Seahawks backups dial up win

Seahawks backups dial up win
Young players help Seattle close preseason on high note
By CLARE FARNSWORTH
P-I REPORTER

Youth definitely was served Friday night.

Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren and Lane Kiffin, his counterpart for the Oakland Raiders, turned their preseason finale at Qwest Field into a Battle of the Backups.

Matt Hasselbeck? The Seahawks Pro Bowl quarterback wasn't even in uniform. JaMarcus Russell? The first pick overall in last year's NFL draft was replaced by Raiders backup QB Andrew Walter.

In all, there were 38 lineup changes between the teams, including 16 by the Seahawks. Fullback Leonard Weaver, right guard Rob Sims and center Chris Spencer, who was making his preseason debut, were the only offensive starters who did not give way to a backup. Rookie Lawrence Jackson was the only defensive starter in the lineup, at right end.

Holmgren said he was going to turn things over to the younger players -- and even some of the veterans -- who are battling for roster spots. And did he ever.

"We all had a lot of to prove today," said veteran running back T.J. Duckett, who scored both of the Seahawks' touchdowns in their 23-16 victory.

"We knew we were going to get a lot of playing time and a lot of opportunities. So why not go take advantage of it?"

Why, indeed.

Among the highlights and lowlights as the Seahawks finished the exhibition season 3-1:

# Jackson. The team's first-round draft choice appeared to wrap up a starting job. He had a fumble-forcing sack of Walter to set up the Seahawks' first touchdown.

# Ben Obomanu, who had only one reception in the first three games, contributed big catches on the Seahawks' first two scoring drives. But he also picked up two injuries -- including a broken left clavicle, which knocked him out of the game in the first quarter and likely ended his season.

"I feel bad for him," Holmgren said. "He was very much in our plans, and he got off to a good start tonight."

# Baraka Atkins. The second-year defensive end finished with four tackles. He also forced the play that resulted in a sack by Jason Babin and applied the pressure that led to a fourth-down incompletion.

# C.J. Wallace. The second-year safety from Washington had four tackles and returned an interception 41 yards.

# Michael Bumpus. A Holmgren favorite early in training camp, the rookie free agent from Washington State caught three passes for 53 yards.

# Justin Forsett. The seventh-round draft choice continued to have a hit-and-miss preseason. He muffed a punt, but also ran for 45 yards on 14 carries and caught two passes for 17 yards.

Two veterans who needed big games also delivered. There was Duckett, who got the start and responded by gaining 71 yards on 11 carries, including 24- and 1-yard scoring runs. Kicker Olindo Mare continued to drive his kickoffs into the end zone and also added a 34-yard field goal.

Two other veterans who already were locks for roster spots sparked the offensive and defensive performances. Seneca Wallace completed 21 of 30 passes for 255 yards. D.D. Lewis, who started for Pro Bowl linebacker Julian Peterson, had four tackles.

"It's been a while and it felt good to get back out there and get in a rhythm," said Wallace, who sat out the previous two games as the coaches wanted to take a long look at No. 3 QB Charlie Frye.

Twenty-two of these players won't be around Saturday afternoon, however, because the Seahawks must trim their 75-man roster to the league-mandated limit of 53. Eight can be signed to the practice squad once they clear waivers.

The Seahawks jumped on top 7-0, thanks to a bang-bang play by Jackson, some fancy passing by Wallace and a much-needed 24-yard touchdown run by Duckett.

Forsett gave the Raiders the ball at the Seahawks 34 by muffing a punt return -- the second time he has lost the ball this week, after fumbling in Monday night's game in San Diego. But Jackson sacked Walter and forced a fumble on a third-and-2 play, and defensive tackle Craig Terrill recovered at the 34.

Wallace then sandwiched passes of 15 yards to Courtney Taylor and 16 to Obomanu between 11- and 24-yard runs by Duckett to get the Seahawks on the board.

The Seahawks special teams continued to be counterproductive on the ensuing kickoff, as Johnnie Lee Higgins broke a 58-yard return up the sideline and had to be tackled by rookie kicker Brandon Coutu.

