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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   Published: Tuesday, October 7, 2008 Seahawks' team leaders bring calming voice By Scott M. Johnson Herald Writer RENTON -- About 24 hours after the kind of loss that can send a season spiraling out of control, three of the Seattle Seahawks' team leaders huddled in the team's locker room and took inventory in hushed voices. Middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu and safeties Deon Grant and Brian Russell were working overtime Monday afternoon, spending several minutes trying to fix things before the Seahawks go into crisis mode. "We're obviously all real concerned," Russell said after the impromptu meeting in front of his locker. "We never want to put on a performance like (Sunday's 44-6 loss to the New York Giants) ever again. We're really pushing each other." After Sunday's humbling loss, and a subsequent 1-3 record on the season, the Seahawks were trying to figure out what's gone wrong and how to right the ship. As linebacker Julian Peterson said: "It's not necessarily panicking, but at the same time it is -- almost." The biggest key, players said after Sunday's loss, is to keep the team together. Veteran receiver Bobby Engram was one of several Seahawks who were spreading the same word late Sunday afternoon. "We can't let this divide us," Engram said inside the visiting locker room at Giants Stadium. "We have to let it bring us together." On Monday, a relatively upbeat coach Mike Holmgren said that he has some concerns, but a divided locker room is not among them. "We've been in it together from the beginning, we'll be in it together during the season, and we'll be in it together at the end -- whatever happens," he said. "That's part of this particular group. They get all that. "Many of these guys have been playing football a long time, and the coaches have been coaching it a long time. And we've been through tough stretches before. I'm not going to let anything fragment the group; that's for sure." As far as fixing what has gone wrong on the field, Holmgren and his coaches were also working a little overtime Monday. The easy answer is that the Seahawks have to start playing up to their potential. But after blowout losses in each of their road games this season, Seattle's potential might not be good enough. The coaching staff is trying to fix things by making some adjustments. Holmgren said that lineup changes are being considered, and he added that the defensive staff is simplifying its package to put the players in better positions. "We're going to condense some things," he said after his defense dropped from No. 12 to No. 26 in the NFL overnight. "Hopefully (the defense will) be good at a fewer number of things but at least execute them correctly. We need to instill some confidence in the players." Offensively, Holmgren is taking the opposite tactic that he did about this time last season. On Nov. 5, 2007, the offensive guru said he was "going back to my roots" by de-emphasizing a stagnant ground game and featuring the pass more. Eleven months later, Holmgren is looking at doing the opposite. "One huge emphasis is on continuing to get better running the football," Holmgren said, adding that his team might have to start winning low-scoring games. "It appears that is going to have to be a big part of our success this year." Of course, the most obvious area in need of improvement is Seattle's play on the road. The team has outscored two opponents 67-46 at home this season while getting pummeled 78-16 on the road. "We're at one of those points right now where we really have to man up and play better," Russell said. "Every game is not going to be a home game, and we have to find a way to play better away from home." The only other time a Holmgren-coached Seahawks team started a season 1-3 was in 2002, which also marks the last time Seattle missed out on the playoffs. No Seahawks team has ever started 1-3 and gone on to make the postseason. Holmgren and the players aren't overly concerned about that right now. "It's a long season," said Holmgren, who is in his final season as head coach of the Seahawks. "We've played four games, (and) there are 16 games. So there's a lot of football left." But if the Seahawks are going to get where they want to be, they had better make some quick fixes. "Everybody has to look into the mirror," linebacker Leroy Hill said. "Everybody has to approach the game with a better attitude. "One quarter of the season is done. We have 12 games left, and it's obvious we have to step it up." READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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