Friday in Hawkville
A recap of the activities at Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Dec. 30:
FOCUS ON
Three blasts of the horn. That’s the daily signal that practice is over – three toots from the air horn manned by assistant equipment manager Kyle Stillwell.
Today, the horn blasted three times for the final time this season, as the Seahawks will play their finale on Sunday against the Cardinals in Arizona. It’s the first time in Pete Carroll’s two seasons as coach that he knew his players were practicing for the final time, because last year the Seahawks made the playoffs and got to the divisional round before losing to the Bears in Chicago.
“I did say something to them. I did applaud the fact that here we are (23 weeks) into it, or whatever it is, and they practiced like crazy today,” Carroll said. “And with great attitude and energy and all that. That’s a tribute to what’s going on in the locker room, because they brought it out on the practice field again.
“And that’s going to help us always be effective and do the best we can do.”
Still, there was an odd feeling in the locker room after the final practice.
“It’s a little weird,” center Max Unger said. “It was a pretty quick season, though. You think back and the season just went by real fast. We were just talking about it, and it feels like we’re packing our bags to go to Pittsburgh right now.”
That was for the Seahawks’ Week 2 game against the Steelers. Part of the reason the season seemed to go so quickly is that it took so long for this season to finally get here after the 136-day lockout that erased the spring minicamps and OTA sessions. So once training camp opened, it’s been a mad dash to the finish.
“It’s a little surreal,” Unger said. “But you don’t really think about it because you’re working away, then you pop your head out and it’s all over.”
INJURY REPORT
Middle linebacker David Hawthorne, wide receiver Ben Obomanu, right tackle Breno Giacomini and defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove returned to practice today. Hawthorne and Obomanu sat out Wednesday and Thursday, while Giacomini and Hargrove did not practice Thursday.
“Guys that were banged up, it looks like they’re going to make it back,” Carroll said. “So we’ll go in pretty healthy.”
Giacomini and Hargrove are listed as questionable for Sunday’s game, and their final status is expected to be determined after they work out Sunday.
Here’s the official end-of-the-week status report:
Questionable
OT Breno Giacomini (abdominal)
DT Anthony Hargrove (calf)
Probable
CB Kennard Cox (hamstring)
QB Tarvaris Jackson (pectoral)
DT Clinton McDonald (concussion)
LB Malcolm Smith (concussion)
MLB David Hawthorne (knee)
WR Ben Obomanu (knee)
S Jeron Johnson (illness)
For the Cardinals:
Out
OT Brandon Keith (ankle)
Questionable
S Rashad Johnson (knee)
QB Kevin Kolb (head)
RB LaRod Stephens-Howling (hamstring)
RB Beanie Wells (knee)
S Kerry Rhodes (ankle)
CB Patrick Peterson (Achilles)
Probable
CB Michael Adams (shoulder)
S Sean Considine (foot)
Kolb continues to experience concussion symptoms, Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt told reporters after the team’s practice today. So it looks like John Skelton will start at quarterback on Sunday.
Four other starters also were limited in practice: leading rusher Beanie Wells, cornerback Patrick Peterson, free safety Kerry Rhodes and kickoff returner LaRod Stephens-Howling. Whisenhunt said Peterson’s status will be a game-day decision.
STAT DU JOUR
If you don’t know that Marshawn Lynch is the NFL’s leading rusher over the past eight games, you haven’t been paying attention. But it’s even more impressive when you look at the other backs who trail Lynch and his 855 yards during that stretch – and those who aren’t even in the running. Here’s the list:
Player, team Att. Yards Avg. TD
Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks 192 855 4.5 9
Reggie Bush, Dolphins 141 751 5.3 6
Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars 152 627 4.6 5
Arian Foster, Texans 143 692 4.8 6
Chris Johnson, Titans 140 684 4.9 3
UP NEXT
One final walk-through on Saturday morning before the team flies to Phoenix for Sunday’s season finale.
The players will clean out their locker on Monday morning, prior to a final team meeting.
YOU DON’T SAY
“This is an important game for us and we’d really like to play well. We know (the Cardinals) are doing really well and they want it just as badly as we do. So it’s going to be interesting to see how it goes. We’re looking forward to it.” Carroll on teams that started 2-6 (the Seahawks) and 1-6 (the Cardinals) playing for the chance to finish 8-8
Thursday in Hawkville
A recap of the activities at Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Dec. 29:
FOCUS ON
The rush continues. How is it that the Seahawks have been able to run for 100-plus yards in six of their past seven games, while losing three starting linemen during this stretch?
The linemen point to Tom Cable, while the team’s first-year assistant head coach/offensive line coach points to his system – and his approach to those who make the blocks that have helped Marshawn Lynch rush for a league-high 855 yards in the past eight games.
Breno Giacomini (for right tackle James Carpenter), Paul McQuistan (first for right guard John Moffitt and now for left tackle Russell Okung) and Lemuel Jeanpierre (for Moffitt) have been able to step in with the running game missing nary a beat because they’ve been treated like starters since training camp opened in late July.
“It’s the teaching, the coaching,” Giacomini said when asked the key to unlocking the continued success in the running game. “Every guy in the room prepares like they’re the starter, especially seeing all this change.”
Giacomini said his “moment” with Cable came during the second week of the season, when the Seahawks were not running the ball well but Cable stuck to his plan.
“That’s when I was like, ‘OK, I’m really going to listen to everything this guy says – every sentence; every “i” he dots and every “t” he crosses,” Giacomini said. “It’s been gradual, but you could see it pretty quick.”
