Hasselbeck's low passer rating tied to revolving receiver door

Hasselbeck's low passer rating tied to revolving receiver door
Call it a lack of reception
By CLARE FARNSWORTH
P-I REPORTER

RENTON -- Matt Hasselbeck's numbers are laughable.

So much so, that even the Seahawks' Pro Bowl quarterback is making jokes about his completion percentage (.455) and passer rating (48.6) heading into Sunday's game against the also 0-2 St. Louis Rams at Qwest Field.

At the root of these undistinguished digits, however, are the really telling statistics in Hasselbeck's uncharacteristically slow start:

# Seven. The number of wide receivers the Seahawks have been forced to use in their first two games.

# 17. The number of passes those seven receivers have caught, despite Hasselbeck putting the ball up 77 times -- the second-highest total in the NFL behind the Colts' Peyton Manning (91).

"That's the reason," coach Mike Holmgren said, bluntly, when asked if Hasselbeck's slow start was related to the ongoing turnover at the wide receiver position.

Holmgren is quick to point out that Hasselbeck is a career 61-percent passer and his percentage (.626) and passer rating (91.4) last season are truer indicators of what kind of quarterback he is.

"The reason for (his lower numbers) is the changes we've had at wide receiver," Holmgren said.

In last week's home opener against the San Francisco 49ers, after Seneca Wallace was lost to a pulled calf muscle in pregame warm-ups and Logan Payne went down with a season-ending knee injury while making his first reception, to say Hasselbeck was short-handed does not even come close to telling the entire story.

At split end was Billy McMullen, a street free agent who had been signed Wednesday. At flanker was Courtney Taylor, who has the potential to develop into a good receiver but has caught only four passes while starting both games. In the slot was Michael Bumpus, the rookie free agent from Washington State who was signed off the practice squad Saturday.

This week, the revolving door has swung again. In a when-hell-freezes-over return, former first-round draft choice Koren Robinson was re-signed. The club also acquired Keary Colbert in a trade with the Denver Broncos.

It's enough to make any quarterback throw up his hands.

Not Hasselbeck. It's not in his nature.

"Matt has handled it very well. You can't tell if it's getting to him," said leading receiver Bobby Engram, who cracked a bone in his right shoulder in the preseason opener and is scheduled to return after the Week 4 bye.

"He's the same guy running around, having fun. He's still a jokester. But I know he's a competitor, too. His completion percentage and no wins right now, I know that part is bothering him."

But Hasselbeck is not looking to make excuses -- even when the obvious ones are so glaring.

"It's a long year and a lot can happen," he said Wednesday while walking through the halls of the team's new facility on his way to his midweek Q&A session with reporters.

"I've got a lot on my plate, it's just different stuff now."

Last year, Holmgren asked Hasselbeck to shoulder more of the offensive load because the running game was running on empty. He responded with career highs in completions (352), passing yards (3,966) and touchdown passes (28).

This year, he's being asked to forge ahead with whatever hands are at his disposal.

"Matt has handled these types of things pretty well," Holmgren said. "He's played long enough and had enough success and is confident enough to be in a good position to handle it as well as anybody. He's doing that. He's doing a good job of that."

This week, Hasselbeck has better options. Holmgren admits that while last week's signings of McMullen and since-released Samie Parker were Band-Aid moves, adding Robinson and Colbert were tourniquet transactions aimed at stopping the bleeding until Engram and/or Deion Branch can return.

But Hasselbeck also will be facing a Rams defense that likes to blitz, and does it in unorthodox ways.

"The Rams do so much that they'll vacate places," offensive coordinator Gil Haskell said.

So the receivers have to make mirror reactions that can lead to receptions, rather than just another incompletion.

"The receivers have got to help the quarterback," Haskell said. "They've got to be in the right spot."

If Hasselbeck is feeling any pressure, he certainly isn't showing it.

Left guard Mike Wahle, who has known Hasselbeck since 1998 when they were rookies together with the Green Bay Packers, offered, "Obviously there's some frustration. But Matt is the consummate professional. He's a Pro Bowl player and one of the best quarterbacks in the league.

"He's been dealt a tough hand, but he's going to come out and respond the way he has his whole career."

HAWK TALK: Robinson was limited in practice because of the sore knee that forced him to sit out the end of Wednesday's practice. ... Defensive tackle Rocky Bernard sat out to rest a sore hip.

FOCUS ON: MICHAEL BUMPUS

The Seahawks have added three veteran wide receivers in the past 10 days, but there remains a role for Washington State rookie Michael Bumpus.

Actually, two, because he will continue to return punts and also work from the slot in the three- and four-receiver sets in Sunday's game against the St. Louis Rams at Qwest Field. With Bobby Engram (shoulder) and Deion Branch (knee) not ready to return, Bumpus is the best option for the special task that is playing the slot receiver.

It's not easy, because of the increased traffic while working the middle of the field and also another reason that coach Mike Holmgren pointed out.

"You have to have tremendous courage, first of all," Holmgren said. "And you have to have a little 'feel,' because you're dealing with multiple defenders.

"Not every receiver is good at that. Michael seems to be kind of natural at that, even though he's young."

Bumpus, who was signed off the practice squad Saturday, smiled when told of the words of praise from his coach.

"You've got to be able to work in traffic, because it's rare in the slot that you have a free release to run your route," he said. "You've got to have a feel for the defense and moving linebacker as well, because they're going to take a shot at you -- especially me, being 5-11, 190."

That was the case in practice Thursday. On one play, Bumpus walled off linebacker Lance Laury to give Julius Jones a needed running lane. On the next play, the 237-pound Laury simply flung Bumpus to the turf. But both came away smiling.

"He was getting me ready. I appreciate that," Bumpus said. "Because in the game that's going to happen."





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