Seattle Seahawks 2005 season preview

Updated: September 2, 2005, 11:30 AM ET

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THE BOTTOM LINE

By John Clayton, ESPN.com

There is a better feel in the locker room and on the field with this year's team. Despite winning the NFC West, the Seahawks of 2004 seemed to have problems with chemistry. Selfishness and accountability were problems. The Seahawks purged themselves of a lot of trouble makers and might have come out better. Still, they have questions at wide receiver after the release of Koren Robinson. Can Bobby Engram, a great slot receiver, handle the split-end position? Can defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes incorporate as many as seven new starters on a defense that finished 26th?

The key to the success of the defense is tackle Marcus Tubbs. A disappointment in 2004 as a first-round choice, Tubbs is starting to dominate at the line of scrimmage. He's developed a good on-the-field relationship with former Tampa Bay Buc Chartric Darby, giving the team its most interesting one-two punch at tackle since Cortez Kennedy and Sam Adams. If those two work out well, the Seahawks have the luxury of developing Lofa Tatupu at middle linebacker. The secondary is now three deep, bringing in Andre Dyson and Kelly Herndon to go with talented Marcus Trufant at cornerback.

The team needs big years from defensive ends Bryce Fisher and Grant Wistrom. Matt Hasselbeck has established himself as one of the better quarterbacks in the NFC, and he still can rely on the touchdown scoring and running of Shaun Alexander. The problem is that the Seahawks just can't beat the Rams. That's a big problem.

ESPN's TAKE

By Joe Theismann, ESPN.com

The Big Question?
Can the Seahawks play better without the high expectations that have plagued them the past two seasons? Evidently this team doesn't play well when everyone thinks they should and the proof was last season when they were a Super Bowl pick for a lot of people. This team didn't respond well and a lot of people jumped off the bandwagon. They might jump back into the limelight now that the bandwagon is lighter.

FANTASY TAKE

By Scott Engel, ESPN.com

Sleeper: TE Jerramy Stevens
The Seahawks lack a true No. 2 wide receiver and that has led to QB Matt Hasselbeck looking for his tight end much more often. Stevens has all the natural skills to be one of the game's best pass-catching tight ends. He's big, quick and strong. Stevens has been a big disappointment so far, but he could finally have his breakthrough campaign in 2005.
Bust: WR Bobby Engram
He is currently listed as a starter, the second receiver across from Darrell Jackson. But Engram is much more effective as a third wideout, and he doesn't get open regularly when asked to work against starting cornerbacks. Engram will still make many key catches for Hasselbeck, but he won't be reliable from a statistical perspective.

From ESPN the MAGAZINE

The Big Number

2 The playoffs ended on a dropped pass in the end zone. Figures. Unofficially, Seattle has led the NFL in drops two years in a row (37 in 2003; 44 in 2004). The cure? Dropping butterfingered Koren Robinson.

STRENGTH --> WALTER JONES & CO.

When a team's RB rushes for nearly 1,700 yards and its QBs are sacked just 34 times, the line is doing its job. Four of five starters return from last year's dominating group, and Chris Terry's free-agent departure won't hurt much; Floyd Womack played well in eight starts last season. The whole unit is stout, but the left-side tandem of Walter Jones and Steve Hutchinson has no equal.

WEAKNESS --> NO-FLY ZONE

With just 36 sacks last season (21st in the NFL), the D did nothing to shake Seattle's rep as a haven for latte-sipping nerds. The unit won't get much help from its retooled linebacker corps, so the onus is on the front four. Wistrom must bounce back after missing seven games in 2004; newcomer Bryce Fisher (left) must prove last year's 8½ sacks with the Rams was no fluke.

PROSPECTS

The Seahawks allowed opponents to convert on third down 42.4 percent of the time (27th in the NFL), gave up 5.4 yards per play (23rd) and, after being ranked as the eighth-best unit at midseason, went into a free fall and finished 26th. The help comes from two new starters -- Jamie Sharper (130-plus tackles in each of the past three years) and Andre Dyson (6 INTs last season) -- plus backup corner Kelly Herndon (2 INTs, 3 FF in 2004).

With two offensive stars (Hasselbeck and Jones) locked up long-term and another for at least one year (Alexander), the defense doesn't need to dominate. But for the Hawks to win their first playoff game since 1984, they must play more like the first-half unit than the second-half crew that let a promising season slip away. There's talent. Is there heart?

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