It’s just the way Cable always has coached the position, and always will. And that starts with always treating all the linemen the same.
“I never have liked, or understood, how you can make this guy ‘all that,’ or this guy ‘all that,’ ” Cable said. “It’s B.S. to me. They’re all just tough guys who work hard, and want to get a job, and play professional football. So I think they ought to be treated that way.
“In our room, there’s no one bigger or greater than anyone else.”
With the possible exception of Cable, who has proved to be one the Seahawks’ best “gets” in a year where they’ve made 231 transactions.
ON THE FIELD
The players practiced for 105 minutes in the indoor practice facility as they continued to prepare for Sunday’s season finale against the Cardinals in Arizona. Linebacker Leroy Hill, rookie cornerback Byron Maxwell, practice-squad corner Coye Francies and cornerback Brandon Browner came up with interceptions on the final Turnover Thursday of the season. Browner made his in the end zone, while Maxwell’s came off a ball that was tipped by defensive end Chris Clemons.
IN ’N OUT
Leading tackler David Hawthorne and starting split end Ben Obomanu sat out practice for the second day, and were joined this afternoon by Giacomini and defensive tackle Anthony Hargrove.
With Giacomini out, Allen Barbre and Jarriel King got work at right tackle with the No. 1 line. K.J. Wright and Heath Farwell continued to replace Hawthorne at middle linebacker.
Obomanu ran sprints as well as routes on the side under the supervision of assistant trainer Donald Rich.
Here’s the official injury report:
Did not practice
MLB David Hawthorne (knee)
WR Ben Obomanu (knee)
OT Breno Giacomini (abdominal)
DT Anthony Hargrove (calf)
Full participation
CB Kennard Cox (hamstring)
QB Tarvaris Jackson (pectoral)
DT Clinton McDonald (concussion)
LB Malcolm Smith (concussion)
For the Cardinals:
Did not practice
OT Brandon Keith (ankle)
CB Patrick Peterson (Achilles)
Limited participation
S Rashad Johnson (knee)
QB Kevin Kolb (head)
RB LaRod Stephens-Howling (hamstring)
RB Chris Wells (knee)
S Kerry Rhodes (ankle)
Full participation
CB Michael Adams (shoulder)
S Sean Considine (foot)
Rhodes got some work today after being sidelined on Wednesday, and it’s looking like John Skelton will get the nod over Kolb because the Cardinals’ starting QB continues to be bothered by concussion-like symptoms.
STAT DU JOUR
The Seahawks’ defense heads into Sunday’s season finale with a chance to do something only five other defenses in franchise history have accomplished: Finish in the Top 10 in the league in average yards allowed. If they pull it off, it will be the first time since 1997 it has happened. The Seahawks currently rank No. 9, allowing an average of 328.5 yards – only 2 yards fewer than the 10th-ranked Browns and 6.6 fewer than the 11th-ranked Chargers. The Cardinals are averaging 354.2 yards, so …
Here’s a look at how this year’s unit stacks up against the other Seahawk defenses that ranked in the Top 10:
Year Rank; average yards allowed
1984 No. 6; 310.2
1990 No. 9; 288.1
1991 No. 8; 293.9
1992 No. 10; 286.4
1997 No. 8; 303.1
2011 No. 9; 328.5
UP NEXT
The final Friday of the regular season. The players will have a walk-through, practice and meetings in their final full day of preparation for Sunday’s season finale.
YOU DON’T SAY
“ ‘Lock’ came a long way. He was kind of a deer in headlights when he first got here; just running real fast. Like Forrest Gump, just running. Just running. He’s gotten better throughout the season. He’s come out here and worked real hard every day. You see every day; he’s making a great catch or outrunning somebody. That shows his ability. But he’s building on it and working on the mental aspects of it. He’s come a long way since Day One of training camp. He’s got a long ways to go. But he can definitely do it.” – QB Tarvaris Jackson on rookie free agent wide receiver Ricardo Lockette
Cyber surfing: Thursday
Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Dec. 29:
Mike Sando at ESPN.com looks at the mold-breaking strong safeties in Sunday’s season finale – the Seahawks’ Kam Chancellor and the Cardinals’ Adrian Wilson: “(They) tower over the other strong safeties in the NFC this season. That is true not only in their accomplishments – Wilson is a Pro Bowl starter, Chancellor a first alternate – but in their physical dimensions. They are the biggest starting strong safeties in the NFL at a time when the prevailing NFL trends have led teams in another direction at the position. Wilson stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 230 pounds. Chancellor goes 6-3 and 232. The other 30 starting strong safeties average 6 feet and 207 pounds.”
Sando also has a look at the injury situations that matter for both teams. First, the Seahawks: “The Seahawks, like the Rams, have a long list of players on injured reserve. Unlike the Rams, their 53 active players are relatively healthy, and they have developed young depth throughout the roster. Linebacker David Hawthorne and receiver Ben Obomanu missed practice Wednesday. Both have knee injuries. Depth at receiver is a concern for the Seahawks now that Sidney Rice and Mike Williams are on injured reserve. The team expects to have Obomanu against Arizona on Sunday.” But also the Cardinals: “It’s looking like John Skelton will remain the Cardinals’ starting quarterback while Kevin Kolb continues to work through concussion-related symptoms. Kolb is practicing on a limited basis. Skelton was the player Cardinals officials made available to Seattle reporters on a conference call Wednesday. Patrick Peterson’s injured Achilles’ tendon will not require surgery, but his availability for Sunday remains in question. Peterson, right tackle Brandon Keith and free safety Kerry Rhodes missed practice Wednesday. Playing without Peterson on Sunday would affect the Cardinals significantly in the return game and on defense. Running back Beanie Wells was limited. His knee injury remains a factor. Wells has not exceeded 15 carries in any of the Cardinals’ past three games. He has had no runs longer than 9 yards in the four games since setting a franchise record with 228 yards against St. Louis.”
