Seattle Seahawks Season Preview

(Courtesy of My Sportsbook) - The players, coaching staff, and long-suffering fan base of the Seattle Seahawks should have two dates circled in angry, red ink on their 2005-06 NFL calendar. We're not talking about Feb. 5 in Detroit here, folks. Try October 9th and November 13th. Those days of reckoning will feature battles between the Seahawks and their white whale, the St. Louis Rams. Seattle was an overwhelming favorite to win the NFC West in 2004, and some pundits were pegging Mike Holmgren's team as a viable Super Bowl contender. Yes, the Seahawks won the division by the skin of their collective teeth at 9-7, but it was a paper title that carried with it two heart-wrenching losses to St. Louis. First, the Hawks were five minutes from beginning the year 4-0, before somehow letting a 27-10 fourth quarter lead dissolve into a 33-27 overtime loss to St. Louis before 66,940 stunned onlookers at Qwest Field.

In the return engagement at the Edward Jones Dome a little over a month later, Seattle came up with three field goals to show for five trips to the red zone, was deflated by a Shaun Alexander fumble inside the 10-yard line in the fourth quarter, and left as 23-12 losers. But the piece de resistance came in the NFC Wild Card Round, when the Rams again visited the Pacific northwest, again looked dead in the water after Seattle took a 20-17 fourth quarter lead, and again broke the Seahawks' backs by recovering for a 27-20 win. In the ultimate arrow through the heart, Matt Hasselbeck's would-be game-tying touchdown pass with 27 seconds remaining fell in and out of Bobby Engram's outstretched hands, and harmlessly to the turf. With that, Seattle's streak of seasons without a postseason victory was extended to 20. In order to end that skein this season, the Hawks and their supporters know that the pesky Rams and the stranglehold they have on Mike Holmgren's club must be corralled. Holmgren is 0-3 in the postseason since taking over in Seattle prior to the 1999 campaign, and the natives are getting restless for the end of the franchise's long run of mediocrity. The team's fans are hoping that like them, the Hawks' players and coaching staff are looking at the 2005 schedule and seeing plenty of red. Below we take a capsule look at the 2005 edition of the Seattle Seahawks, with a personnel evaluation and prognosis included therein:

RB: The Seahawks shopped running back Shaun Alexander (1696 rushing yards, 23 receptions, 20 TD) in the offseason without any takers, and will keep the two- time Pro Bowler around for at least one more year. Alexander signed his one- year franchise tender in July, and Seattle promised that it would not trade him during the season. Alexander was one yard short of winning the NFL rushing title last season, but his advancing age (28) and somewhat awkward fit in Seattle's west coast scheme have prevented the team from locking him up to a long-term deal. Maurice Morris (126 rushing yards, 9 receptions) and Kerry Carter were expected to hang onto their backup roles behind Alexander, though Morris battled hamstring problems in training camp. Former Cardinal Josh Scobey (89 rushing yards, 18 receptions) has value as a kick returner, and could pounce if Morris can't return to form. Fullback Mack Strong (131 rushing yards, 21 receptions) was second on the team in carries last year, and is a key member of the offense. Sixth-round draft choice Tony Jackson (Iowa) will stick if the Hawks keep a second fullback.

WR/TE: One of the most maligned areas of the Seattle team is receiver, which has been plagued by a rash of dropped passes and general inconsistent play in recent years. The Seahawks made an effort to upgrade that position, dismissing former first-round pick Koren Robinson (31 receptions, 2 TD) and veteran Jerry Rice (25 receptions, 3 TD), and bringing in Joe Jurevicius (27 receptions, 2 TD with the Buccaneers), Peter Warrick (11 receptions with the Bengals) and Jerome Pathon (34 receptions, 1 TD with the Saints) to win jobs. The starting wideouts will continue to be Darrell Jackson (87 receptions, 7 TD) and Bobby Engram (36 receptions, 2 TD), though Engram's job will be in jeopardy if he continues to underachieve. Alex Bannister (2 receptions), a vital member of the special teams, will be the sixth wideout on the roster. At tight end, both Jerramy Stevens (31 receptions, 3 TD) and Itula Mili (23 receptions, 1 TD) had their moments in 2004, and will remain with the club. Ryan Hannam (8 receptions) could make it as a third tight end.

OL: The Seahawks took a big step toward solidifying their offensive line in the offseason, when they signed left tackle Walter Jones to a seven-year deal worth roughly $50 million. Jones has been selected to four straight Pro Bowls and has missed just two starts since the 1997 season. Jones will be working with much the same crew that he played alongside in '04. Left guard Steve Hutchinson, center Robbie Tobeck, and right guard Chris Gray were all 16-game starters a year ago, and right tackle Floyd Womack started eight games after Chris Terry went down with a shoulder injury. Womack could miss the first month with a triceps injury, and Sean Locklear, a third-round choice last season, should take his place temporarily. There is a feeling that the 35- year-old Tobeck could eventually be demoted or switched to guard due to the presence of first-round pick and center Chris Spencer (Ole Miss), who has Pro Bowl potential. Fourth-round draft choice Ray Willis (Florida State) will likely back Womack on the right side. Seventh-round pick Doug Nienhuis (Oregon State) will probably serve on the practice squad.

