Last Year:
Mike Holmgren and Seattle will be going on their fifth date this year and this is the date that will make or break the relationship. After the first date, sparks flew and everyone was happy as Seattle made the playoffs for the first since 1988 and won its first playoff game since 1984 but their success has declined since then. The Holmgren era in Seattle hasn?t been too bad, but the Seahawks franchise expected more than a compiled 31 ? 33 record from a coach who has a career .669 winning percentage and 4 Super Bowl appearances. Last year the Seahawks got off to a disgraceful 1 ? 5 start and couldn?t accomplish anything until the late stages of the season. The loss of starting QB Trent Dilfer hurt but this team?s inability to run the ball in the early stages of the year is what really killed them. Backup QB Matt Hassleback caught on fire near the end of the season and finally showed signs of developing into what Mike Holmgren originally thought he would be. A team that is once again highly touted to be a sleeper team still has a lot to prove before they establish themselves into a team to be reckoned with.
What we learned from Last Year:
Anyone who watched this team last year will tell you that the only thing they are missing is solid consistent play from their quarterback to get their offense going but I would beg to differ. Shaun Alexander is a very good running back but Seattle had a very tough time getting steady yards out of him last year. He is supposed to be their main weapon but if you skip a week 4 performance, Alexander only reached 100 yards again in week 11. In that span he averaged only 3.08 yards per carry which is far less than they need from him. Pro-Bowl lineman Walter Jones took a while to sign a contract last year and that may have been part of the problem but anyway you look at it they have to get better production out of Shaun Alexander.
Now on to the main focus of media attention on this team: Is Matt Hassleback a legitimate quarterback in the NFL? Well he?s had the job and botched it before, but on the other hand that was his first kick at the can, and most QB?s are not successful in their first year starting. When he was thrown in the frying pan last year after Trent Dilfer was injured he couldn?t accomplish anything, but maybe part of the problem was because Shaun Alexander couldn?t get anything going either?
Was Shaun Alexander more successful in the late stages of last year because:
(a) Matt Hassleback appeared to be developing into a solid quarterback and teams could no longer focus on Seattle?s running game?
(b) Seattle benefited from an easier schedule in its last few games?
(c) Shaun Alexander as well as the whole offense only performs when there is no pressure on?
Was Matt Hassleback more successful in the late stages of last year because:
(a) Shaun Alexander?s ability to run the ball opened more passing lanes and gave Matt more time to throw?
(b) Seattle benefited from an easier schedule in its last few games?
(c) Matt Hassleback only performs well when there is no pressure on?
What came first the chicken or the egg?
Although Seattle seemed to be on fire offensively in its last six games they only finished 4 - 2 in that span and the stats may be misleading. Cutout the one game against a solid defense to Philadelphia and Hassleback?s numbers look even better. Let?s look at who this team faced during their ?hot-streak?:
KC ? They won a huge shootout at home. Impressive offensive numbers, just ugly defensive numbers. Keep in mind KC ranked dead last in the league defensively.
SF ? Got a lot of yards, but not enough points against a middle-of-the-pack defense. SF was leading 31 ? 10 before Seattle made a late run to make the stat sheet look nice.
ATL ? Tore up a team that was really struggling at this point of the year. Atlanta had a bad rush defence which Seattle took advantage of and then finished them off with the passing game. Seattle was down 17 ? 7 at the half before make a second half run.
STL ? Beating a Marc Bulger and Kurt Warner-less Rams team. Need I say anymore?
SD ? A team that faltered in the second half of the season and in the second half of most of its games. Seattle racked up 21 points in the fourth quarter; most likely at the same time that San Diego thought they had this baby wrapped up.
The common theme is that Hassleback cannot perform when there is something to play for. Most of his points and yards come against either weak defenses or against teams when Seattle is so far behind in the second half of their games. In addition to the fact that this guy can?t play when there is pressure on he will have to Trent Dilfer breathing down his neck for the starting job. Although Holmgren believes Hassleback has more potential he knows that Dilfer can give this team wins and he won?t hesitate to yank Matt this year knowing that his own job is on the line.