Joshua Mayers at the Seattle Times looks at Marshawn Lynch, the Seahawks’ first 1,000-yard rusher since Shaun Alexander in 2005: “ ‘I feel I became a pro this year,’ said Lynch.”
Also at the Times, Danny O’Neil checks in with Brandon Browner, who has gone from CFL cornerback to Pro Bowl alternate in his first season with the Seahawks: “ ‘I kept my room TV on the NFL Network,’ he said. ‘Throughout the whole time I was in the CFL. It never left the NFL Network unless I was playing a video game. That was a must-have.’ That long-distance relationship is what makes this season, and Browner’s selection as a Pro Bowl alternate, one of the most unlikely, endearing stories not just on the Seahawks, but in the entire league. ‘Brandon just comes out of nowhere,’ coach Pete Carroll said.
Eric Williams at the News Tribune says the selection of Earl Thomas to the Pro Bowl and the first alternate status of Browner and strong safety Kam Chancellor indicates the secondary should be an area of strength for seasons to come: “Seattle defensive backs coach Kris Richard sensed this group was special during training camp. ‘I’m very humbled by the acknowledgement,’ Richard said. ‘And it’s a testament to the guys’ hard work and their dedication. And it’s been emphasized from Day 1. They set high standards for themselves, and have competed well to live up to or surpass those standards.’ ”
Also at the News Tribune, Dave Boling says Thomas earned his Pro Bowl berth: “Many players in the NFL say they aspire to greatness. Far fewer are willing to put in the work it takes to earn it. Earl Thomas is one of those. And this week it was recognized when Thomas was voted the Seahawks’ first Pro Bowl starter since 2008. ‘We always know what we’re going to get out of Earl,’ defensive end Red Bryant said. ‘He’s the hardest worker. He studies hard. He’s all about his teammates and he’s all about business.’ ”
John Boyle at the Everett Herald looks at how the depth on the injury-depleted offensive line has helped the second-half surge in the running game: “As seems to be the case every year with the Seahawks, offensive line injuries have piled up this season, but unlike the past couple of seasons when injuries have caused the offense to go stagnant, the Seahawks have managed to show continuous growth even as starters go down with season-ending injuries.”
Here at Seahawks.com, we look at how Earl Thomas, a Pro Bowl starter, and cornerback Brandon Browner and strong safety Kam Chancellor, first alternates, shared their recognition with their teammates on the Seahawks’ ninth-ranked defense: “Said Thomas, ‘As a whole, we’ve been playing great together. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for those guys. You’ve got guys that deserve to be here – guys like ‘Big Red’ (defensive end Red Bryant); ‘Clem’ (defensive end Chris Clemons); Kam has been playing great; both our corners (Browner and rookie Richard Sherman). I could name the whole defense. It’s just great when you have that kind of chemistry back there and everybody knows each other.’ ”
We’ve also got a look at Michael Robinson’s real role in “Wednesday in Hawkville”: “In official Pro Bowl parlance, the Seahawks’ lead-blocker is listed as the first alternate at fullback to the NFC squad that was announced Tuesday. But Tom Cable has a different take on the situation. ‘I have a running joke, I think the fullback is just a pseudo guard,’ Cable, the team’s assistant head coach/offensive line coach said today after practice. ‘I think he has to buy in like they do up front (on the line) about where he fits. You can’t fit in the middle; you’ve got to fit on the outside half. Or you’ve got to fit in the middle on this. Or whatever it is, to where you fit. So you’re just like a lineman to me. You have to be in the right place at the right time. Mike has been exceptional at growing that way.’ ” And there’s also Tony Ventrella’s video recap.
Peter King at SI.com gives a thumbs-up to Thomas’ selection to the Pro Bowl in this video report. And Doug Farrar at YahooSports.com looks at hidden Pro Bowl players on defense, including the Seahawks’ Chris Clemons, Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor; and on offense, including Marshawn Lynch, Michael Robinson and Doug Baldwin.
Wednesday in Hawkville
A recap of the activities at Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Dec. 28:
FOCUS ON
Michael Robinson. In official Pro Bowl parlance, the Seahawks’ lead-blocker is listed as the first alternate at fullback to the NFC squad that was announced Tuesday. But Tom Cable has a different take on the situation.
“I have a running joke, I think the fullback is just a pseudo guard,” Cable, the team’s assistant head coach/offensive line coach said today after practice. “I think he has to buy in like they do up front (on the line) about where he fits.
“You can’t fit in the middle; you’ve got to fit on the outside half. Or you’ve got to fit in the middle on this. Or whatever it is, to where you fit. So you’re just like a lineman to me. You have to be in the right place at the right time. Mike has been exceptional at growing that way.”
Whatever Robinson is doing, it’s working. Heading into Sunday’s season finale against the Cardinals in Arizona, the Seahawks have rushed for 100-plus yards in seven of their past eight games – after doing it twice in their first seven games. Saturday, in a two-point loss to the 49ers, Marshawn Lynch became the first player this season to score a rushing touchdown against the NFC West Champions, as well as the first back to rush for 100-plus yards against San Francisco since 2009.
