A Seahawks defense that wasn't
Holmgren to 'condense some things' to try to improve unit
By CLARE FARNSWORTH
P-I REPORTER
RENTON -- The question has to be asked: Just how good is the Seahawks' defense?
That's what coach Mike Holmgren was wondering Monday in the aftermath of the 44-6 shellacking the New York Giants laid on what is supposed to be the strength of this Seahawks team Sunday in the Meadowlands.
Off to a disappointing 1-3 start, and staring at a game this week against a Green Bay Packers team that booted the Seahawks out of the playoffs 42-20 in January, Holmgren met with his defensive coaching staff and players.
The topics discussed included everything from personnel, to scheme, to play selection, to their plans for practice this week.
Afterward, Holmgren went public with some of the concerns:
# Too many big plays, including nine of 22-plus yards by the Giants.
# Not enough pressure on the opposing quarterback, including only one sack of Giants quarterback Eli Manning.
# A lack of precision in the blitz packages, which gave the Giants too much time to find receivers who were working against single coverage for three touchdowns.
But the question that was asked only behind closed doors: Is this defense as good as advertised?
The unit returns all 11 starters from last season, when the Seahawks ranked 15th in the NFL in average yards allowed (321.
, yielded the fewest touchdown passes (15) in the league and finished fourth in sacks (45) and sixth in points allowed (291).
The talk all summer was that the defense not only was the strength of the team, but would have to carry the team for a while because of all the injuries that were ravaging the offense.
That did not seem to be a reach. After all, since arriving in 2005, club president Tim Ruskell has used seven first-day draft choices and most of the team's free-agent budget to sign four more players in rebuilding this unit.
But after four games, the Seahawks are 26th in total defense (366.5), have yielded seven touchdown passes, generated eight of their 11 sacks in the Week 2 overtime loss to the 49ers and allowed 124 points -- which has them on pace for 28 TD passes and 496 points allowed, and 44 sacks.
The disparity was off the charts against the Giants: 523 yards, three TD passes, the lone sack and, of course, those 44 points.
Not only is the defense not carrying the team, it's not even carrying its share of the increasingly burdensome load.
"I'm not losing faith in them," Holmgren said. "I'm a little ticked off that we didn't play better. You just keep going. You just keep plugging away."
What can be done?
Holmgren hinted at, but was not ready to discuss, any personnel moves. But even that would be minor tweaking. Darryl Tapp, the starter at right end, could get more reps in the rotation with first-round draft choice Lawrence Jackson. Second-year cornerback Josh Wilson already is getting more time at right cornerback, where former first-round pick Kelly Jennings has been playing with a cracked rib and suffered a concussion against the Giants. But each was burned in coverage Sunday.
The only real answer for the Seahawks is to play better -- if not play as well as expected. They must tackle better. They must rush the passer better. They must cover better.
Obviously, that's easier said than done -- at least now, one-quarter of the way into their 16-game schedule.
"We're going to condense some things, and hopefully become good at doing a fewer number of things, but at least execute them correctly," Holmgren said. "The thing is to try and instill some confidence in the players."
One thing was re-emphasized against the Giants. The Seahawks' undersized defense has problems stopping power running games. Against Brandon Jacobs, the Giants' 264-pound back, they missed too many tackles and bounced off him too many times.
"You can watch film on him, see what other teams are trying to do to tackle him, but it's certainly a different scenario when you try to tackle him," Giants center Shaun O'Hara said after the game. "That kind of first-person perspective -- I think they were a little shocked."
Linebacker Julian Peterson, who hit and bounced off Jacobs on the Giants' first two plays, said it's a matter of running his feet better and wrapping up the back.
"You've just got to make sure that you stay with your technique and always think about what you need to do, instead of just thinking about getting the initial big blow," he said.
As Holmgren put it, "We missed tackles. Our angles weren't great. You do that against a good football team and you get what happened (Sunday): You get hit right in the mouth."
For their part, the players are saying the right things, and vowing to come out Sunday and do the right things.
Monday, defensive co-captains Lofa Tatupu and Deon Grant and free safety Brian Russell held an impromptu three-player meeting in the locker room to continue discussing the situation.
"We need to do more, because what happened on Sunday is not acceptable," Russell said. "It's hard. I feel like this is just lip service. We have to go out and do it. Talking about it all day doesn't make plays for you."
HAWK TALK: Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is expected to practice Wednesday when the players return from their off day and play against the Packers, despite hyperextending his right knee against the Giants.
FOCUS ON: DEION BRANCH
Deion Branch's long-awaited comeback lasted a little more than a quarter, but at least the Seahawks wide receiver will be able to return from his latest injury sooner rather than later.
That was the word from coach Mike Holmgren on Monday after additional tests showed that Branch bruised his right heel in the first quarter of Sunday's loss to the New York Giants.
Branch will be out indefinitely, but that was actually the preferred prognosis. The other options presented to Holmgren after the game involved more serious injuries.
"It's probably the best news I could hear, to be honest," Holmgren said. "I can't tell you when he's going to be back to play, but it could have been a lot worse."
Branch started at flanker against the Giants and caught three passes for 31 yards. It was his first game since tearing a ligament in his left knee during the January playoff loss to the Packers in Green Bay. Branch also missed five games last season with foot and calf injuries.
"It's a pain issue," Holmgren said of Branch's heel. "That's not a little thing for a guy who does what he does and relies on his quickness."
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Subject: A Seahawks defense that wasn't 
Tue Oct 07, 2008 8:46 am