Last but not least how could we forget about this embarrassing defence? To be honest, this defense is not that bad, but all of its faults stem from an awful defensive line. These guys couldn?t pressure Matt Hassleback! Opposing quarterbacks had a better chance at winning the lottery than getting sacked. Seattle ranked 27th in sacks last year only collecting 28 in total. To explain this layman?s terms it means that teams could run the ball all day on Seattle which in turn means that Seattle had to use more defensive players to protect against the run. After that, opponents can then pick their spots to pass the ball where they will usually only face man-to-man coverage. Play action passes work fairly well against teams like Seattle. The defense was nothing near respectable, and they will need to turn it around pretty quick if they want to get a whiff of the playoffs this year.
What has changed?:
Numerous changes have been made on this team, and rightfully so. Mike Holmgren has been limited to only head coach so he can strictly focus on doing that. Hard to say how much of an impact this will have. I don?t think many of this teams faults were from coaching last year, but it should allow Mike to spend more time on figuring out a way for this team to succeed.
Next we have Ray Rhodes in as defensive coordinator. The good thing about this move is that they scrapped last year?s defensive scheme and will try a new one this year. That doesn?t mean it will be successful, but judging from last year?s results I would throw that scheme in the garbage as well.
The biggest problem on this team was their defensive line but to focus more on their secondary in the off-season. I was surprised to see Seattle draft a cornerback, Marcus Trufant, with their first pick when they have three pretty decent guys in their secondary already. Maybe they want to groom Trufant as a future replacement of Shaun Springs, but what about getting help for the present? Besides adding Norman Hand, a guy who is known for weight and attitude problems, and Chike Okeafor, an ok lineman from San Francisco, Seattle hasn?t done too much to improve it?s line. I guess the thinking is that the defense has enough talent, but was just nipped by injuries last year. They missed Jon Randle, Lamar King and Anthony Simmons all for extended periods of time which was definitely noticed. Now throw in Norman Hand (when he?s focused he is a pretty good run stopper) and a bulked up Chad Eaton and the line should be much better right? Well, it should be better, but it is still very weak. They lack playmakers on this line even though they could have acquired one through the draft. It is still the Achilles heal of this defense. They will gamble more by blitzing linebackers consistently just to get pressure. Some times it will pay off, other times they will get burned. Besides the line this team has a pretty good defense but you probably won?t see it unless they find a way to get to the quarterback.
So the defense is still inadequate, what about the offense? Has Matt Hassleback changed? He?s bulked up, added muscle makes smarter decision, the coach is raving about him, he?s having a great training camp, bla, bla, bla, bla, bla. We?ve heard it all before. I don?t care if his passes look faster than the new Ferrari Enzo and he looks stronger than Mr. Universe, until I see this guy win games against solid teams I won?t believe it. He has the tools to succeed but obviously he has a weak mind and has to learn to play when he is pressured. Teams don?t believe what they saw at the end of last season from him, and they will still force Seattle to pass more than they rush the ball. Koren Robinson and Darrell Jackson can really thrive in this West-Coast offense but will they score points in the first half? Will this team always be playing from behind? Trent Dilfer isn?t healthy enough to play yet, but he will be in the back of Hassleback?s mind. He has had a very tough off-season recovering from a torn Achilles tendon and also losing his son to an illness. If Hassleback stutters they may be calling Dilfer?s number sooner than expected.
Not only that ladies and gentleman, Seattle still has not signed their Pro-Bowl tackle Walter Jones. For the second year in a row this team can?t get this guy in on time for training camp and they can?t get a long-term deal worked out with him. You can forget any success on this team if Jones is out because he is the glue that holds the line together. With so many different uncertainties on this team already it is very foolish for this team to be playing with fire.
This is a team being hyped by the media to be a sleeper?