And Lynch is the first to point to Robinson for his thankless contributions for everything Lynch and the running game has been able to accomplish as the Seahawks have won five of their past seven games.
Not bad for a guy who played quarterback in college, and didn’t become a true lead-blocking fullback until he signed with the Seahawks last season.
“No. No. I didn’t think that,” Robinson said when asked if he ever envisioned himself being a Pro Bowl alternate at the position when he entered the NFL. “But it’s definitely an honor to know that people thought that much of me to vote for me to be an alternate.
“But again, the coaches did a great job putting me in advantageous situations and all I had to do was go play.”
At a Pro Bowl level.
“He’s not maybe the most physical guy at it, but he’s very intelligent and he’s just continued to grow like everybody else,” Cable said.
IN ’N OUT
Leading tackler David Hawthorne and starting split end Ben Obomanu sat out today’s 90-minute practice to rest sore knees. Obomanu tweaked his in the Christmas Eve game against the 49ers, while Hawthorne has been playing with a sore knee for much of the season.
With Hawthorne out, strongside ’backer K.J. Wright and Heath Farwell both worked at middle linebacker with the No. 1 defense.
Coach Pete Carroll said he thinks Obomanu will be able to play Sunday, but when asked about the receiving crew if the 6-foot-1 Obomanu can’t play, he said, “Well, it’s getting thin. And we’re getting younger.” Carroll then laughed as he added, “And we’re also getting shorter.”
That’s because 6-5 Mike Williams, 6-4 Sidney Rice and 6-6 Kris Durham are on injured reserve. So with Obomanu watching today, the wide receivers were Golden Tate, Doug Baldwin and Deon Butler, all 5-10; and 6-2 rookie Ricardo Lockette.
“Ricardo Lockette is towering over everyone right now,” Carroll cracked.
Here’s the official injury report:
Did not practice
MLB David Hawthorne (knee)
WR Ben Obomanu (knee)
Full participation
CB Kennard Cox (hamstring)
QB Tarvaris Jackson (pectoral)
DT Clinton McDonald (concussion)
LB Malcolm Smith (concussion)
Cox, McDonald and Smith were back after sitting out the game against the 49ers and not practicing last week.
For the Cardinals:
Did not practice
OT Brandon Keith (ankle)
CB Patrick Peterson (Achilles)
S Kerry Rhodes (ankle)
Limited participation
S Sean Considine (foot)
S Rashad Johnson (knee)
QB Kevin Kolb (head)
RB LaRod Stephens-Howling (hamstring)
RB Chris Wells (knee)
Full participation
CB Michael Adams (shoulder)
John Skelton is 5-2 as the starting QB in Kolb’s absence, but the concussed Kolb was the Cardinals’ big acquisition this season.
Asked about his QB situation during a conference-call interview today, Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt put it this way, “We’ve been preparing (Kolb) to play with the idea that he was going to get better and be able to do it and then he would have a setback. So we’re kind of in that cycle right now. As he continues to progress, he won’t have those and then he’ll be able to play. So we’re working Kevin, and we’re working John. And we’re trying to see if Kevin can be ready or not.”
STAT DU JOUR
Despite allowing a touchdown and three fields in the second half of Saturday’s two-point loss to the 49ers, the Seahawks’ defense still ranks second in the league in touchdowns and points allowed in the second half this season. Here are the leaders in both categories:
Second-half defensive TDs allowed
Team No.
Browns 8
Seahawks 10
Lions 11
Ravens 12
Second-half defensive points allowed
Team No.
Browns 104
Seahawks 109
Steelers 110
Lions 114
Ravens 117
UP NEXT
The players will be back at it on their final Thursday of the regular season, with meetings, a walk-through and practice as they continue to prepare for Sunday’s season finale.
YOU DON’T SAY
“He’s just a guy that really is open even when he’s not open. He makes a quarterback’s life easier. He’s a big target out there. Even when he does get covered, it attracts a lot of attention and it opens things up for other guys. Being a young quarterback and having someone like that in your development really helps.” – Skelton on teammate Larry Fitzgerald, who has caught 93 passes for 1,222 yards and 10 touchdowns in 15 career games against the Seahawks
Monday in Hawkville
A recap of the activities at Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Dec. 26:
FOCUS ON
The Pro Bowl. The Seahawks have not had any players voted to the NFL’s all-star game since 2008, when left tackle Walter Jones and linebacker Julian Peterson were named to the NFC squad.
There are some legitimate candidates this season, and the Pro Bowl squad will be announced Tuesday. Coach Pete Carroll was asked during his news conference this afternoon about the significance of players being voted to the Pro Bowl.
“It’s good stuff, for all the hard work,” he said. “Everybody will take pride in some guys getting on that thing, if we can get there. We certainly have some guys that are worthy of that.”
The most noticeable is Marshawn Lynch, who has closed the season with a rush by running for 855 of his 1,118 yards and scoring nine of his 13 touchdowns in the past eight games. But the also-deserve-consideration group includes cornerback Brandon Browner, who is tied for second in the NFC with six interceptions and is second in the league with 220 return yards; punter Jon Ryan, who is third in the conference in average (46.8) and tied for second in the league in punts inside the 20 (30); Chris Clemons, who is tied for fifth among defensive ends in the NFC with 11 sacks; and strong safety Kam Chancellor, who has 86 tackles and four interceptions.
