Dismantled
Listed in: FootballBoy, that was ugly. I've certainly been privy to some lopsided playoff games in my time, but yesterday's 42-20 loss by the Seahawks to the Packers might take the cake. What made it so painful was the fact that Seattle was gifted a 14-0 lead thanks to a pair of Ryan Grant fumbles in the opening minutes, but gave it back (and then some) almost as quickly. It was a total team failure: certainly, the defense deserves a good portion of the blame for allowing Green Bay to score touchdowns on six straight possessions, but the offense did next to nothing after scoring those two early TDs.
There were a few potential turning points in the game that stick in my memory. The first was on Green Bay's third possession, with the Hawks up 14-0. The Packers had moved the ball to midfield, but faced a third-and-seven. Seattle sent six blitzers, who were easily picked up by the blockers, and Favre found James Jones for a 32-yard gain that moved the Packers deep into Seattle territory. That drive ended in a touchdown.
The following Green Bay possession, now leading 14-7, Jordan Babineaux had a sure-thing interception drop through his hands. He should have made the pick. But, as I always tell Ben, if defensive backs could catch the ball, they'd be receivers.
But the truth is, the Seahawks were overmatched. They couldn't stop anything the Packers did on offense, they couldn't pressure Favre, and offensively they couldn't sustain drives.
So where do they go from here? I'm not sure, but here are a few questions I'd like to have answered.
What is Mike Holmgren going to do?
He's got to be demoralized by once again having his season end in Green Bay against his former team. Holmgren has hinted at retirement a few different times, and it wouldn't shock me to see him walk away. Mike's always been an offensive coach, and the future of Seattle's offense doesn't look all that bright, so he might not have the patience to rebuild that unit over the next few years. While I certainly won't miss his ineptness at managing a clock, his devotion to washed-up veterans, or his questionable play calls, there's no doubt that the Holmgren Era has been the most successful in Seahawk history...five straight playoff berths, four straight division titles, a Super Bowl appearance.
What about Shaun Alexander?
I've been harping on this for a year-and-a-half, but Alexander is toast. As Bill Simmons would say, he's got the big ol' pitchfork sticking out of his back. The year-long inability to run the ball probably cost the Hawks a win or two, and it certainly prevented them from threating defenses enough to loosen up the pass game. Hopefully, Shaun either retires (highly unlikely) or gets cut (possible).
So what moves do the Seahawks make during the offseason?
Here are what I see at their biggest needs, both for next year and long term.
First and foremost, they need a guard to replace Chris Gray. Gray has always been a stop-gap type guy, and while they could get away with him when he was the weak link on the Jones/Hutchinson/Tobeck lines, his flaws have been repeatedly exposed this year. The Seahawks were terrible at running the ball up the middle, and countless times Gray was unable to block one-on-one in the pass game, even against linebackers. Obviously, the Seahawks have desperately missed Steve Hutchinson the last two years, and drafting a guard in the first few rounds should be a fairly easy choice.
Running back will also be an area to look at in the draft, though not necessarily in the first round. Maurice Morris is a decent player, but I don't think he's a legit full-time running back. The third or fourth round would be a good place to take a gamble on a guy with some upside, since you wouldn't necessarily need him to step in and start from day one.
A halfway decent tight end would also be nice...Marcus Pollard was clearly not a good fit as a stopgap, and Seattle could really use a guy to stretch the defense and provide some blocking help, instead of guys who can do one or the other.
Additionally, the team needs to start thinking about long-term replacements for a few stalwarts, namely QB Matt Hasselbeck and LT Walter Jones. Neither will be easy to replace, but smart teams plan well in advance for such issues. Jones in particular has started to slip (All-Pro honors notwithstanding), so having a young left tackle in place in a season or two would be a big boon to the organization.
Defensively, things look a bit more set. The front seven should be set, especially if Marcus Tubbs can stay healthy (big if). The secondary could use some help. Pro Bowl cornerback Marcus Trufant is a free agent, and while I'd expect Seattle to resign him there's no guarantee that they do. In that case, adding a cornerback is a pressing need. Otherwise, finding an upgrade over safety Brian Russell would be a nice move to make.
In short, I'd look to spend the first few picks in the draft on some combination of a guard, tight end, running back, and safety. Additionally, if they've got a tackle or quarterback they like as a developmental project, that would probably be a good move.
Depending on who they add via the draft and free agency, the Seahawks could be a contender again next year. They've got most of the pieces of a very good defense in place, and sage drafting could forstall a collapse by the offense. But the turmoil of a coaching change coupled with a couple of poor picks, and Seattle could be on the outside looking in for the first time since 2002.