But redemption came when Raiders holder/punter Shane Lechler dropped the snap on a 21-yard field goal attempt and then threw an ill-advised pass that C.J. Wallace intercepted and returned 41 yards.

A trio of Sebastian Janikowski field goals (40, 50 and 37 yards) made the score 16-9 in the fourth quarter. But Duckett scored on his 1-yard run to push the Seahawks lead to 23-9 with 9½ minutes left in the game.

The Raiders threatened later in the fourth quarter, driving to the Seahawks 2. But again the kids came up with a couple of big plays against a pair of former Washington Huskies as defensive tackle Kevin Brown stuffed Louis Rankin for a 2-yard loss on third down and Atkins pressured Marques Tuiasosopo into an incompletion on fourth down.

Tuiasosopo got some late revenge, passing 25 yards to another former Husky, Marcel Reece, for a TD with 1:51 to play.

Contributing to the "kid stuff" theme for the evening, J.P. Patches raised the 12th Man flag in the south end zone before kickoff.
SEAHAWKS 23RAIDERS 16
Oakland 0 6 3 7--16
Seattle 10 3 3 7--23

First Quarter: Sea--Duckett 24 run (Coutu kick), 10:50. Sea--FG Mare, 4:14. Second Quarter: Sea--FG Coutu 28, 9:54. Oak--FG Janikowski 40, 4:36. Oak--FG Janikowski 50, :05. Third Quarter: Sea--FG Coutu 21, 7:52. Oak--FG Janikowski 37, 4:08. Fourth Quarter: Sea--Duckett 1 run (Coutu kick), 9:35. Oak--Reece 25 pass from Tuiasosopo (Janikowski kick), 1:51. A--67,163.
Oak Sea
First downs 17 24
Total Net Yards 338 383
Rushes-yards 28-181 31-130
Passing 181 253
Punt Returns 1-0 2-3
Kickoff Returns 4-130 0-0
Interceptions Ret. 0-0 1-41
Comp-Att-Int 18-28-1 21-31-0
Sacked-Yards Lost 2-13 1-2
Punts 3-41.7 3-29.7
Fumbles-Lost 3-1 2-2
Penalties-Yards 10-89 8-73
Time of Possession 28:59 31:01

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING: Oakland, McFadden 4-50, Bush 12-42, Rankin 7-28, Walter 2-15, Tuiasosopo 2-13, Echemando 1-9. Seattle, Duckett 11-71, Forsett 14-45, Payne 1-6, Wallace 2-6, Weaver 1-2, Kirtman 1-1, Bell 1-(minus 1).

PASSING: Oakland, Walter 16-24-0-162, Tuiasosopo 2-3-1-32, Lechler 0-1-0-0. Seattle, Wallace 21-30-0-255, Bell 0-1-0-0.

RECEIVING: Oakland, Schillens 3-49, Lawton 4-31, Shields 2-27, Reece 1-25, Watkins 2-22, Holland 1-21, Stewart 3-13, Higgins 1-6, McFadden 1-0. Seattle, Bumpus 3-53, Obomanu 2-49, Payne 3-34, Putzier 2-34, Forsett 2-17, Taylor 1-15, Kent 2-13, Shelton 1-13, Gilmore 1-12, Kirtman 1-7, Duckett 2-5, Schmitt 1-3.

MISSED FG: Oakland, Janikowski 66 (SC).





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Seahawks' Duckett shows what he can do
Running back rushes for 71 yards, two touchdowns
By GARY WASHBURN
P-I REPORTER

Friday was a 60-minute long opportunity for T.J. Duckett to cement his role in the Seahawks backfield while everyone else watched.

Duckett nearly equaled his preseason rushing total for the first three games in an impressive performance against the Oakland Raiders in a 23-16 win at Qwest Field. He finished with 71 yards, highlighted by 24-yard and 1-yard touchdown runs.

The bruising running back had been mostly an afterthought this summer, rushing for just 82 yards in 25 carries with a long run of 12 yards. But he had that burst Friday that made him an intriguing first-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 2002.

Duckett has yet to live up to that billing. The Seahawks are his fourth team in seven seasons and he has not rushed for more than 380 yards in a season since 2004. So Friday was important for Duckett, whose five-year contract raised eyebrows because of his recent lack of production.