Mike Holmgren and Seattle will be going on their fifth date this year and this is the date that will make or break the relationship. After the first date, sparks flew and everyone was happy as Seattle made the playoffs for the first since 1988 and won its first playoff game since 1984 but their success has declined since then. The Holmgren era in Seattle hasn?t been too bad, but the Seahawks franchise expected more than a compiled 31 ? 33 record from a coach who has a career .669 winning percentage and 4 Super Bowl appearances. Last year the Seahawks got off to a disgraceful 1 ? 5 start and couldn?t accomplish anything until the late stages of the season. The loss of starting QB Trent Dilfer hurt but this team?s inability to run the ball in the early stages of the year is what really killed them. Backup QB Matt Hassleback caught on fire near the end of the season and finally showed signs of developing into what Mike Holmgren originally thought he would be. A team that is once again highly touted to be a sleeper team still has a lot to prove before they establish themselves into a team to be reckoned with.
What we learned from Last Year:
Anyone who watched this team last year will tell you that the only thing they are missing is solid consistent play from their quarterback to get their offense going but I would beg to differ. Shaun Alexander is a very good running back but Seattle had a very tough time getting steady yards out of him last year. He is supposed to be their main weapon but if you skip a week 4 performance, Alexander only reached 100 yards again in week 11. In that span he averaged only 3.08 yards per carry which is far less than they need from him. Pro-Bowl lineman Walter Jones took a while to sign a contract last year and that may have been part of the problem but anyway you look at it they have to get better production out of Shaun Alexander.
Now on to the main focus of media attention on this team: Is Matt Hassleback a legitimate quarterback in the NFL? Well he?s had the job and botched it before, but on the other hand that was his first kick at the can, and most QB?s are not successful in their first year starting. When he was thrown in the frying pan last year after Trent Dilfer was injured he couldn?t accomplish anything, but maybe part of the problem was because Shaun Alexander couldn?t get anything going either?
Was Shaun Alexander more successful in the late stages of last year because:
(a) Matt Hassleback appeared to be developing into a solid quarterback and teams could no longer focus on Seattle?s running game?
(b) Seattle benefited from an easier schedule in its last few games?
(c) Shaun Alexander as well as the whole offense only performs when there is no pressure on?
Was Matt Hassleback more successful in the late stages of last year because:
(a) Shaun Alexander?s ability to run the ball opened more passing lanes and gave Matt more time to throw?
(b) Seattle benefited from an easier schedule in its last few games?
(c) Matt Hassleback only performs well when there is no pressure on?
What came first the chicken or the egg?
Although Seattle seemed to be on fire offensively in its last six games they only finished 4 - 2 in that span and the stats may be misleading. Cutout the one game against a solid defense to Philadelphia and Hassleback?s numbers look even better. Let?s look at who this team faced during their ?hot-streak?:
KC ? They won a huge shootout at home. Impressive offensive numbers, just ugly defensive numbers. Keep in mind KC ranked dead last in the league defensively.
SF ? Got a lot of yards, but not enough points against a middle-of-the-pack defense. SF was leading 31 ? 10 before Seattle made a late run to make the stat sheet look nice.
ATL ? Tore up a team that was really struggling at this point of the year. Atlanta had a bad rush defence which Seattle took advantage of and then finished them off with the passing game. Seattle was down 17 ? 7 at the half before make a second half run.
STL ? Beating a Marc Bulger and Kurt Warner-less Rams team. Need I say anymore?
SD ? A team that faltered in the second half of the season and in the second half of most of its games. Seattle racked up 21 points in the fourth quarter; most likely at the same time that San Diego thought they had this baby wrapped up.
The common theme is that Hassleback cannot perform when there is something to play for. Most of his points and yards come against either weak defenses or against teams when Seattle is so far behind in the second half of their games. In addition to the fact that this guy can?t play when there is pressure on he will have to Trent Dilfer breathing down his neck for the starting job. Although Holmgren believes Hassleback has more potential he knows that Dilfer can give this team wins and he won?t hesitate to yank Matt this year knowing that his own job is on the line.