“We’ll see what happens. It will be interesting to see,” Carroll said. “It will be nicer to have them traveling to the game, rather than just being mentioned.”
INJURY UPDATE
Wide receiver Ben Obomanu, who tweaked a knee in the loss to the 49ers on Christmas Eve, is the most serious of those who came out of the game with injuries. Obomanu, who is starting at split end for the injured Mike Williams, falls into the “wait-and-see” category, Carroll said.
STAT DU JOUR
With those 855 yards in his past eight games, Lynch has become the fifth back in franchise history to rush for more than 1,100 yards in a season. Here’s where he ranks on the all-time list of most yards gains in a season, with one game left to improve his status:
Yards Player (year)
1,880 Shaun Alexander (2005)
1,696 Shaun Alexander (2004)
1,545 Chris Warren (1994)
1,481 Curt Warner (1986)
1,449 Curt Warner (1983)
1,435 Shaun Alexander (2003)
1,346 Chris Warren (1995)
1,318 Shaun Alexander (2001)
1,242 Ricky Watters (2000)
1,239 Ricky Watters (1998)
1,210 Rick Watters (1999)
1,175 Shaun Alexander (2002)
1,118 Marshawn Lynch (2011)
UP NEXT
After several weeks of altered preparation plans because of Thursday night, Monday night and Saturday games, the Seahawks return to their normal schedule this week. That means the players are off Tuesday, while the coaches put together the game plan, and then return Wednesday to begin preparing for the season finale against the Cardinals in Arizona on Sunday.
YOU DON’T SAY
“We’ve come a million miles this year & we’re not going to back down. Thank you #12thMan for your nonstop support, Merry Christmas to all!” – Carroll, who tweeted this on Christmas Day
Cyber surfing: Wednesday
Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Dec. 21:
Eric Williams at the News Tribune looks at the Cable effect on the Seahawks’ improved running game in the second half of the season: “(Tom) Cable also played a major role in increasing Marshawn Lynch’s effectiveness. The former California running back was well aware of the success Cable-led offenses have had running the ball. During Cable’s five years working with offensive lines in Atlanta and Oakland, his offenses finished out of the top 10 in rushing only once. ‘Their whole life they’ve just been given the ball and then go do their thing,’ Cable said about his conversation with Lynch. ‘And we all joke about it – they’re extreme that way. But he was more than willing to say, ‘Teach me. I’ll do it the way you need it, and just don’t let me off the hook if I don’t do it right.’ So big props if you will to him, to have that kind of integrity, discipline and desire to want to be great at it.’ ”
Also at the News Tribune, Dave Boling looks at Saturday’s game against the 49ers and how it could be a prelude to many more pivotal matchups between young and improving teams: “Don’t let anybody kid you, this has turned into a rivalry between two young teams on the rise, coached by a pair of very competitive men. This is not just another game. ‘They have clinched (the division) this year, and there’s nothing we can do about that now because we dug ourselves a big hole at the beginning,’ said Seahawks linebacker Leroy Hill. ‘Our playoff hopes are still alive, so we’ve still got a lot to play for. (And) beating these guys would let them know we’re definitely still here. That would be a big statement.’ ”
Danny O’Neil at the Seattle Times also looks at the heightened rivalry between the Seahawks and 49ers: “Saturday’s game at CenturyLink Field is a chance for the 7-7 Seahawks to not only show how far they’ve come since that game, but how far they can go. ‘For us to continue to take the steps we want to as an organization and as a team,’ fullback Michael Robinson said, ‘we’ve got to start winning games like this. We’ve come from hoping to win to now expecting to win. And if we expect to be the team that we all want to grow into, we have to win games like this game.’ “
John Boyle at the Everett Herald looks at the Seahawks’ receivers now that Mike Williams has joined Sidney Rice on injured reserve: “Ben Obomanu, who will step into the starting lineup along with Golden Tate, has started five games this year and was a starter for six games last season. Tate, who struggled to get on the field as a rookie, has shown considerable potential this season and has started three games since Rice’s season ended. Deon Butler, who is coming back from a broken leg that kept him out of the first nine games this season, started eight games last year. Throw rookie Doug Baldwin, Seattle’s surprise leading receiver, into the mix and the Seahawks still feel good about their receiver group.”
Mike Sando at ESPN.com looks at Marshawn Lynch’s touchdown scoring streak as the Seahawks’ Skittles-back prepares to test the 49ers’ streak of not allowing a rushing touchdown this season: “Lynch owns the NFL’s highest touchdown percentage on 2011 rushing attempts inside opponents’ 3-yard lines (minimum five attempts), according to ESPN Stats & Information. 49ers fans know where this one is headed. Their team’s defense hasn’t allowed a rushing touchdown in its last 15 games, matching the 1985-86 Bears for the longest streak since at least 1970.”
Sando also has his weekly NFC West “Stock Watch,” and among his “risers” is Tarvaris Jackson: “Jackson completed 15 of 19 passes after halftime to help the Seahawks turn a 14-7 deficit into a 38-14 victory at Soldier Field. Jackson has three touchdowns with no interceptions over Seattle’s past three games. The Seahawks are 3-0 in those games and have reached 7-7 thanks largely to Jackson’s improved play. Seattle now has every reason to bring back Jackson as its starter heading into next season. The plan would still remain for the Seahawks to draft or otherwise acquire a younger quarterback to begin developing in 2012. On a side note, lots of other Seahawks deserved consideration in this spot, from Red Bryant, to K.J. Wright to Brandon Browner and others.”