He made a statement with a dominant first quarter for the Seahawks. Getting the start, the bull from Michigan State pounded for 40 yards in four carries, capped by a 24-yard scoring run in which he cleared the line on a draw play and ran untouched for the final 20 yards.

"Everyone had a lot to do, a lot to prove and a lot to play for," he said. "It was nice to get out there and end on a good note. I wanted to go out and show what I can do and make some plays. We needed to do what we had to."

If there was any doubt about Duckett's ability to contribute after some shaky seasons with Washington and Detroit, he likely eradicated those with his performance. He carried just once more in the first half, a 2-yarder in the second quarter to finish with 42 in five carries.

Meanwhile, Justin Forsett's bid to land a roster spot took a slight blow when he fumbled a punt following Oakland's opening drive. Stepping up to make the grab in traffic, Forsett bobbled the ball and eventually lost it to Oakland's Michael Bush.

Forsett made up for his gaffe with a solid second quarter and he was key to the Seahawks' third scoring drive, running for 15 yards as Brandon Coutu finished with a 28-yard field goal for a 13-0 lead. Forsett compiled 19 yards in six first-half carries and added an 11-yard reception from Seneca Wallace on that scoring drive. He finished with 45 yards on 14 carries and two catches for 17 yards.

Now the waiting game begins on his immediate NFL future. Forsett has made an inspired bid to make the roster as a seventh-round pick.

"I definitely would like to know as soon as possible so it doesn't get drawn out," he said. "The suspense builds, but I'm really not worried. It's already done, whatever's going to happen, so I'm just going to wait, sleep a little longer in the morning and see what happens."

It was apparent that coach Mike Holmgren was using the preseason finale as a showcase for Duckett and Forsett, as the remainder of the backfield mostly had the night off.

Duckett started the second half with a 2-yard run on the first drive and then got back to sealing a role in the backfield with a 20-yard run on Seattle's second drive. He finished the drive with 25 more yards and Coutu banged through a 21-yard field goal for a 16-6 lead.

Forsett received most of his playing time in the fourth quarter and hauled in a 6-yard pass to the Oakland 2. Duckett cashed in the opportunity with a 1-yard run for a 23-9 lead.

The fumble was the lone miscue in a workmanlike night for Forsett, who has shown in the past month that he is worthy of an NFL roster. He finished the preseason with 248 yards on 46 carries, a 5.4-yard average.

"I'd like a chance to show more things I can do," he said. "There was some good and some bad. Hopefully, I will be able to improve from the bad stuff if I am given the opportunity."




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Hawk hopefuls' time to shine
On a night when NFL futures and dreams were at stake, some Seahawks were bound to shine in what was their last shot to make the final 53-man roster.
By José Miguel Romero
Seattle Times staff reporter


On a night when NFL futures and dreams were at stake, some Seahawks were bound to shine in what was their last shot to make the final 53-man roster.

Others were bound to hurt their chances, be it mistakes or injury. It all happened on an action-packed, all-or nothing exhibition finale that ended in Seattle's 23-16 win over the Oakland Raiders on Friday night at Qwest Field.

This was a festival of big plays from the beginning, and the Seahawks made most of them.

It didn't start so well. Rookie Justin Forsett, one of many trying to impress the coaches, fumbled on his first punt return, giving the ball back to the Raiders. Oakland got to the Seahawks' 26-yard line when Lawrence Jackson wrapped up quarterback Andrew Walter for a sack and forced a fumble, which defensive tackle Craig Terrill recovered.

The Seahawks went to work on offense quickly. T.J. Duckett, starting at running back, ran for 11 yards. Then Seneca Wallace, starting in place of the injured Matt Hasselbeck and Charlie Frye, hit Courtney Taylor for 15 yards.

Next came a 16-yard completion to Ben Obomanu, and two plays later, with the ball at the Oakland 24, Duckett found space on the right side and rumbled into the end zone for a touchdown with 10:41 to go in the first quarter.

