Seahawks vs Bears Preview

At first glance, Seattle appears to be the class of the conference and perhaps even all of pro football.

The Seahawks annihilated the talented Giants in Week 3 as Matt Hasselbeck played catch with what is suddenly a receiving corps that's deep and dangerous. Ignore that the Giants made the final score, 42-30, almost interesting - this one was over early as the Seahawks stormed out to a 42-3 lead on the strength of Hasselbeck's five touchdown passes.

Seattle's passing offense will only grow stronger when Deion Branch gets into the flow and tight end Jerramy Stevens (recovering from a knee injury) makes his season debut next month. The loss of Shaun Alexander hurts big and it's all the more reason why a stalwart air attack will be important to the Seahawks' championship aspirations.

"I feel a little guilty at times," Hasselbeck said last week about his arsenal, "because I know that other [quarterbacks] are looking at me and looking at our offense and thinking: That is not fair, if I would have played with those guys I would have gone to the Pro Bowl, too."

It also helps when your defense and special teams gives you the ball in position to optimize a quick-strike attack. The Seahawks started three consecutive first-quarter drives inside Giants' territory on Sunday and found the end zone on each occasion. Of the elite teams in the NFL, only Cincinnati and Indianapolis have squads whose balance compares to the NFC champs.

Still, nothing influences a football game as much as a stout defense, which is what the Seahawks will face in Week 5. In fact, they may not meet a tougher test this season than Brian Urlacher and the Bears.

Seattle, because it plays in the meek NFC West, has a schedule softer than most title contenders. Its most difficult non-conference games after this week figure to be on the road in hostile AFC West sites Kansas City (Week 8) and Denver (Week 13).

Against the Bears, the Seahawks will go against a defense that's allowed only 23 points in three games. They'll blitz, forcing Hasselbeck to make quick and correct reads. If the Seahawks spread out the offense, using all of their four receivers, Hasselbeck may not have the luxury of even a three-step drop before the Bears' pressure reaches him. If the Seahawks do complete passes, their small receivers are going to be assaulted by paws reaching for the pigskin. With league MVP Alexander sidelined by a broken foot, the Seahawks may have no choice but to play a low-scoring, field-position game, believing that their combination of offense and defense trumps Chicago's.

It should be noted that the Bears have scored more points than the Seahawks this season (79-72) and Rex Grossman's ability to make a play has given the team some swagger. Grossman isn't quite Steve McNair, but he does have a similar effect. Like the Ravens, the Bears feel they have some latitude on defense and can take a few more chances going for takeaways.

Whether they'll be able to agitate Hasselbeck and his Pacific Air offense enough to eke out victory, is a question that could swing control of the NFC from west to midwest. Watching the two dissimilar forces duel should be quite the war to witness Sunday.

Random Thoughts on Week 3 in the NFL

* Jeremy Shockey, proving again he has the mentality of a receiver, went off in a fit that could've come from a teenage girl axed from a cheerleading squad. After the Giants' loss, the tight end sat pouting in the locker-room for about 30 minutes before finally answering a question intended for a teammate. He went on to bitch about his limited role in the offense and the way Big Blue got outcoached against the Seahawks. That won't please Tom Coughlin and it shouldn't please any of his teammates. Shockey's supposed to be a veteran who pulls it together after a bad loss, not one who collapses into a squealing brat.

* Minnesota suffered a gutsmashing home loss to the Bears, but Brad Childress's team also showed they're going to be a factor this season. They're tough on defense and have a solid running game with Chester Taylor hauling the rock. Brad Johnson also adeptly manages the offense.
* If the Jacksonville Jaguars want to get the respect they keep crying for, they need to beat Indianapolis. They had the Colts by the short hairs in the RCA Dome, but blundered away a chance to legitimize their contender status.

* Baltimore would have lost to Cleveland last year if Kyle Boller was at the helm. Instead, they're 3-0, surviving a scare on the road against a division rival.

* Charlie Frye has a lot of guts. Even though the Browns are 0-3, the kid gives them a chance to win. Cleveland actually has some hope because of its quality young players.

* On the flip side, Tampa Bay is done. No team - not Miami, not New England, not Pittsburgh - has had a worse start than the 0-3 Bucs. Throw in the loss of their young quarterback to a ruptured spleen and this slump is one that could have effects beyond this season.

* Joey Harrington is going to get a shot at leading the Dolphins' offense this season - and it may not come because of an injury to Daunte Culpepper.

* If the Arizona Cardinals are ever going to be considered a team on the rise, they have to win at home. Losing 16-14 to the visiting St. Louis Rams was so weak that the Cardinals have to see that they're not going anywhere again, despite the new stadium and the addition of Edgerrin James. They're going to have to seriously consider beginning the Matt Leinart era now. What's the point in waiting?

* In case you're looking for a sure bet: There will not be a Super Bowl repeat this year.

TOP PHOTO: Nate Burleson does some acrobatics to snag the first of Matt Hasselbeck's five touchdown passes on Sunday. (AP Photo)

Note: All NFL lines subject to change.

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