Here at Seahawks.com, well, you might want to get another cup of coffee, because we’ve got the definitive behind-the-scenes look at Sunday’s big win over the Bears with Rod Mar’s photo blog and Ben Malcolmson’s “From the Sidelines”: “Considering all the Seahawks have gone through this season, could there have been a more appropriate way for Sunday’s game to unfold? Down 14-7 and downtrodden mentally, the Seahawks entered the locker room at halftime only to come out flying, outscoring the Bears 31-0 en route to a 38-14 obliteration at Soldier Field. Satisfying? Very much so. Symbolic? Even more so. Like Sunday’s game, the Seahawks entered the halfway point of the 2011 season at a low, crawling to a 2-6 record before the results turned. And like Sunday’s game, Seattle has emerged on fire in the second half, winning five of their last six and remaining in the playoff conversation into Week 16. It’s highly unlikely anyone outside of the head coach’s corner office at Virginia Mason Athletic Center thought that could’ve even been a possibility. But here they are at 7-7 and one of the hottest teams in the NFL, culling wins and momentum that could potentially result in great things this season but will undoubtedly equate to great things in the future.”
There’s also a look at “Thunder and Lightning,” the big-play safety tandem of Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas: “The hope when the Seahawks selected Thomas with the 14th pick in the first round of last year’s NFL Draft and then grabbed Chancellor with the second pick in the fifth round was that they would mesh their explosive talents just as they did on those two bang-bang plays. Asked about it, Chancellor broke into a large smile and offered, ‘ ‘Thunder and Lightning.’ We’re a tag team back there.’ The 6-foot-3, 232-pound Chancellor is obviously ‘Thunder.’ Thomas, who has run 40 yards in 4.37 seconds, is just as obviously ‘Lightning.’ Together, they form a formidable storm front in the Seahawks’ secondary.”
And there’s still more: a look at Ben Obomanu as the “Focus on” in “Tuesday in Hawkville”; a look at this week’s opponent, the 49ers, in “Up next”; and Tony Ventrella’s video recap.
Tuesday in Hawkville
A recap of the activities at Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Dec. 20:
FOCUS ON
Ben Obomanu. With Mike Williams undergoing season-ending surgery today to repair the left ankle he broke in Sunday’s game against the Bears in Chicago, Obomanu steps into the starting lineup. Again.
Obomanu, remember, started five games earlier this season when first Sidney Rice was out and then Williams. Now, the Seahawks have neither of their intended starting wide receivers, so it will be up to Obomanu and Golden Tate to get the job done in Saturday’s game against the NFC West champion 49ers at CenturyLink Field.
“Ben is a different-style receiver,” offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said after today’s 90-minute practice. “He’s got good speed. He’s got good quickness. He knows what we’re doing. He can play multiple positions – he’s been our Z, he’s been out X, he’s kind of been all over the place.
“So he does a lot for us.”
Obomanu and Tate showed what they can combine to do on the opening drive of the second half against the Bears, as Tarvaris Jackson went to Tate for a 33-yard pass play on third-and-9 and then found Obomanu for a 43-yard gain on a drive that ended with Marshawn Lynch scoring on a 3-yard run.
Because Obomanu already has started at split end (three games for Williams) and flanker (two games for Rice), his flexibility and experience will help the passing game compensate for its latest loss.
In 14 games, nine players have led, or shared the lead, in receptions for the Seahawks: leading receiver Doug Baldwin (seven times), Rice (four), Williams (two), Tate (two), Obomanu (one), running back Leon Washington (one), Lynch (one), fullback Michael Robinson (one) and tight end Zach Miller (one).
“A new guy has kind of stepped up every week,” Bevell said. “Doug has made big plays. Golden has made big plays the last couple of weeks. You saw Ben catch a couple. So there are guys making plays. We just have to use the skills that they have and try to get them open.”
Obomanu is tied for second on the team with 32 receptions for 379 yards, and led the team with four catches in the Week 2 loss to the Steelers. Tate is third with 27 catches for 320 yards, including four against the Bears to share team-high honors with Miller.
Baldwin (46 for 731) will continue to get ample work in the slot. Deon Butler and Ricardo Lockette, who was signed off the practice squad last week, get bumped up to the fourth and fifth spots.
“We’ve been able to mix those guys in enough that where we really had five guys that at any point could really play all those positions,” Bevell said. “So we kind of, I don’t want to say don’t miss a beat, but the next guy up has been able to do a nice job.”
PLAYOFF PATTER
Winning five of their six games to begin the second half of the season has the once 2-6 Seahawks at .500 and on the cusp of the NFC playoff picture. The easier scenario to comprehend, if not accomplish, for the Seahawks to advance to the playoffs for a second consecutive season is to have them beat the 49ers and Cardinals and have the 9-5 Lions lose their games against the Chargers and Packers. The Seahawks would advance based on a better conference record.
But the players are not spending their time worrying about scenarios. They’re focused on the 49ers.
“It feels good,” Robinson said of having the Seahawks and playoffs used in the same sentence. “But at the same time, we’re just looking at it one game at a time. We can’t go to the playoffs if we don’t win this game. We couldn’t go to the playoffs if we didn’t win the last game. So you win the next game. Just win the game you have in front of you and let everything else take care of itself.
