KIRKLAND – For the first time this season, the Seattle Seahawks could play an entire game with their full complement of cornerbacks this week.
And the timing couldn’t be better.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, who will be in town Sunday, feature one of the top receiving corps in the entire league.
Starters Plaxico Burress and Hines Ward combined for 190 receptions, 2,654 yards and 19 touchdowns last season, while No. 3 receiver Antwaan Randle El added 47 receptions. Their numbers are slightly down from last year’s pace, but the trio is still as formidable as any Seattle’s cornerbacks will face.
“They’ve got three great receivers,” Seahawks cornerback Marcus Trufant said. “It’s going to be a test for the secondary, and overall it will be a test for the whole team.”
Making the test a bit more bearable is the fact that Seattle should have its full complement of cornerbacks. Shawn Springs returned from a shoulder injury two-and-a-half weeks ago and was immediately thrown into action because Ken Lucas went down with a sprained ankle. Lucas has missed the past two games, leaving Springs and Trufant to man the position.
The veteran corner and his rookie counterpart have more than held their own, but the team really missed Lucas last week. Nickel back Willie Williams, playing in place of Lucas, got beaten several times, most notably on two touchdowns and three third-down conversions.
It’s probably safe to assume the Seahawks (5-2) will welcome Lucas back with open arms this week.
“To have our third corner, or one of the three guys that play a lot at corner, back is very important to us,” coach Mike Holmgren said. “And it couldn’t come at a better time. Now, I’ve got to see how Luke practices. We have to see how he does this week. I have my fingers crossed.”
Lucas returned to the practice field Wednesday and held up during full-contact drills. He is not listed on the injury report, meaning the team expects him to play Sunday against the Steelers.
That could give Seattle a healthy 1-2-3 punch at the position for the first time this season.
“We’ve got an interesting group,” said Springs, who looked rusty in his first two games but displayed solid coverage skills last Sunday. “Like their receivers, we all have our different strengths. I think we match up well with them, and I think it will be a good test for us.”
The main reason Seattle matches up so well is that all three cornerbacks have size and strength. That will come in handy against this trio.
Ward has been Pittsburgh’s leading receiver over the past four seasons and has a team-high 46 receptions this year. A former quarterback and tailback at the University of Georgia, Ward has the most all-around skills of Pittsburgh’s receiving trio.
“Hines Ward is more physical than the majority of receivers in the league,” said Seahawks safety Damien Robinson.
Burress, a 6-foot-5, 226-pounder, had a breakout year in 2001 and works as the perfect complement to Ward. While most defenses would prefer to put their big corner on Ward, Burress forces teams to respect him as well.
“He’s a mismatch,” said Trufant, who has only seen Burress on film. “You have to step up and play big. He’s a tall guy, but he has little guy moves. He’s too tall to be that quick.”
In addition to his size, Burress also has a pretty big mouth. He proved that again Sunday, when he stood in the locker room following a loss to St. Louis and complained about not seeing the ball enough. He caught just one pass for 6 yards in the 33-21 loss.
Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher played down the comments during his Wednesday conference call with Seattle media.
“We have high expectations as an offense that has been in the top of the league and has been very potent and explosive,” Cowher said. “When you don’t find yourself going out there and doing that week in and week out, it becomes a frustrating thing. Plex is fine. He’s a very competitive guy, and he is a guy who is going to give everything he has on Sunday. And that is all I ask from all of them.”
Burress has 29 receptions this year, 12 more than Randle El.
Also a former college quarterback, Randle El adds yet another dimension with his shiftiness and athleticism. He lines up all over the field, including a few snaps behind center during his rookie year in 2002.
“They’ve all got their different strengths,” Springs said, “and they all work well as a unit.”
As difficult a task as it is, at least the Seahawks have a full unit of their own to line up against Pittsburgh this week.
“It’s always good when you can be at full strength and have everybody back and healthy,” Trufant said. “That’s what we’re trying to get to. We haven’t all played together, but when we do, we’ll be a force to be reckoned with.”
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