The Raiders drove to the Seahawks' 3 with their next possession but had to settle for a field goal try. What should have been a chip shot for Sebastian Janikowski turned into a misadventure, as the snap and hold were botched and holder Shane Lechler attempted a pass. Safety C.J. Wallace intercepted it, ran the ball back 41 yards and enhanced his chances at making the team.

Wallace was hot from the start. His 33-yard hookup with Obomanu set up an Olindo Mare field goal, but Obomanu hurt a shoulder on the play and would not return.

Obomanu's exit opened the door for Logan Payne and Michael Bumpus, two other roster hopefuls, to get more opportunities. Payne ran for six yards on an end around and Bumpus gained 30 yards on a pass play, part of drive that ended the first quarter and began the second. Forsett, meanwhile, gathered himself after his early fumble and ran hard, helping the Seahawks to a Brandon Coutu field goal and a 13-0 lead with 9:54 to play in the first half.

The Raiders rested their entire starting lineup and the Seahawks most of theirs. No Seahawk defensive starter played except for Jackson.

Oakland made some plays of their own. Rookie running back Darren McFadden picked up 24 yards on one run, leading the Raiders to a field goal. When the Seahawks got the ball back, Wallace hit tight end Jeb Putzier for 24 yards, and a pass to rookie Owen Schmitt saw the wrecking ball fullback hurdle a tackler for 3 yards, drawing a loud cheer.

The Seahawks couldn't score on that drive, though, and led 13-6 at halftime.

In the third quarter, the Raiders inexplicably tried a 66-yard field goal that was short, giving the Seahawks the ball at the Oakland 44 at the 11-minute mark. Duckett ran for 20 yards, Wallace hit Payne for 20 more and the Seahawks got a field goal from Coutu to take a 16-6 lead.

Leading 16-9 as the third quarter ended, the Seahawks were poised to score a touchdown after a drive that had three pass interference penalties against the Raiders. But Wallace lost the ball as the pocket collapsed around him and Oakland recovered the fumble.

It didn't make a difference, as the Seahawks survived a dropped pass in the end zone by Bryan Gilmore to score a touchdown on a one-yard run by Duckett with 9:35 to play.

The Seahawks ensured victory by forcing a turnover on downs with 6:44 left, holding inside their own 5-yard line.




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Hawks win preseason finale, lose Obomanu
FRANK HUGHES; The News Tribune
Published: August 29th, 2008 10:59 PM
How’s this for an indication the Seattle Seahawks were in a relatively meaningless preseason game on Friday night?

Trailing by 10 points early in the third period, Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin allowed kicker Sebastian Janikowski to attempt a 66-yard field goal.

When Janikowski came up short by 10 yards, it gave the Seahawks the ball in Oakland’s territory, whereas a punt would likely have pinned the Seahawks inside their own 20.

Field position? Overrated.

Final score?

About the same.

Yes, the Seahawks won their third of four exhibitions by a 23-16 margin before 67,163 ready-for-the-regular-season fans at Qwest Field. But this game was more about staying healthy and getting a full chance to evaluate the players fighting for the final roster spots.

The Seahawks didn’t do so well on the first front even though they didn’t put many of their front-line players in the game. They lost wide receiver Ben Obomanu to a broken clavicle that knocked him out of the game in the first quarter and may have ended his season. Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said Obomanu is a candidate for the injured reserve, thought that determination will come today.

Obomanu actually suffered a minor knee injury a few plays before that, came back in to catch a 33-yard pass that set up T.J. Duckett’s 24-yard scoring run, and then went out for good with the shoulder injury.

“He got off to such a great start, I feel bad for him,” said Holmgren, who also does not have Deion Branch or Bobby Engram because of injuries. “He was a very steady guy. But this happens, unfortunately.”

Obomanu’s injury sets up an interesting decision for the coaching staff, which must trim the roster from 75 players to 53 by this afternoon.

If rookie running back Justin Forsett does not make the team, Obomanu was probably next in line to return punts and kickoffs. Nate Burleson is no longer a candidate for that job because he is the team’s starting split end.

But with Obomanu out for an extended time, it would require the Seahawks to use somebody who has not returned punts in any preseason games in the season opener in Buffalo next Sunday if Forsett does not make the team.

