KIRKLAND – Spurred by the anguish of three injured offensive starters, the Seattle Seahawks are taking drastic measures to protect the health of quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.
They’ve gotten desperate enough to start carrying a gun.
The shotgun, that is.
Hasselbeck took less than a handful of snaps out of the shotgun formation last Sunday, and the Seahawks could continue to use it more in the coming weeks.
“The coaching staff has given me the green light to do it whenever I want, and now it seems like it makes a little more sense, especially against certain teams – definitely this week,” said Hasselbeck, whose team will host the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. ” (Center) Robbie Tobeck’s good at it, and it’s something we can do. Hopefully it gives us a little bit of an advantage.”
Coach Mike Holmgren, who has never used the shotgun with any regularity during his 18 seasons as an NFL head coach or offensive coordinator, said the formation can help in terms of pass protection.
“It gets (the quarterback) away from the line, that initial (push) that comes at you,” Holmgren said. “More and more, I think people are doing that. You’re seeing more blitzes. You’re seeing more defense taking chances, and trying to get home that way.
“If they come right up the middle, being in the shotgun gives him a little breathing room, and also allows our back to get in there and block a little bit.”
Holmgren said the last time he tried to employ the shotgun formation was during his tenure as offensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers in the early 1990s. He told a story of how the 49ers dedicated an entire minicamp to the shotgun, but that the formation quickly got removed from the playbook when the preseason started.
“We called it in the first (preseason) game,” Holmgren recalled. “The center snapped the ball over the quarterback’s head. Never ran it again. (Not) one time.”
Somewhere around 15 years later, due in part to injuries at running back, tight end and left guard, Holmgren is back to using the shotgun.
“It is not that big a deal,” Holmgren said, downplaying the significance of the recent change in attitude. “It really isn’t.”
Brown honored: Kicker Josh Brown was named the NFC’s special teams player of the week after hitting three long field goals in Sunday’s win over the St. Louis Rams.
Brown made two kicks of 49 yards, then hit the game-winner from 54 yards out in Seattle’s 30-28 victory.
Brown has now made two game-winners on the season, and four in the past 15 regular-season games.
New York Giants running back Tiki Barber was named the offensive player of the week, and Detroit defensive end James Hall was named the NFC’s defensive player of the week.
No fumble worries: Holmgren said he’s not concerned that Maurice Morris has a fumbling problem, even though the running back dropped one on the ground in a key situation last Sunday.
“I know what he was trying to do,” Holmgren said. “Mo finally gets his chance to play a little bit. He wanted to score a touchdown.”
Morris fumbled inside the St. Louis 5-yard line during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 30-28 win over the Rams. Had he not turned the ball over the Seahawks could have led by two scores with about two minutes left to play. Instead, the Rams went on a 93-yard drive and scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:44 left in the game.
“I don’t think that will happen to him again,” Holmgren said. “Had we lost the football game, it would have been a very, very painful lesson.”
Quick slants: Steve Hutchinson isn’t the only former Seahawk on the Vikings’ roster. Minnesota also has wide receiver Maurice Mann and punter Chris Kluwe, who have both been with Seattle at recent training camps. … The Seahawks’ injury report includes three players who are out – running back Shaun Alexander (foot), wide receiver Bobby Engram (illness) and guard Floyd Womack (knee) – as well as two backups who are questionable – linebacker D.D. Lewis (toe) and defensive end Joe Tafoya (knee). Tight end Jerramy Stevens, who has missed the first five games with a knee injury, is expected to play Sunday. … Holmgren said that Engram could start attending team meetings as early as today and might return to practice early next week. Engram missed Sunday’s game with a thyroid condition that he developed during the bye week.
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