts and rants below... ...Did you see it? NBC's overhead camera fell during the first quarter, nearly hitting Bobby Engram as he was walking to the sideline. The game was delayed 10 minutes, and then when the camera returned -- zooming overhead on those wires -- nobody on the Seahawks sideline wanted to stand underneath it. Then the ref said, "If any live ball were to touch the wires overhead, there will be a replay of the down, by rule." That's reassuring. Unbelievable. ...KING 5's sports anchor Lisa Gangel just told me that Mack Strong will raise the 12th Man flag. That's a nice move by the organization that got 13 tough seasons from Strong. The fullback is out for the rest of the season and plans to retire due to a neck injury. Here's hoping Leonard Weaver is able to step up and fill Mack's shoes. ...Have a question for Coach Holmgren you'd like asked immediately following NBC's Sunday Night Football? Then post it in the comments below -- before or during the game -- with your first name and the city where you live. Then make sure to catch The Mike Holmgren Show on KING5, directly following SNF with Al and John. Be sure to get your question in during Sunday's match-up against the Saints, to give the K5 sports producers time to get the question to Paul Silvi. ...Time for week six's KING5 Anchor Picks--primetime. For those who don't know, Jean Enersen is in the lead with two correct predictions. Dennis and Lori are tied with one. Last week, Lori was correct in picking the Steelers. Without further ado: Week 6 Anchor Picks
The Seattle Times is reporting that Hawks TE Marcus Pollard (knee) did not practice on Thursday, same as Wednesday. Not good news, given the WR situation. For the second straight day, DT Rocky Bernard also sat out. One good note, reports say CB Josh Wilson did practice. ...SNF. Is there anything better? Seahawks, primetime, with Al and John? (anyone else agree Sunday Night Football feels like ESPN's MNF used to? I mean, what did Christian Slater have to do with Seattle?). Okay, quickly - picks. Oddsmakers have the Hawks by 6.5. In the national spotlight, early on, ESPN is leaning towards Hawks. CBS Sportsline (and they pick based on the spread) are 5 Hawks, 1 Saints. And finally at USA Today -- all Hawks. Look for the KING5 Anchor Picks tomorrow. Jean has the lead. Can she fend off Dennis and Lori, who both trail by one? ...Mack Strong's 15-year NFL career (all played with Seattle) may have come to a close after suffering a neck injury in Sunday's loss to Pittsburgh, but he's not leaving the team all together. Mack told Mike Holmgren he's got a lot invested in this team..our team right now...so he wants to stay and be involved in some way, some how. ...The Seattle Times is reporting that Bobby Engram will start in place of the injured Deion Branch. Also, Rocky Bernard and TE Marcus Pollard (knee) did not practice. There is also word that CB Josh Wilson suited up, but was limited. Also, long-snapper Jared Retkofsky was let go from the practice squad, his slot taken by LB Cameron Jensen. ...Before I get to news from today's press conference with Mike Holmgren, here are the roster moves made by the Seahawks: Mack Strong was placed on IR, and the Hawks signed veteran FB Fred McCrary. Derek Rackley was released and long snapper Boone Stutz was signed. Lenonard Weaver will remain as the starting FB, although Holmgren said McCrary will see time in the game Sunday. For more from today's presser, including Mike's thoughts on the running and passing game (and Reggie Bush), follow the link below. ...Some quick Hawk notes before I head out to today's noon press conference (you can catch the presser live at Seahawks.com): Lisa Gangel announced that the Hawks released long-snapper Derek Rackley, which would move Jared Retkofsky up from the practice squad. Also, Blabbermouth.net is reporting that Queensryche frontman Geoff Tate will perform the national anthem this Sunday at Qwest Field. The game will be aired right here on KING5, on NBC Sunday Night Football. Visit SNF's amped-up site if you get a chance (just turn the volume down, so the boss doesn't freak out). ...Slow news day, so I thought we'd take a look at power rankings. No surprise that the Hawks are falling. ESPN has the Hawks at 10th (last week 5th). CBS Sportsline has the team tumbling to 15th (behind the Texans). USA Today, 9th (5th). Also, some NFC West news of note as the Cards pick up ex-49er QB Tim Rattay after Leinart (broken collarbone) was placed on IR, ending his season. And the Rams reported the team will wait until season's end to decide coach Linehan's future with the team. ...The opening line has Seattle as a 7-point favorite over the 0-4 Saints. While there is not much more I can say about Mack, we can look at the Hawks' running game. Weaver will start as the FB. Holmgren said yesterday he is happy with Weaver's improvement. The coach also said Maurice Morris will get more carries in Sunday's game. As far as the Saints, the team is holding tryouts for a new kicker. Olindo Mare missed two field goals in Sunday 16-13 loss to Carolina. Mike Vanderjagt and Martin Gramatica names are in the mix. You can read more about the Saints woes at the Times-Picayune. ...