Forsett made the staff’s decision more difficult by fumbling Oakland’s first punt of the game. With the Raiders’ gunners bearing down on him, Forsett looked up and dropped the ball. It was his second fumble in two weeks after the 261 all-purpose yards he gained against Chicago two weeks ago.

Forsett did play well the remainder of the game, totaling 45 yards rushing on 14 carries, catching two passes for 17 yards and displaying the tackle-breaking skills that made coaches and teammates take notice in the first place.

“He got better as the game went along,” Holmgren said. “I think he is reliable, he made pretty good decisions in the kicking game. He runs hard. He does all the things we’ve said. But he is a part of that group at running back that we are going to have to take a look at.”

Though Duckett did very little in the first two exhibition games – and had two fumbles, as well – he may have rendered a debate about his status meaningless with his second consecutive strong outing, which included 71 yards rushing and two touchdowns, including a score off a draw play that saw the 252-pounder break a few tackles and issue a stiffarm to spring himself, giving the Seahawks a 7-0 lead.

Like Forsett, receiver Logan Payne both hurt himself and helped himself. On his first opportunity, Payne was thrown a ball that would have been a Seattle first down on Oakland’s 11.

But as he was trying to escape a tackler, Payne took a step back and had the ball punched from his grasp. After a review, the officials ruled that Payne did not make the catch, forcing the Seahawks to kick a field goal for a 10-0 lead, which was never threatened by Oakland’s ineffective offense.

Thereafter, Payne – who broke his ribs in the team’s scrimmage early in training camp – caught three passes for 34 yards, including a 20-yard catch-and-run. His chances are enhanced, though, by the injury to Obomanu.

“It’s tough to look at it like that,” Payne said. “Ben is one of the leaders of the receivers. He has helped us all. I don’t look at it like (his injury helps me), I look at it like we need to get those (injured players) back.”

Payne’s chances are better than Bryan Gilmore, who saw his Seattle career end when he dropped a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter that would have cemented the Seahawks’ victory. Never mind that Duckett scored three plays later for a 23-9 lead; the damage was done for Gilmore, who has played for two other NFC West teams but will not make it a trio. As expected, the field goal kicking competition between veteran Olindo Mare and rookie Brandon Coutu was very close. However, what separates them, and what may be the deciding factor, is the length on kickoffs.

The perfect microcosm: Mare booted the opening kickoff seven yards deep into the end zone, forcing a touchback that required the Raiders to take the ball on the 20.

After Duckett’s first touchdown, Coutu got the next kickoff in the same direction. His kick was only two yards deep, and Johnnie Lee Higgins returned it 57 yards, Coutu forced to save a touchdown with a desperation tackle.




http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/seahawks/story/465719.html

Meaningless? Time will tell
FRANK HUGHES; frank.hughes@thenewstribune.com
Published: August 30th, 2008 01:00 AM
How’s this for an indication the Seattle Seahawks were playing a relatively meaningless preseason game on Friday night?

Trailing by 10 points early in the third period, Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin allowed kicker Sebastian Janikowski to attempt a 66-yard field goal.

When Janikowski came up short by 10 yards, it gave the Seahawks the ball in Oakland territory, whereas a punt would likely have pinned the Seahawks inside their own 20.

Field position?

Overrated.

Final score?

About the same.

Yes, the Seahawks won their third of four exhibitions by a 23-16 margin before 67,163 ready-for-the-regular-season fans at Qwest Field. But this game was more about staying healthy and getting a full chance to evaluate the players fighting for the final roster spots.

The Seahawks didn’t do so well on the first front even though they didn’t put many of their front-line players in the game.

They lost wide receiver Ben Obomanu to a broken clavicle that knocked him out of the game in the first quarter and may have ended his season. Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said Obomanu is a candidate for the injured reserve list, though that determination will come today.

Obomanu actually suffered a minor knee injury a few plays before that, came back in to catch a 33-yard pass that set up T.J. Duckett’s 24-yard scoring run, and then went out for good with the collarbone injury.

