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Seahawks Notebook: Seahawks are poised to make big splash

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    Seahawks Notebook: Seahawks are poised to make big splash

    Seahawks Notebook: Seahawks are poised to make big splash
    Win over Rams would be first 4-0 start in franchise history

    By CLARE FARNSWORTH
    SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

    KIRKLAND -- Not even practicing in a downpour yesterday could dampen the Seahawks' spirits.

    Their final full workout before tomorrow's showdown with the defending NFC West champion St. Louis Rams at Qwest Field capped what has been a focused week of preparation for the 3-0 Seahawks.

    "We had a good week, and I thought we picked it up as the week went along," said coach Mike Holmgren, rain still dripping from the bill of his hat. "We finished on an upbeat note."

    There's a lot on the line tomorrow, starting with winning a game after their bye week for the first time in six tries under Holmgren -- and only the fourth time in 15 tries overall. There's also the chance for the first 4-0 start in franchise history.

    "We're going into some areas here where we haven't been before, and it's kind of fun," Holmgren said. "The players are responding that way. We know how important the game is. We know how good the Rams are. So it probably adds a little bit to practice."

    Free safety Ken Hamlin agreed.

    "The focus has been there," he said. "But we're approaching it pretty much the same. It's another game, another big game. I think everybody is taking it as just that -- it's a must win."

    In other news yesterday:



    <LI>Defensive end Chike Okeafor returned to practice after sitting out Thursday with a sore hip. He is expected to start tomorrow.




    <LI>The one starter who could be in jeopardy is middle linebacker Orlando Huff, who was added to the injury report Thursday with a sore hamstring. Huff practiced yesterday. It might not matter, since the Rams use their three- and four-receiver sets so often the middle linebacker likely will see limited snaps tomorrow.



    <LI>Holmgren handed out game balls after practice for the Sept. 26 win over the San Francisco ***** to quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (offense), defensive tackle Cedric Woodard (defense) and punter Tom Rouen (special teams). Rouen became the first two-time winner this season. He was the special teams recipient after the Week 2 win in Tampa.



    <LI>Matthew Ballard, an 11-year-old Seahawks fan from South Carolina, attended practice and will run the game ball to midfield before the kickoff tomorrow as part of the Make-a-Wish Foundation program.



    In St. Louis, punter Sean Landetta was added to the injury list as probable with a strained groin.

    __________________________________________________________
    Keeping the Rams Nation Talking
    Tags: None
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  • RamDez
    Seahawks-Rams matchup huge on a number of fronts
    by RamDez
    Seahawks-Rams matchup huge on a number of fronts

    By CLARE FARNSWORTH
    SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

    KIRKLAND -- Watching the St. Louis Rams kick the gold dust out of the ***** in San Francisco on Sunday was like watching what the Seahawks did to the once-proud ***** the week before at Qwest Field.

    It also prompted similar questions. Are the Rams (and Seahawks) that good? Or is it that the ***** are that bad?

    These twin conquerors collide Sunday in an early season biggie in the NFC West. The defending division champion Rams are 2-2 and need a victory to climb above .500, while the 3-0 Seahawks can open a 2 1/2-game gap with a victory.

    "It's obvious San Francisco is having some problems," All-Pro guard Steve Hutchinson said yesterday, when the Seahawks resumed practicing after having the previous four days off during their bye week.

    "But St. Louis is a good team. They're the best team, in all aspects of the game, that we'll face so far."

    That's more than locker-room talk the week of a big game. Despite their 1-2 start, that included a squeaker over the Arizona Cardinals and an overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints at home, the Rams are winners of the NFC West three times in the past five seasons and runners-up the other two.

    Three reasons the Seahawks should be concerned:



    <LI>For the offense: The Rams' defense ranks 27th in the league and former coordinator Lovie Smith is now the head coach in Chicago. But the Rams still have safety Aeneas Williams and defensive end Leonard Little -- two players who have given the Seahawks fits.

    Williams had a career-high eight solo tackles against the Seahawks last December in St. Louis. Little had two sacks, six quarterback pressures and a forced fumble against the Seahawks in Seattle last year, and eight tackles, one sack and a forced fumble against them the year before, also in Seattle.