DL: Seattle was expecting big things from newcomers in defensive tackle Marcus Tubbs and end Grant Wistrom in 2004, but neither produced anywhere close to expectations. Tubbs (13 tackles, 1 INT), a first-round draft choice out of Texas, reported to camp late and out of shape and never made much of an impact. Wistrom (37 tackles, 3.5 sacks) missed seven games with a knee injury after coming over from the Rams in the offseason, and his sack total of 3.5 was Wistrom's lowest since his rookie year of 1998. Holmgren is counting on both players being healthy and productive in '05, and has pencilled both into starting slots on the right side. The other two starting line positions should be filled by newcomers, with end Bryce Fisher (46 tackles, 8.5 sacks with the Rams) and tackle Chuck Darby (50 tackles with the Buccaneers) manning the left side. Tackle Rashad Moore (46 tackles, 2 sacks) was a 12-game starter a year ago, and will be a vital part of the interior rotation if he can overcome shoulder problems that plagued him during training camp. End Antonio Cochran (35 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 1 INT) and tackle Rocky Bernard (39 tackles, 3.5 sacks) were both spot starters last season, and will serve as experienced backups. Holdover tackle Craig Terrill (4 tackles) and Jeb Huckeba (Arkansas), a fifth-round choice at end, will have a better shot to make the roster if Moore can't return.

LB: There are major changes in this unit, which was decimated by injuries that threatened to derail the Seahawks' 2004 season. Gone are Solomon Bates, Chad Brown, Orlando Huff and Anthony Simmons, each of whom started games for Seattle last year. In via free agency is former Raven and Texan Jamie Sharper (139 tackles, 2 sacks with Houston), who has never missed a game in eight NFL seasons and is expected to man the strong side. Tabbed to take over in the middle is rookie and second-round draft choice Lofa Tatupu (USC), who was a consummate playmaker in two seasons at Southern Cal and one at Maine. On the weak side, D.D. Lewis will be the starter if he can recover from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for all of 2004. Lewis was slowed by a concussion during training camp, and if he can't return to form, either holdovers Isaiah Kacyvenski (89 tackles, 1 sack), Tracy White (39 tackles, 1 sack) or third- round draft choice Leroy Hill (Clemson) will likely step in. Niko Koutouvides (62 tackles, 1 sack) is valuable to Seattle on special teams and as a backup, and should make the roster. Kevin Bentley (91 tackles, 1 INT with Cleveland), who started 14 games as a Brown last year, could be battling Kacyvenski for the final backup job at LB.

DB: The Seahawks began last year with Ken Lucas (70 tackles, 6 INT) and Bobby Taylor (12 tackles) expected to start at corner, and one season later, both are gone. Lucas parlayed a career season into a free agent deal with the Panthers, and Taylor, who battled injuries during his only season in Seattle, was released. Taylor was overtaken by Marcus Trufant (96 tackles, 5 INT, 1 sack) last year, and Trufant will now serve as the team's No. 1 shutdown corner. Starting on the other side will be either Kelly Herndon (69 tackles, 2 INT, 1 sack with Denver) or Andre Dyson (41 tackles, 6 INT with Tennessee), both of whom were 16-game starters in 2004. The loser of the battle and holdover Jordan Babineaux (8 tackles) figure to be the corner reserves. At strong safety, Michael Boulware (63 tackles, 5 INT, 1 sack) had a productive rookie year and is expected to be a leader. At free safety, Ken Hamlin (80 tackles, 4 INT, 2 sacks) comes off shoulder surgery, but should be in the lineup by the time the regular season starts. Terreal Bierria (74 tackles, 1 INT) had some notable lapses while starting 12 games a year ago and should now be a full-time backup to Boulware. Marquand Manuel (19 tackles) was battling veteran John Howell (17 tackles with the Buccaneers) for the final backup job in the secondary during camp.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Seattle used three different punters in 2004, and all three - Tom Rouen, Donnie Jones, and Ken Walter - are gone. The odds-on favorite to win the job in training camp was former Raider Leo Araguz, who last played with the Vikings in 2003 and was expected to beat out rookie Chris Kluwe (UCLA). The kicking job is set with Josh Brown (23-25 FG, 40-40 XP), who led the NFC in field goal percentage last year. Bobby Engram (11.8 punt return avg.) and Maurice Morris (21.1 kickoff return avg.) should keep their jobs in the return game, and free agent acquisitions Jerome Pathon and Peter Warrick could help out there as well.

PROGNOSIS: The Seahawks were perceived as underachievers last year, and while that is probably a fair analysis, the team's development was hampered by a rash of injuries on the defensive side of the ball. With more talent and depth among the defensive front seven, Seattle should be a great deal more productive on defense in 2005. Offensively, the song remains the same. If the receivers can catch the football and show up in big-game situations, and if Hasselbeck can avoid some of the mental mistakes that have long frustrated Hawks supporters, Seattle will take the weak NFC West by a few furlongs and have a chance to win the second postseason game in franchise history. If the inconsistency continues, Holmgren's team will again do a season-long tap dance with the .500 line (which could again be enough to win the division), and be labeled as underachievers once more.