SAN FRANCISCO – After a miserable stretch filled with black cats and broken mirrors, the Seattle Seahawks are finally starting to prove that even the cursed can find refuge.
The Seahawks, who appeared for a good part of the 2006 season as if they might be the latest victims of the so-called Super Bowl Curse, are starting to see things go their way.
A two-game winning streak, a reincarnated defense, and the possible return of two injured Pro Bowlers have the Seahawks (6-3) feeling pretty good as they head into today’s game against the San Francisco 49ers (4-5).
“The best thing you can say about the past two weeks is that we’ve gotten better,” safety Jordan Babineaux said. “We’re starting to play well together, and we’re starting to get guys back from injuries. We’re ready to hit the second half of the season running.”
It’s premature to say that the stars have finally aligned for the defending NFC champions, but recent weeks have provided encouraging evidence. Back-to-back wins against Oakland and St. Louis have the Seahawks back in control of the division – they currently lead the Rams and 49ers by two games – while the hobbled masses have slowly started to heal.
Running back Shaun Alexander and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck both have a chance of playing today, although only Alexander appears likely to return to the field. He practiced with the No. 1 offense last week and will probably split time with Maurice Morris today after missing six games with a foot injury.
Hasselbeck, meanwhile, worked with the scout team Wednesday and Thursday while Seneca Wallace served as the quarterback with the No. 1 offense. Barring a miraculous recovery over the past 24 hours, Hasselbeck appears likely to watch Wallace make his fourth consecutive start.
“He’s done a hell of a job,” offensive coordinator Gil Haskell said of Wallace, who is 2-1 as the starter. “But there’s a huge difference between Matt and him, just like there’s a huge difference between Shaun Alexander and Mo (Morris).”
But the Seahawks have found a way to stay afloat without their two most popular stars. Back-to-back wins over Oakland and St. Louis have Seattle in firm control of the NFC West.
“We’re building that foundation,” defensive tackle Chartric Darby said. “We’ve still got a long way to go, but we’re hungry, and you can see everybody jelling together. When everybody’s pushing each other, good things are going to happen.”
It wasn’t that long ago that the Seahawks were mired in a stretch of bad luck that included three losses in four games as well as a rash of injuries.
“When you’re losing, and you’re losing players, that’s always frustrating,” Darby said. “But there are two things you can do: lie down and continue to lose, or get up, put it on your shoulders and go out there and work hard.
“All the championship teams have always had drama, but they’ve had people who keep pulling the sled and pull through it.”
The Seahawks appear to have made it through their tough stretch, and now things are looking up. In addition to the eventual returns of two Pro Bowlers – not to mention wide receiver Bobby Engram (thyroid condition) and right tackle Sean Locklear (high ankle sprain) – Seattle has a favorable schedule that features five of the final seven games against teams with losing records.
This could be the most important stretch of the season.
“Good teams win in November and December,” defensive end Grant Wistrom said. “Teams that win in the playoffs win in November and December. It’s paramount that we continue to win.”
The 2006 Seahawks probably won’t have any 11-game winning streaks, as was the case during the historic run last season, but that doesn’t mean they’ve given up on their ultimate goal.
“We haven’t hit our peak yet. We’re still climbing the mountain,” wide receiver Darrell Jackson said. “We just want to time it up right. We’re going to try to get to our peak at the right time, when we get to the playoffs, and our goal is to get to the Super Bowl.
“We’re not there right now, but every day we’re getting better and we’re getting healthier. I think our schedule favors us the next couple games. So right now we just have to get the games we should win, and it sets up for a pretty good finish.”
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