    "Their speed and their scheme," Hutchinson offered when asked what most worries him about the Rams' defense. "They like to bring pressure from a lot from different looks, and they have speed -- even their nose guard is fast."



    <LI>For the defense: The usual suspects. Torry Holt. Marshall Faulk. Isaac Bruce. Mark Bulger. Orlando Pace. Between them, they have been to 17 Pro Bowls and accounted for 279 touchdowns in their careers.

    "They're well-rounded. They have a lot of weapons," defensive end Chike Okeafor said. "We've just got to be disciplined, but still try to create havoc and turnovers."



    <LI>Intangible: The Seahawks are 0-5 after their bye weeks under Holmgren, including a 35-13 drubbing at the hands of the Packers in Green Bay last season that followed a 3-0 start.

    Three reasons for the Seahawks...
    -10-07-2004, 11:17 AM
  • DJRamFan
    [Seahawks] Rams' comeback still in Hawks' heads
    by DJRamFan
    Seattle has struggled ever since St. Louis' Oct. 10 miracle rally

    By CLARE FARNSWORTH
    SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

    KIRKLAND -- They are 11 minutes that will live in infamy.

    With 7 minutes, 47 seconds remaining in a Week 5 game against the St. Louis Rams at Qwest Field, the Seahawks were a couple of guffaws from completing a laugher. Up 27-10, the Seahawks' No. 1-ranked defense had the Rams backed into a third-and-13 corner at their own 31-yard line.

    Before the Seahawks knew what had blindsided them, the Rams ran off 17 points to tie the score in regulation and then scored on the sixth play in overtime to win 33-27.

    Five weeks later in St. Louis, the Rams held the Seahawks without a touchdown in winning a rematch.

    Has the futility of those games, especially that October loss in Seattle, allowed the Rams to take up residence in the Seahawks' psyche?

    "Definitely," Rams defensive end Anthony Hargrove told reporters in St. Louis yesterday. "They've put on a good game, but we've still come away with victories."

    The Seahawks get another shot at redemption Saturday, when they host the Rams once again in the first round of the NFL playoffs.

    That colossal collapse -- or combustive comeback, depending on which side of the field you were on that October day -- is getting a lot of play this week, for the obvious reason.

    After that game, the Seahawks never were the same team that started 3-0.



    "Heck, I could tell you that we've blocked it out of our minds," coach Mike Holmgren said this week. "But that would be dishonest. You play a game like that, and if you lose a game like that ... I'm not sure I'll ever forget that game."

    The Rams, meanwhile, have relied on the resiliency they flaunted that day several times during the dozen games that followed.

    "We've used that a lot this year any time we've faced adversity," quarterback Marc Bulger said in a telephone interview. "A couple weeks ago, we were 6-8 and we knew we had to win our last two. We reflected back to that final quarter of the Seattle game a lot just because of the hole we were in, and knowing we could dig ourselves out."

    For those who have forgotten, or simply couldn't bear to watch, here's how the excavation process went:


    Bulger completed a 20-yard pass to Isaac Bruce on that third-and-13 play, which became a 35-yard gain to the Seahawks 34 when defensive tackle Rocky Bernard was penalized for a blow to the facemask of the Rams quarterback.


    One more third-down conversion, this time a 24-yard pass to Shaun McDonald, set up Bulger's 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Brandon Manumaleuna that pulled the Rams to within 27-17 with 5:34 left in regulation.
    ...
    -01-06-2005, 03:34 PM
  • r8rh8rmike
    Another Monkey For The Seahawks
    by r8rh8rmike
    Just when the Seahawks think they shook the monkey, along comes the Ram dominance in Seattle issue. One of these teams will take a big hit to their mental health on Sunday. I'm looking forward to Isaac Bruce pointing to his helmet on a conquered Qwest Field. I know how you Seahawk fans feel about the good Reverend and I'm sure we all hope he plays, albeit for different reasons.

    A Ram win would turn the tables in so many ways, as would a win for the Seahawks. This game is SO huge for both teams in so many ways. It should be a good one.
    -11-07-2005, 09:36 PM
  • LA Rammer
    Update matt hasselbeck
    by LA Rammer
    Seahawks planning to start Whitehurst against Rams

    By TIM BOOTH, AP Sports Writer 48 minutes ago

    RENTON, Wash. (AP)—Charlie Whitehurst(notes) is expected to be Seattle’s starting quarterback on Sunday when the Seahawks play the St. Louis Rams for the NFC West title.

