Hawks growing into a balanced team
The Seahawks are as peculiar as their kicker, who thought he could stop the NFL’s most dangerous return man.
And he did.
They are as peculiar as their high-priced defensive end, who thought he could defy his meager sack totals and dominate a game.
And he did.
They are as peculiar as their backup running back, who thought he could star in an offense slanting toward the pass.
And he did.
Weird as they are, the Seahawks are proving to be effective.
They’re quietly putting themselves in position to make significant progress. They’re inching toward becoming what they were built to be - a balanced and versatile group capable of winning games in several ways.
Perhaps this isn’t such an odd team, after all. Perhaps we just need to look at the Seahawks differently, tilt our heads and see if they make sense sideways. Perhaps from that angle we can see their all-for-one charm.
“This is the most balanced team we’ve had on offense and defense since I’ve been here,” third-year linebacker Lofa Tatupu said after a 30-23 victory over Chicago on Sunday. “Obviously, two years ago, we rode our offense to the Super Bowl. Right now, it’s a team effort. Every time we go out there, it’s a team effort. Offensive stats? Defensive stats? Who cares? As long as we get that win, that’s what we’re about.”
It sounds hokey, contrived, but it’s not. This era of good football began with a dominant offense, and while those players have aged, the team has tried to improve its defense. What you have now are two units in transition, the offense supposedly regressing, the defense trying to climb to elite status. Both show flashes. Neither can carry an entire season.
The turbulence makes for one inconsistent football team. But on the good days, it’s easy to appreciate this quirky collection.
Sunday was one of those days. The Seahawks put the Bears, a Super Bowl team gone wrong, at the edge of the plank.
These Bears are nothing like the team that beat the Seahawks twice last season. Their players are virtually the same, but they’ve lost their edge, especially on defense.
Nevertheless, the Seahawks played some of their best football after falling behind 10-0. They provided a blueprint for how they can be successful in their current form.
Without a solid running game, the Seahawks have been effective the past two games at spraying the ball around the field with the pass and then sprinkling in well-timed run plays.
Backup running back Maurice Morris, replacing the injured Shaun Alexander, has performed better than expected, turning into a weapon with his speed. He has rushed for more than 80 yards in each of his two starts, after Alexander went five consecutive weeks without reaching that plateau.
Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is playing some of the best football of his career. This is his team, without question, and the offense is thriving by utilizing the talents of the entire roster - the wide receivers, the tight ends and fullback Leonard Weaver.
Despite the grumbling about the Seahawks’ erratic pass rush, they now trail only the New York Giants in sacks this season. The defense disrupted the Bears, sacking Rex Grossman five times and forcing a fumble that turned out to be the game’s defining play.
And who forced the fumble? Defensive end Patrick Kerney, who finished with three sacks and played his first extraordinary game as a Seahawk.
After a terrible defensive start, which included allowing Cedric Benson to spring for two long runs, the Seahawks recovered and did just enough to win.
On special teams, Seattle responded to coach Mike Holmgren’s challenge to play better earlier this week, limiting Chicago’s returner extraordinaire, Devin Hester, and performing solidly for four quarters.
Brown’s tackle of Hester highlighted the effort.
He lifted his arms in celebration as laughter commenced. It was a goofy play, but it’s symbolic of who these Seahawks are now.
“I say our defense is grimy, and you could say that for our team, too,” Tatupu said. “It’s not always pretty, but we’re going to do something to change the game. We get in there and compete, and for the most part, we get the job done.”
Thus far, getting the job done has meant surviving. The Seahawks have done little to suggest they are contenders. Pittsburgh embarrassed them in their only huge test of the season, and this schedule keeps presenting them with mediocre competition. That makes it easier to survive.
But we’ll know a progressive team when we see it. Over the past two games, the Seahawks have gotten closer to that standard.
“I feel like it’s coming together,” safety Deon Grant said. “Guys really feel like they know what they’ve got to the side of them, in front of them and behind them. We’re playing together. We’re trusting one another.”
They’re grimy, but they’re growing.
Jerry Brewer: 206-464-2277 or jbrewer@seattletimes.com. For more columns and the Extra Points blog, visit seattletimes.com/sports