"I've played a long time, 15 years. I felt like I was pretty lucky, pretty blessed." "I'm a fullback. That kind of goes with the territory, you are always going to have some kind of pain or injury that you have to push through. At the same time, I want to be smart. I don't want to do anything that would jeopardize my long-term quality of health. ...Mack Strong said in a press conference this afternoon that Sunday's injury (a herniated disk is pinching his spinal cord in his neck) was the sign that it's time to end his 15-year NFL career. The FB for the Seattle Seahawks had tingling in his left arm when he woke up on Sunday and after taking a hit in the game, had numbness in his hands and legs. The TNT is reporting that Strong will not need surgery. You can also read more at the Seattle Times. Hats off to a great Seahawk. Just heard this over the radio: In today's press briefing, Mike Holmgren announced that fullback Mack Strong is done for the year. The 36-year-old FB suffered a neck injury in yesterday's loss that may require surgery. Given his age, it may be the end of Strong's career. Let's hope not. It was also reported that WR Deion Branch has a foot sprain and will probably not return until after the bye-week (Oct. 28th is the bye). ...
Anchor Picks Week 5 With Lori winning week 5, Mats moves into a tie with Dennis for second place. Jean Enersen is in the lead, with two correct predictions. Next up, the Saints. Right here on KING5. ...
It's been a while since the Seahawks have had an offensive output with so little yardage. I'll never question the effort of this team, but the execution was flat out tough to watch. ...Poor running and awful offense dooms the Seahawks as the team gets outplayed by the Steelers. Final score, Seahawks 0 Steelers 21. Ouch. If you want to pour some salt into the wound, the game blog is below. The defense worked hard, but the offense coughed up an ugly one. The Hawks get no points on the board for the first time, according to Fox, since 2000. Pro Bowlers S Troy Polamalu and nose tackle Casey Hampton will not play for the Steelers in today's game. Chris Hoke will start for Hampton and Anthony Smith for Polamalu. As expected, Pro Bowler WR Hines Ward is also inactive. All of Seattle's Pro Bowlers will play, and Maurice Morris and Rocky Bernard are also active. ...Have a question for Coach Holmgren? Then post it in the comments below, with your first name and the city where you live. Then catch The Mike Holmgren Show on KING5, directly following Sunday Night Football. And be sure to get your question in during Sunday's match-up against the Steelers, so the K5 sports producers have time to get the question to Coach. ...
It's Friday, which means it's time for this week's KING5 Anchor Picks. Jean is currently in the lead with two wins (49ers, Bengals), followed by Dennis with one (Bucs) and Lori is still looking for numero uno. This go-around, Enersen and Bounds are going Hawks, while Matsukawa is predicting the Steelers will prevail. Anchor Picks Week 5
Jeff Renner's forecast for Sunday's game: "If you're headed to Pittsburgh to see the Seahawks take on the Steelers...take your shorts, sandals and sunscreen. It's going to be unseasonably warm. Expect mostly sunny skies at the 10 a.m. kick off, with temperatures running in the low to mid 70's. Those should warm to the upper 70's to near 80 by half-time and the low to mid 80's by the time the final whistle is blown." - Jeff ...The Seattle Times is reporting that Rocky Bernard was back at practice today in Kirkland, while backup RB Maurice Morris was not. For the Steelers, DT Casey Hampton, S Troy Polamalu and WR Hines Ward didn't practice. Starting to feel like injuries may play a role in this game. Glancing around the NFC West, the Rams will not have four key players for their game versus the Cards (Bulger has been benched, mind you). G Adam Goldberg, RB Steven Jackson, WR Dane Looker and LB Raonall Smith are out. Oh yeah, and Isaac Bruce and S Corey Chavous are questionable. ...No love for the Seahawks this week. The national experts are having their say and most all are picking the Steelers to win. The oddsmakers have the Steelers by six. Pittsburgh's D is that good, and the Hawks have never been great on the road, especially for 10 a.m. games. But this team sure feels like its about to take the next step, doesn't it? The Hawks need to win a game like this, on the road, to be considered legit. ESPN(so far), all but one for the Steelers. CBS Sportsline? Same, all but one Steelers. USA Today? You guessed it--Steelers. Jean, Dennis and Lori's K5 Anchor Picks will post tomorrow. ...