    Pete Carroll said Monday the Seahawks will plan on Whitehurst being their starter Sunday night. But he wasn’t ready to rule out Matt Hasselbeck(notes) after he left Sunday’s 38-15 loss to Tampa Bay after running for a 1-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Hasselbeck suffered a strain to his lower back/hip/gluteal area that did not allow him to return.

    Hasselbeck underwent an MRI and additional tests Monday morning and the results were positive enough that Carroll remained somewhat optimistic.

    “It’s something (that) it may be manageable. It may be,” Carroll said. “The MRI results were not such where he doesn’t have a chance. They were very hopeful that he has an opportunity to get back, but we won’t know for days. So it’s kind of a difficult situation for us because we don’t know and we’re not sure what is going to happen until we find out the news probably by Saturday, or it may go all the way to game time.”

    After Sunday’s loss, Hasselbeck said the injury first popped up in Week 3 against San Diego and has been a slight bother a few other times during the season, but nothing like Sunday. Hasselbeck went to the ground after scoring and walked off the field.

    If he can’t go, Whitehurst would be making his second career start, with Seattle going for its first division title since 2007.

    “I want to make sure as we proceed through the week and know what we’re doing,” Carroll said. “If Matt can play a factor in that, we’ll figure it out when the time comes.”

    Offensive tackle Russell Okung(notes) also aggravated a left ankle injury Sunday, but did not miss a play. Carroll did not indicate whether Okung will miss any time. Wide receiver Brandon Stokley(notes) also suffered a concussion, but the Seahawks won’t know about his availability until later in the week.
    -12-27-2010, 04:19 PM
  • DJRamFan
    [Seahawks] Seahawks Slant
    by DJRamFan
    SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER STAFF


    WHAT'S NEWS

    What are the playoffs really all about? Just look at the smile on Jerry Rice's face when the topic comes up.

    Rice, the NFL's all-time leading receiver who was acquired by the Seahawks in October, has played in 28 postseason games in his 20-year career. That's nine more than the combined total of the other 10 starters on offense for Saturday's first-round game against the St. Louis Rams at Qwest Field.

    "It's a whole different level," Rice said yesterday. "For the regular season, the pace is fast. It gets faster (in the playoffs). And it's exciting. ... You know, it's do or die. There's no tomorrow."

    To beat St. Louis for the first time in three tries, the Seahawks receivers will have to make plays to help the offense keep pace with the Rams' passing game.

    "We've got to rise to the occasion," Rice said. "It's prime time now."


    ON THE FIELD

    That's where Grant Wistrom wants to be Saturday, when the Seahawks host his former team. But it doesn't appear the veteran defensive end will get the opportunity because of the sprained left knee that sidelined him for the final three regular-season games. He is listed as doubtful, which means there is a 25 percent chance of playing.

    Also, linebacker Tracy White was placed on injured reserve because of the pulled hamstring that caused him to miss six of the past seven games, and rookie punter Donnie Jones was re-signed to the practice squad. Cornerback Michael Harden was released to clear a spot for Jones, but Harden or another practice squad player is expected to be added to the 53-man roster to fill White's spot.




    TICK, TICK, TICKETS

    Approximately 6,000 tickets remain for Saturday's game, with the league-imposed blackout deadline today at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster outlets, by calling 206-622-4295 or online at www.seahawks.com.


    INJURY REPORT

    In addition to Wistrom, seven other injured players also sat out practice: DT Marcus Tubbs (sprained ankle) and WR Jerheme Urban (sore foot), who are out; MLB Niko Koutouvides (bruised knee) and TE Itula Mili (bruised thigh), who are listed as questionable; and WR Darrell Jackson (sore hamstring), CB Marcus Trufant (sore thigh) and OG Jerry Wunsch (illness), who are probable.

    Veteran CB Bobby Taylor, who has missed the past seven games with a sore knee, worked in all phases of practice. He is listed as questionable.

    There was no injury report for the Rams because coach Mike Martz gave his players Monday and yesterday off.

    -- Clare Farnsworth
    -01-05-2005, 05:29 PM
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