Last but not least how could we forget about this embarrassing defence? To be honest, this defense is not that bad, but all of its faults stem from an awful defensive line. These guys couldn?t pressure Matt Hassleback! Opposing quarterbacks had a better chance at winning the lottery than getting sacked. Seattle ranked 27th in sacks last year only collecting 28 in total. To explain this layman?s terms it means that teams could run the ball all day on Seattle which in turn means that Seattle had to use more defensive players to protect against the run. After that, opponents can then pick their spots to pass the ball where they will usually only face man-to-man coverage. Play action passes work fairly well against teams like Seattle. The defense was nothing near respectable, and they will need to turn it around pretty quick if they want to get a whiff of the playoffs this year.
What has changed?:
Numerous changes have been made on this team, and rightfully so. Mike Holmgren has been limited to only head coach so he can strictly focus on doing that. Hard to say how much of an impact this will have. I don?t think many of this teams faults were from coaching last year, but it should allow Mike to spend more time on figuring out a way for this team to succeed.
Next we have Ray Rhodes in as defensive coordinator. The good thing about this move is that they scrapped last year?s defensive scheme and will try a new one this year. That doesn?t mean it will be successful, but judging from last year?s results I would throw that scheme in the garbage as well.
The biggest problem on this team was their defensive line but to focus more on their secondary in the off-season. I was surprised to see Seattle draft a cornerback, Marcus Trufant, with their first pick when they have three pretty decent guys in their secondary already. Maybe they want to groom Trufant as a future replacement of Shaun Springs, but what about getting help for the present? Besides adding Norman Hand, a guy who is known for weight and attitude problems, and Chike Okeafor, an ok lineman from San Francisco, Seattle hasn?t done too much to improve it?s line. I guess the thinking is that the defense has enough talent, but was just nipped by injuries last year. They missed Jon Randle, Lamar King and Anthony Simmons all for extended periods of time which was definitely noticed. Now throw in Norman Hand (when he?s focused he is a pretty good run stopper) and a bulked up Chad Eaton and the line should be much better right? Well, it should be better, but it is still very weak. They lack playmakers on this line even though they could have acquired one through the draft. It is still the Achilles heal of this defense. They will gamble more by blitzing linebackers consistently just to get pressure. Some times it will pay off, other times they will get burned. Besides the line this team has a pretty good defense but you probably won?t see it unless they find a way to get to the quarterback.
So the defense is still inadequate, what about the offense? Has Matt Hassleback changed? He?s bulked up, added muscle makes smarter decision, the coach is raving about him, he?s having a great training camp, bla, bla, bla, bla, bla. We?ve heard it all before. I don?t care if his passes look faster than the new Ferrari Enzo and he looks stronger than Mr. Universe, until I see this guy win games against solid teams I won?t believe it. He has the tools to succeed but obviously he has a weak mind and has to learn to play when he is pressured. Teams don?t believe what they saw at the end of last season from him, and they will still force Seattle to pass more than they rush the ball. Koren Robinson and Darrell Jackson can really thrive in this West-Coast offense but will they score points in the first half? Will this team always be playing from behind? Trent Dilfer isn?t healthy enough to play yet, but he will be in the back of Hassleback?s mind. He has had a very tough off-season recovering from a torn Achilles tendon and also losing his son to an illness. If Hassleback stutters they may be calling Dilfer?s number sooner than expected.
Not only that ladies and gentleman, Seattle still has not signed their Pro-Bowl tackle Walter Jones. For the second year in a row this team can?t get this guy in on time for training camp and they can?t get a long-term deal worked out with him. You can forget any success on this team if Jones is out because he is the glue that holds the line together. With so many different uncertainties on this team already it is very foolish for this team to be playing with fire.
This is a team being hyped by the media to be a sleeper?