“Even if we don’t make the playoffs, the fact that if we can finish on a strong note, it’s a great stepping stone, a great building block for years to come.”
IN ’N OUT
Cornerback Phillip Adams was signed to fill Williams’ spot on the 53-man roster, as last year’s leading receiver had his surgery performed by team doctors Ed Khalfayan and Mike McAdam at the Seattle Surgery Center.
Adams, a seventh-round draft choice by the 49ers in 2010, was with the Patriots this season until being released Nov. 29. The 5-foot-11, 192-pound Adams played his college ball at South Carolina State.
The player practiced without pads or helmets in the indoor practice facility, but the team does not have to release an injury report until tomorrow.
STAT DU JOUR
Just how good has Jackson been in the Seahawks’ three-game winning streak? In a word: very. In a number: 104.5. That’s Jackson’s passer rating in the wins over the Eagles, Rams and Bears. He’s not only feeling better, more than two months after spraining the pectoral in his throwing shoulder during the Week 5 upset of the Giants; he’s managing the game better, as evidenced by the fact that he has not thrown an interception since his final pass in the Week 12 loss to the Redskins. Here’s a closer look at Jackson’s performances in the past three games:
Opponent Att. Comp. Yds. Pct. TD Int. Rating
Eagles 16 13 190 .813 1 0 137.0
Rams 32 21 224 .656 1 0 96.4
Bears 31 19 227 .613 1 0 94.4
Totals 79 53 641 .671 3 0 104.5
UP NEXT
The players will be back on the practice field Wednesday, which will be Thursday in his short week to prepare for Saturday’s game against the 49ers.
Tickets are available for the Christmas Eve game and can be purchased here.
YOU DON’T SAY
“That game seems like, I mean I didn’t even remember it was this year it’s so long ago. We’ve been through so much. We’ve changed so much. We’ve transitioned. We’re a much different team, and they’re a much different team. They’re a strong defense, it was evident last night. But we’re a much better offense than we were when we faced them at that point.” – Bevell on the season opener against the 49ers in San Francisco
Photoblog: Monday Night Madness
Monday Night Football returned to Seattle for the first time since 2007, and the Seahawks did not disappoint as they defeated the St. Louis Rams, 30-13 at CenturyLink Field.
In the broadcast booth hours before the game, microphones waited for Monday Night Football announcers Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and Ron “Jaws” Jaworski.
Monday Night Football play-by-play man Mike Tirico reviews his notes in the booth long before the stands at CenturyLink Field were filled with members of the 12thMAN.
Safety Earl Thomas warms up on the field as the last of the December sun fell on CenturyLink Field.
Skittles-mania has overtaken Seattle thanks to Marshawn Lynch, and sure enough, a bag could be found in the depths of his locker before the game.
Marshawn Lynch greets his mom on the sidelines during pregame. When asked about the Skittles habit after the game, Lynch replied, "you've got to ask my Mama."
Head coach Pete Carroll speaks briefly to the team before they took the field.
Customarily one of the last players to leave the locker room, Marshawn Lynch "taps in" as head coach Pete Carroll follows.
Chris Clemons, who Pete Carroll identifies as a key acquisition last season, stares into the television camera before leaving the tunnel during pregame introductions.
Defensive lineman Alan Branch and linebacker K.J. Wright combine to put a vicious hit on St. Louis quarterback Sam Bradford.
Michael Robinson scooped up Doug Baldwin's blocked punt and returned it for a touchdown, setting the tone for the Seahawks victory.
Members of the Seahawks special teams celebrate in the end zone after they blocked a punt for a touchdown.
This member of the 12th MAN didn't feel the need for a hat in the winter cold, he just painted a helmet on his bald head instead.
St. Louis safety Darian Stewart lost his helmet in an effort to bring down Seattle receiver Ben Obomanu.
Seahawks cornerback Brandon Browner collected his team-high fifth interception of the season, sitting in wait for a route he remembered from the two teams first meeting in St. Louis earlier in the season.
Doug Baldwin continued to improve and impress as he not only caught seven passes for 93 yards and a touchdown, but also blocked a punt that the Seahawks returned for a touchdown.
Tight end Zach Miller has been a stalwart blocking for the running game, but also caught two passes against St. Louis.
Meanwhile, on the defensive side of the ball, Brandon Mebane and his teammates dominated the Rams for the second time this season.
Safeties Earl Thomas and Atari Bigby celebrate after forcing St. Louis quarterback Sam Bradford into an intentional grounding penalty in the red zone.
Seattle's running game features Marshawn Lynch, who went "Beast Mode" in the second half on his way to a game-high 115 yards.
Lynch's 16-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter sealed the victory for the Seahawks.
After Lynch's touchdown, Skittles rained down on the turf in the end zone. Skittles are Lynch's "go-to" candy before, during and after game as was widely-publicized after his last prime-time performance on Thursday Night Football two weeks ago.
Head coach Pete Carroll lets out a yell after the final touchdown, as he saw his team win its fourth game in the last five outings. Seattle travels to Chicago as they seek to continue their newfound success.
Photoblog: Prime Time Performance
The Seahawks returned to CenturyLink Field after only a four day break to face the visiting Philadelphia Eagles in front of a national television audience in prime time. Seattle did not disappoint, thumping the Eagles 31-14 to improve their record to 5-7.
Seattle's 12th MAN was loud and proud on Thursday Night Football, filling CenturyLink Field with noise and passion all game long.
Tarvaris Jackson, center, and his offensive teammates wait to be introduced during pregame.