Unrestricted free agents have freedom and that didn't settle well with Holmgren. He says all players want to "feel appreciated" and "needed and respected and all that stuff." And who can blame them. But the possibility that the "grass is greener" somewhere else sparked memories in Holmgren from his days as a car salesman. ...How many Hawks fans are still fuming about the Super Bowl loss to the Steelers? Want some gasoline to throw on the fire? Here you go (via the AP) from Steelers players about the game and Mike Holmgren's past anger at the officiating: From Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger: "Wow," he said, "they're still talking about that, huh?" "It doesn't bother me," said nose tackle Casey Hampton. "We've got a ring. They can be mad all they want to, we still got the ring. At the end of the day when you look at the record books, it's not going to say nothing about them crying. It says 'Steelers, Super Bowl champs,' and that's all that matters."
Rocky Bernard (ankle) did not practice with the team today. Also not participating for the Hawks was CB Josh Wilson, TE Ben Joppru and LB Will Herring. For the Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger was limited in practice, and S Troy Polamalu (abdomen) and WR Hines Ward (knee) didn't see the field. Same for DT Casey Hampton, LB Clint Kriewaldt, and CB Bryant McFadden. ...Just got back from Holmgren's Wednesday presser. Special teams and offensive line miscues are keys points heading into the Steelers game. When asked if the Super Bowl hangover would be felt by his players, Holmgren said, "New season, new team, new game." Although he'd like to rectify the situation at some point. Coach also said the game could get kind of ugly if Matt isn't prepared. On the flip side, when speaking about Matt... keep reading for more on today's press conference ...Former Seahawks Jerramy Stevens could be going to jail. An Arizona judge gave him 12 days in jail, plus a fine. The Bucs tight end will appeal the sentence. I'm guessing so he won't have to serve it during the season. Stevens was busted for a DUI back in March. I'm sure some sort of punishment will be doled out by the NFL, as well. The Commish has no tolerance for bad behavior. ...Arizona: Matt Leinart needs to return to L.A. At this time, he's more soap opera, less football player. He's backing off his "ride or die" comment. He's following all the rage of saying his comments were taken out of context. Paging Hope Solo. AZHubsports.com has a funny look at potential movie posters for Leinart. WR Anquan Boldin could return to practice this week. He's had hip problems. ...According to the Associated Press, Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and nose tackle Casey Hampton will likely play Sunday. Both left the Cards game with injuries. No news on four-time Pro Bowl WR Hines Ward (knee). Rookie TE Matt Spaeth, who missed two games with bruised quadriceps, is also expected to play. CB Bryant McFadden (ankle) isn't. ...The PI and the TNT are both reporting that the Hawks moved injured RB Pearman to the IR today and signed long snapper Jared Retkofsky to the practice squad (after the blocked punt, the move makes sense). With today's release of LB Cameron Jensen, CB Kevin Hobbs was moved up, and T Kyle Williams took the open practice squad slot. ...The opening line is out, and the Seahawks are underdogs to the Steelers by 6 points. Not surprising. A quick glance at national Power Rankings: Did you see ESPN's title for this weeks' rankings? Seahawks best of the one-loss teams. They have the Hawks sliding up to fifth (seventh), behind GB, Dallas, Colts and Pats. Wait a second. Three NFC teams in the top five? Glancing at CBS Sportsline, their ranking has Seattle sixth (eighth) with the Steelers in fifth. ...No, it's not a new Russell Crowe movie. But a fine story told by coach Mike Holmgren during Monday's presser. One day, Mike thought someone on the sideline was trying to steal a helmet. That's when he found out the stranger was guarding one of two helmets designated for Seneca. Wallace needs one with a radio in it, in case he plays QB. He also needs a helmet without a radio, in case he plays another position. The NFL doesn't allow anyone to wear a helmet fitted with a radio, unless they are the QB. ...After evaluating the first four games of the season, Mike Holmgren gives his team a "B". The Hawks are 3-1 and in first place in the NFC