KIRKLAND – Lost in all the hype of a new receiver with Hall of Fame credentials has been back-to-back performances that aren’t worthy of much praise.
The Seattle Seahawks returned to the practice field Wednesday amid a two-game losing streak that dropped them to second place in the NFC West. The Seahawks (3-2) now trail St. Louis by a half game.
“You look at this team on paper, and we probably have more talent than anyone in the NFL,” cornerback Ken Lucas said. “But when you make mental mistakes, you’re going to lose against a team just as talented. We’ve got to learn to stop doing that and grow up.”
Seattle’s most visible flaw in losses to St. Louis and New England has been allowing deep passes late in games. The Rams scored on two long passes to come back from a 17-point, fourth-quarter deficit, while New England converted a key third down with a long throw to Bethel Johnson to help ice a 30-20 win on Sunday.
“We haven’t had that many, but the ones that we have had have hurt us,” Lucas said of the deep balls. “You would try to avoid that at any cost. It’s something that’s been killing us, and something that we have to fix. We have to fix it fast. Teams are going to keep trying to throw the deep ball until we stop it.”
Said head coach Mike Holmgren: “It must stop. We can’t get balls thrown over our heads; that’s not a difficult concept.”
After a 3-0 start, which left many analysts calling them a serious Super Bowl contender, the Seahawks have come down to earth in recent weeks. They followed up three wins over teams with a combined 4-14 record by dropping a pair of games against opponents who are now 9-2.
Holmgren, who just two weeks earlier was talking about the challenges of keeping an unbeaten team grounded, is now in the process of picking up his team’s spirits.
“They’re human beings,” Holmgren said. “It’s two tough losses. Two games where we were in the games and we lost. You cannot let little doubts creep into who you are and how you play. When you lose football games, that can happen.
“I have to make sure that they understand it’s the same group that set goals for itself in training camp.”
Despite the recent struggles, the Seahawks aren’t getting down on themselves.
“I don’t think we need a pickup,” cornerback Marcus Trufant said. “Everybody knows what kind of team we are. We let a couple games slip through the cracks. Basically, everybody’s positive. We know that if we do one or two things here or there, we can get it turned around.”
Cochran back in the lineup: Due to a knee injury that will keep defensive end Grant Wistrom out of action for four to six weeks, the Seahawks will turn toward Antonio Cochran again.
Cochran started the first seven games of the 2003 season after signing a multi-year contract, but was benched down the stretch run. He has been used primarily as an inside pass rusher on passing downs this year.
“It’s no different for me,” Cochran said of taking over as the starting right end. “I’m just doing my role on the team.”
Cochran added that he’s not motivated by what happened to him in 2003.
“I’m just trying to be professional about the whole thing,” he said. “I understand that it’s a business, and things like this happen.”
Injury update: Wistrom was one of seven players not to practice Wednesday because of injuries.
Wide receiver Bobby Engram (ankle), right tackle Chris Terry (shoulder), punter Tom Rouen (hamstring) and linebacker Anthony Simmons (shoulder) are listed as questionable on the injury report. Linebacker Chad Brown, who has started doing on-field drills with a trainer this week after suffering a broken fibula at training camp, is listed as doubtful. He’s expected to make his season debut against Carolina on Oct. 31.
Rookie offensive lineman Sean Locklear was also held out of practice due to illness. He is expected to be available Sunday.
Robinson mum: By league rules, Seahawks receiver Koren Robinson isn’t allowed to talk about his rumored four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on substance abuse.
The case is reportedly under appeal, so the Seahawks haven’t even been informed of Robinson’s situation. As of now, they are preparing as if he’ll start against Arizona on Sunday. The rumored suspension came to light after a television report last Sunday.
Video idols: Of all the Seahawks players who were awed by the presence of new receiver Jerry Rice on Wednesday, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was being the most low-key.
The son of a former NFL player, Hasselbeck said that he was trying not to get caught up in the hype. But he did compare the experience to the way he felt when he first met running backs coach Stump Mitchell.
“(Mitchell) was the unstoppable kick returner on (Nintendo’s) Tecmo Bowl – video games you played growing up,” Hasselbeck said. “Same thing. Pass 4, if you were the 49ers, was the unstoppable play to Jerry Rice.
“So if I ever play with (tight end) Cap Boso from the Chicago Bears, it will just complete the cycle.”
Quick slants: Holmgren said that middle linebacker Niko Koutouvides would probably see more and more playing time as the season wears on. … Rookie punter Donnie Jones, who was released to make room for Rice on Tuesday, was added to the practice squad Wednesday.
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