Marshawn Lynch was the final Seahawks starter to be introduced, and he proudly waved the 12th MAN flag amid the smoke and fog as he entered the field.
Paul McQuistan (67) and the offensive line protected Jackson all night, who achieved his highest quarterback rating of the season.
Marshawn Lynch escaped from a pileup that looked to be a rush for no gain and turned it into a touchdownn a run that observers say nearly compares to last year's "Beastquake" run against the New Orleans Saints.
Lynch poses for the fans after his touchdown run.
Wide receiver Ben Obomanu, starting in place of injured Sidney Rice, leapt high to make this catch in the first half.
Seattle rookie linebacker K.J. Wright makes a diving tackle on Philadelphia's LeSean McCoy.
Marshawn Lynch outraced everyone to the corner on a 40 yard touchdown run to give the Seahawks a 14-0 lead in the second quarter.
Golden Tate also stepped up, catching four passes for 47 yards.
Tate obeyed NFL rules after his leaping touchdown catch in the third quarter, and gave a celebratory dance instead of falling to the ground that cost him an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Washington.
Brandon Browner comes back to the sidelines and receives congratulations from K.J. Wright and Richard Sherman after Browner picked off his second pass of the game.
Wright came up the middle on a blitz and leveled Philadelphia quarterback Vince Young, who fumbled only to recover it as he went to the ground. Wright had five tackles and a sack on the night.
Seattle's defensive backfield was tough all night, including this play in the end zone in which Richard Sherman deflected away a pass intended for the Eagles' Jason Avant.
The Eagles drove deep once more into Seattle territory, but David Hawthorne stepped in front of a Vince Young pass for an interception.
With nothing between him and the end zone, Hawthorne raced untouched 77 yards to put the game away.
On the sidelines, coach Pete Carroll let out a yell as Hawthorne strode into the end zone.
Seattle's victory was soured in the final minutes when Philadelphia's Trent Cole flipped Seattle's Russell Okung to the ground after the whistle. Okung suffered a season-ending injury as a result.
General manager John Schneider greets David Hawthorne in the locker room after the win.
In the postgame locker room, Carroll held up four fingers to signify the the four takeaways by the defense.
Cyber surfing: Wednesday
Good morning. Here’s what’s “out there” about the Seahawks for today, Nov. 30:
Dave Boling at the News Tribune looks at Chris Clemons, or “the best Seahawk player about whom you know the least,” as Boling puts it. But he’s a what-you-see-is-what-you-really-need-to-know force at defensive end: “The man plays with such unrelenting energy that he’s an example of what’s known in the league as a high-motor guy. Revving up at the red line on every play.”
Also at the News Tribune, Eric Williams looks at Sidney Rice, who got a concussion in Sunday’s game and isn’t expected to play against the Eagles on Thursday night: “ ‘We have to take care of him,’ coach Pete Carroll said. ‘There’s not a helmet that he could put on his head that he could play with this weekend.’ Carroll all but ruled out Rice for Thursday’s game against the visiting Philadelphia Eagles, saying he’s more concerned about the go-to receiver’s long-term prospects in Seattle.”
Danny O’Neil at the Seattle Times looks at the Seahawks’ other starting receiver, as Mike Williams is coming off a no-catch performance in the loss to the Redskins: “The question of whether Mike Williams gets back is more metaphorical at this point. He finished without a catch Sunday for the third time this season and played sparingly in the second half because of a sore shoulder. What has happened to the player who was the Seahawks’ most unexpected success in 2010? He had 10 or more catches in three different games last season, but hasn’t caught more than four balls in any game this year. ‘I feel like I prepare the same way,’ Williams said. ‘I work just as hard. People who think, ‘Oh, well he was hungry in 2010. He was more hungry last year.’ I don’t think that’s it.’ “
Mike Sando at ESPN.com has his weekly “NFC West Stock Watch,” and Williams is among those “falling”: “The team’s leading receiver from 2010 dropped passes and did not adjust to his scrambling quarterback during a 23-17 home defeat to the Redskins. Williams’ career revival made for an appealing storyline last season. Lately, though, Williams is more closely resembling the disappointing player he became earlier in his career. He finished with zero receptions against the Redskins.”
Sando also has a look at dropped passes among the division’s receivers.
With Rice likely out, the Seahawks turn once again to Ben Obomanu, and we check-in with the versatile wide receiver here at Seahawks.com. Says QB Tarvaris Jackson: “You can always count on him. He always does everything right. He can make plays for you. In my eyes, he’s like a starter. Whenever Mike is down or Sid is down, he can step in and we’re not really losing a lot. In some things, he may even do better.”
We’ve also got practice covered in “Tuesday in Hawkville” and Tony Ventrella’s video report, as well as an “Up Next” look at the Eagles.
And because it was Tuesday, there’s also a look back at Sunday’s game with Rod Mar’s photo blog and Ben Malcolmson’s “From the Sidelines”: “It was theirs for the taking. A win, a continuation of positive momentum and a strong statement to start a three-game homestand — they were all not only options, but clear in the Seahawks’ grasp. And then they weren’t. A 16-point barrage by the Redskins in the final 10 minutes turned a feel-good victory into a heartbreaking defeat for the Seahawks, who fell to 4-7 after the 23-17 loss on Sunday. ‘There’s a game in our hands and then we lose,’ Coach Pete Carroll said to start his postgame speech in the locker room. ‘It hurts. These are hard lessons.’ ”
