Coach keeps it simple, QB Hasselbeck does OK in debut

By Scott M. Johnson

Herald Writer

CLEVELAND – The first time Matt Hasselbeck took the field as a starting NFL quarterback, he was on the verge of disaster.

His feet stood on the Seattle Seahawks’ goal line, the line of scrimmage just one yard away. His team was on the verge of giving up a safety on its opening drive.

This is not how he had envisioned his Seahawks debut going. And it quickly got worse.

As running back Ricky Watters fought for another yard of breathing room, left tackle Walter Jones – the man protecting Hasselbeck’s blind side – went down with a knee injury.

Fortunately for Hasselbeck, things eventually got better.

His first pass was completed, a seven-yard out pattern to rookie Koren Robinson. Two plays later, with Jones back in the game, Hasselbeck hit fullback Mack Strong over the middle for four more yards.

Itula Mili for two yards.

Five more yards to Strong.

It was beginning to look like Hasselbeck’s fortunes had turned. With four completions in a row, the Matt Hasselbeck era looked like it was well underway.

And then he made his most regrettable pass of the day, overthrowing Christian Fauria badly on the right sideline on what turned out to be an Earl Little interception.

Five minutes into his first NFL start, Hasselbeck had already set the tone. Inconsistency was the name of the game for the Seahawks’ latest quarterback.

“A few times I felt like I threw the ball well, but I know I can throw the ball better than that,” Hasselbeck said. “And I know that I need to throw the ball better.”

Hasselbeck’s debut as a starter went pretty much as one might expect. There were no heroics for the man who has starred in three consecutive preseasons, but there weren’t any major mistakes, either. Hasselbeck completed 20 of 34 passes for 178 yards, with two interceptions. He was also sacked five times.

“I’d say there were a half dozen plays there where he tried to make something happen when he didn’t have much of a chance of making it happen,” coach Mike Holmgren said. “That’s something we’ll have to work through, and that’s something he will improve on. That’s his inexperience showing.

“He’s just going to get nothing but better. He’s a young quarterback, and he’ll get better.”

Hasselbeck’s debut was filled with dinks and dunks, screen passes and short throws into the flat. He’s used to this style of football, having practiced in a similar system for three years in Green Bay, but it had never been this conservative.

“I will admit that as Matt and I grow together,” Holmgren said, “the play selection and what I ask him to do will evolve.”

Hasselbeck said he wasn’t overly nervous for his first game, even when the Seahawks took over at their own 1 for the opening drive. He calmly moved the team before the interception, then took the Seahawks all the way to Cleveland’s 25 on the second drive. In fact, Hasselbeck led the team into Browns territory on its final four drives of the first half, but never got the Seahawks into the end zone.

On third downs, Hasselbeck completed 8 of 9 passes, four of which went for first downs. But he was also sacked three times on third downs, and completed just two passes to wide receivers that went longer than 12 yards.

Hasselbeck’s first breakthrough did not come until late in the game. Facing a third-and-5 at Cleveland’s 36, with 32 seconds to go and the game in the balance, Hasselbeck and wide receiver Darrell Jackson made a dual adjustment on a play, resulting in a four-yard reception. Jackson altered an out route to the inside, and Hasselbeck threw the ball accordingly.

Although the Seahawks failed to get a first down on the play, they got within kicker Rian Lindell’s range.

“We had never really talked about that play,” Hasselbeck said. “Darrell did a great job. I kind of assumed he’d do what he did. And he did, and we made the play that set up the field goal.

“For this offense to grow up, we’re going to need to learn and go through some of those plays. Luckily, we learned right away on that one.”

When you’re a young team like this year’s Seahawks, learning is part of the game. And Hasselbeck expects many more lessons before he’s finished.