“He got off to such a great start, I feel bad for him,” said Holmgren, who also does not have Deion Branch or Bobby Engram because of injuries. “He was a very steady guy. But this happens, unfortunately.”

Obomanu’s injury sets up an interesting decision for the coaching staff, which must trim the roster from 75 players to 53 by this afternoon.

If rookie running back Justin Forsett does not make the team, Obomanu was probably next in line to return punts and kickoffs. Nate Burleson is no longer a candidate for that job because he is the team’s starting split end.

But with Obomanu out for an extended time, it would require the Seahawks to use somebody who has not returned punts in any preseason games in the season opener in Buffalo on Sept. 7 if Forsett does not make the team.

Forsett made the staff’s decision more difficult by fumbling Oakland’s first punt of the game. With the Raiders’ gunners bearing down on him, Forsett looked up and dropped the ball. It was his second fumble in two weeks after the 261 all-purpose yards he gained against Chicago two weeks ago.

Forsett did play well the remainder of the game, totaling 45 yards rushing on 14 carries, catching two passes for 17 yards and displaying the tackle-breaking skills that made coaches and teammates take notice in the first place.

“He got better as the game went along,” Holmgren said. “I think he is reliable, he made pretty good decisions in the kicking game. He runs hard. He does all the things we’ve said. But he is a part of that group at running back that we are going to have to take a look at.”

Though Duckett did very little in the first two exhibition games – and had two fumbles, as well – he may have rendered a debate about his status meaningless with his second consecutive strong outing, which included 71 yards rushing and two touchdowns, including a score off a draw play that saw the 252-pounder break a few tackles and issue a stiff-arm to spring himself, giving the Seahawks the game’s first score.

Like Forsett, receiver Logan Payne both hurt himself and helped himself. On his first opportunity, Payne was thrown a ball that would have been a Seattle first down on Oakland’s 11.

But as he was trying to escape a tackler, Payne took a step back and had the ball punched from his grasp. After a review, the officials ruled that Payne did not make the catch, forcing the Seahawks to kick a field goal for a 10-0 lead, which was never threatened by Oakland’s ineffective offense.

Thereafter, Payne – who broke his ribs in the team’s scrimmage early in training camp – caught three passes for 34 yards, including a 20-yard catch-and-run. His chances are enhanced, though, by the injury to Obomanu.

“It’s tough to look at it like that,” Payne said. “Ben is one of the leaders of the receivers. He has helped us all. I don’t look at it like (his injury helps me), I look at it like we need to get those (injured players) back.”

Payne’s chances are better than those of Bryan Gilmore, who saw his Seattle career effectively end when he dropped a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter that would have cemented the Seahawks’ victory. Never mind that Duckett scored three plays later for a 23-9 lead; the damage was done for Gilmore, who has played for two other NFC West teams but will not make it a trio.

As expected, the field-goal kicking competition between veteran Olindo Mare and rookie Brandon Coutu was very close. However, what separates them, and what may be the deciding factor, is the length on kickoffs.

The perfect microcosm: Mare booted the opening kickoff seven yards deep into the end zone, forcing a touchback that required the Raiders to take the ball on the 20.

After Duckett’s first touchdown, Coutu got the next kickoff in the same direction. His kick was only 2 yards deep, and Johnnie Lee Higgins returned it 57 yards, with Coutu forced to save a touchdown with a desperation tackle.

Extra points

The Raiders have become a watered-down version of the University of Washington South. Besides former UW quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo, the Raiders also have rookies Louis Rankin, Marcel Reece and Greyson Gunheim on their roster. Reece scored a 25-yard touchdown on a pass from Tuiasosopo with 1:51 left. ...

Quarterback Charlie Frye, who suffered a knee bruise against San Diego on Monday night, dressed for the game but did not play. Dalton Bell finished the game for Seneca Wallace. ...

Holmgren said he hopes that Branch can begin practicing this week. He has only been able to do conditioning drills since having surgery on his knee in February. ...

Defensive end Jason Babin, fighting with Baraka Atkins to make the team, had the first special teams duties of his career Friday night, a good indication the team would like to keep him. “It’s harder than you think,” Babin said. “It’s not just running down the field and making the tackle.”




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