West. But Holmgren is not happy with the running game. The Hawks gained just 93 yards on the ground in Sunday's win over the 49ers. ...Jean Enersen pulled of a win in week four of the K5 Anchor Picks, being the closest to the actual point differential. Here's how the predictions went: Anchor Picks Week 4 As we all know, the Hawks won, 23-3. So Jean takes the lead with two correct picks so far (Bengals, 49ers), Dennis is in second with one (Tampa Bay) and Lori is trailing. No one picked the Hawks to lose to the Cards. Next up, the dreaded Steelers. We'll see the opening line tomorrow. ...The injury the Hawks Alvin Pearman sustained (knee) in the SF game will end the RB's season. Also of note, the Seattle Times is reporting that T Ray Willis (sprained knee) will be out around six weeks and CB Josh Wilson (ankle) one or two. 49ers QB Alex Smith won't need surgery and is out at least next week, maybe longer. You can read more on his injury, here. And you can read more about Sunday's match-up with the Steelers at MSNBC. ...An observation about the Seahawks defense: the players are KO-ing the opposing team. Case in point: Game One, Tampa Bay. Jeff Garcia and Cadillac Williams are both taken off the field after hard tackles. Then yesterday, Rocky Bernard lays down the law and Alex Smith and the 49ers never recovered. I don't know if the Cards O-line is that good (they may be, right now the Cards are the only threat in the NFC West) or the Seahawks defensive mindset was different against Arizona. Whatever the case, the Hawks defense is certainly fun to watch. Yesterday's stats: Six sacks. Two interceptions. Five forced fumbles (one recovered) Niners: 1.9 yards/pass. Held Gore to 79 yards. 184 yards, net. No TDs. ... |
Since we're in the middle of the slow news bye-week, I thought I'd take a quick look at the high-priced off-season addition of 
Closest to the correct spread of the 33-6 Seahawks win over the Rams, KING5 anchor Dennis Bounds wins week seven.
This morning, Coach Holmgren announced that the Seahawks players will get the bye week off, following the win against the Rams. Last week, Holmgren hinted at possibly keeping the players in Kirkland to work on some things during the time off. Coaches will also get a few days off. The Seattle Times is reporting that Holmgren plans to head to warmer weather, in Arizona. One last note: Tapp's four sacks tied a Seahawks record.
Say what you will about the Rams' inefficiency, but the Hawks defense brought their game to Qwest today. Seven sacks. Two fumbles recovered. Three interceptions. Sack-o-rama. The Inner Fan gives it up to Bulger for playing hurt. And for the Hawks, the bye-week couldn't come at a better time. 4-3 and leading the NFC West. With all the boo-boos the Hawks have sustained, I'll take it. Go Hawks. Go get healthy.
"A warm front could brush Qwest Field Sunday afternoon. At this point it looks likely enough that I'll call for mostly cloudy skies with about a 70 percent chance of rain by kick off. Temperatures should be in the low 50's, possibly warming into the mid 50's by the second half. Dress warm, bring rain gear, and your best cheers." - Jeff
These quotes come from Mack Strong's emotional address to the media today. A career that began as an undrafted free agent out of Georgia in 1993:
Some quick housekeeping, as Lori Matsukawa was the only KING5 anchor to choose the Steelers last week (reluctantly, she told me). Here were the picks:
In the second half, the Steelers' time of possession was 24:53 to 5:07. Hasselbeck was 13-of-27 for 116 yards. Alexander gained 25 yards on 11 carries. Bizarre clock management. Seattle completed two passes in the second half, against a Steelers defense missing two injured Pro Bowlers. When the Steelers rushed three and dropped everyone else back to cover the pass--the Hawks couldn't figure it out. And even though they gave up the big third downs, it's still hard to blame the defense. Okay, done. No more talking about that game. Check back, we'll know more about Deion Branch's injury this afternoon.
ESPN is reporting that Steelers' WR Hines Ward will not play this Sunday versus the Seahawks because of his sprained knee. It'll be Wards' second missed game, after previosuly missing only four in his career. WR 
Wide receiver Bobby Engram finished the 2006 season as an unrestricted free agent. Mike Holmgren says Engram "was looking at some things" and "once he was out the door, I got nervous." 