Sooner or later, the fingers will point toward Steve Sidwell. When you’re the coordinator of the league’s worst defense, eventually some blame comes your way.
But the culprit for Seattle’s porous defense this season might actually be on the other side of the ball. Mike Holmgren, not Sidwell, is to blame for the defensive woes. It was Holmgren who decided to transfuse his defense with younger bodies at the expense of some very serviceable veterans.
Just look at some of the defensive players Holmgren sent packing.
Sam Adams is a key member of the NFL’s top-ranked defense in Baltimore, and his addition has been a big reason why defensive end Rob Burnett is on pace to set a career high in sacks. Adams has also been a valuable run-stuffer for the Ravens – something the Seahawks have been missing this season.
Then there’s Brian Walker, who is the starting strong safety for Miami’s stingy defense. He was named the AFC’s defensive player of the week following a 17-7 win over San Diego three weeks ago. With the subpar play of Seattle’s safeties this season, Walker probably would have been an improvement at that position.
As for linebacker Darrin Smith, he moved into the New Orleans Saints’ starting lineup in Week 7, and the Saints have gone 6-1 since. Although he is playing out of position at middle linebacker, Smith is leading the team in tackles.
Defensive end Phillip Daniels has six sacks for the Chicago Bears, more than any Seahawks defensive lineman this season. And safety Darryl Williams ranks second on the Cincinnati Bengals in tackles and interceptions.
Daniels was the only one Holmgren wanted to keep, yet he and Williams are the only ones not playing for a playoff contender. To be fair, Holmgren’s decisions regarding Adams and Smith had more to do with personality than play on the field. And Walker spent all of 1999 trying to overcome a recurring hamstring problem.
But it’s still worth noting that the former Seahawks have moved on and are doing well. And their replacements aren’t.
Even though Holmgren has expressed regret over losing Daniels – quick to add, however, that the Seahawks didn’t have the cap room to pay the $25 million he received from Chicago – the defensive end is the only one who has been even adequately replaced. Second-year player Lamar King has been the Seahawks’ most consistent defensive lineman this season, even if he isn’t putting up Daniels’ sack numbers.
The other fill-ins are struggling. Middle linebacker George Koonce has been a warrior, but his best days are behind him. Safety Reggie Tongue, Holmgren’s prized free agent, has been so slow to pick up Sidwell’s system that he was benched in favor of Kerry Joseph. And Adams’ replacement, Riddick Parker, doesn’t have the size to demand double teams or stop the run.
Holmgren had the opportunity to get some defensive help in the draft, with BYU middle linebacker Rob Morris and Boston College defensive tackle Chris Hovan on the board for both of the Seahawks’ first-round picks. By the time Seattle addressed its defensive holes, the Seahawks had to settle for lesser-known players like Isaiah Kacyvenski, Tim Watson and John Hilliard.
Ask Holmgren, and he’ll tell you the team is generally better off in the long run for losing some of its defensive starters. And he’d point out that the offensive players drafted – namely Shaun Alexander, Chris McIntosh and Darrell Jackson – have shown promise.
Maybe the moves will pay off at some point. But for now, the current Seahawks will have to spend the postseason watching their former teammates on television.
Falcons – QB Doug Johnson is expected to make his first start, replacing Everett native Chris Chandler. RB Jamal Anderson is running behind a makeshift offensive line, but he’s still in position to hit the 1,000-yard mark. Anderson needs 179 more yards to get there. CB Ray Buchanan ranks third in the NFL with six interceptions, and he has been credited with 19 passes defensed. K Morten Andersen has scored at least one point in 266 consecutive games, an NFL record. He currently ranks third on the NFL’s all-time scoring list, with 1,916 points.
Both teams should rely on their running games. Atlanta will go with a rookie quarterback who is making his first start, while the Seahawks are probably better off testing the Falcons’ run defense instead of their big-play cornerbacks.
To the Seahawks’ advantage is the play of their offensive line. The big guys up front have been opening up holes for Watters, who has taken advantage to the tune of 4.4 yards per carry – his highest average since 1993. Anderson, behind a young line riddled with injuries, has been held to 3.7 yards per rush.
Both defenses will probably stack things up front and dare the opposing quarterback to beat them. For this week at least, the Seahawks have an advantage there with the relatively experienced Jon Kitna.
Despite featuring two of the NFL’s bottom three defenses, this one might be light on offense.
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