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Seattle
SEAHAWKS
2002 Record: 7-9
Head Coach: Mike Holmgren
106-70 overall, 9-6 postseason
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TEAM LEADERS
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Passing
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Matt Hasselbeck
267-419, 3,075 yards, 15 TDs, 10 INTs
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Rushing
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Shaun Alexander
295 carries, 1,175 yards, 16 TDs
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Receiving
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Koren Robinson
78 catches, 1,240 yards, 5 TDs
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Kicking
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Rian Lindell
23-29 FGs, 38-38 PATs, 107 points
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Schedule | Roster |
Statistics | Stadium
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By B. Duane Cross, SI.com
Mike Holmgren's four-year experiment as general manager/head coach had ended. After leaving Green Bay for the Great Northwest and total control of all things pigskin, Holmgren relinqished the GM duties to Bob Ferguson.
Now back to the on-field matters, coach.
Holmgren's pet project and QB-in-the-making Matt Hasselbeck is the Seahawks' main attraction. In his second season with Seattle after a two-year stay with the Packers, Hasselbeck is seemingly secure in his role as the starter. He put up career-best numbers last season, excelling down the stretch with 2,062 yards and 12 TDs in the final six games, including two 400-yard performances.
Teamed with RB Shaun Alexander and WRs Koren Robinson and Darrell Jackson, Hasselbeck is strapped to a high-octane offense. The problem is Seattle's defense is just as offensive.
The Seahawks' D was 28th overall last season, 18th against the pass and 32nd versus the run. One key to turning around the woeful unit was the re-signing of LB Anthony Simmons and the addition of LB Randall Godfrey. And don't overlook the addition of P Rodney Williams, who averaged 42 yards per kick in 2001 with the Giants.
On paper, the front four of DEs Antonio Cochran and Chike Okeafor and DTs Chad Eaton and John Randle seem serviceable. Truth be told, Randle's best days are a distant memory, but there is depth at tackle with Norman Hand, Rocky Bernard and rookie Rashad Moore.
LB Randall Godfrey -- Entering his eighth season, Godfrey was a late offseason addition, signing with Seattle after being cut in a cap move by Tennessee. Limited to only eight games last season after injuring his right ankle, Godfrey has been a steady performer, first with Dallas for four years and the past three with the Titans. While in Tennessee, the Titans did not rank lower than fifth in the NFL against the run and led the league in total defense in 2000, when Godfrey set a career high with 169 total tackles.
"I think [Seattle] is the best kept secret in the league right now with the offensive potential and the way they finished up, and the great running back and I think he's going to continue to get better," Godfrey said after signing with the Seahawks. "The defense is on the rise. I just look at it as a situation where I think I'm one of the missing pieces. I can come in and help this team win and that's what I want to do. I just want to get off to a great start this year and finish strong. We'll open a lot of eyes, definitely."
K Rian Lindell -- Here's all you have to know about Seattle's kicking job: Josh Brown, rookie, Nebraska -- Selected with the eighth pick in the seventh round (222nd overall) by the Seahawks in the 2003 draft. The selection marked only the third time the Seahawks have chosen a kicker in the draft.
Lindell hit almost 75 percent of his field-goal tries in three years, and was 7-of-12 from 50-plus. After a carerr-high 107 points last season, he signed with Buffalo.
RB Shaun Alexander -- The rushing yards fell off from his breakthrough 2001 season (1,318 vs. 1,175), but he improved his receiving numbers (343 vs. 460) and TDs (14 vs. 16). He seemed to be disappointing early as he had just one 100-yard game (the crazy five-TD game against Minnesota) in the first 10 weeks but still scored 11 TDs during that span. He finished the season on a high note with three 100-yard games and five TDs as the Seahawks found all sorts of offense. A full year of the same high-powered offense could mean nearly 20 TDs for Alexander this season. He's a definite top-10 running back with a first-round potential.
TE Jerramy Stevens -- Last year's first-round pick scored three TDs but had just 252 yards receiving while incumbent Itula Mili got most of the catches and yards from the tight end spot. Stevens' off-field problems won't help his cause, especially if a proven player like Mili is still on the roster. He's got a very high ceiling, but there are still plenty of issues that could cloud his future as a player.
QB Trent Dilfer -- While Matt Hasselbeck exploded in the second of the season, there's still no guarantee he can keep it up over a full year. He only took over the starting job after Dilfer went on IR with knee and Achilles' injuries. And remember that Hasselbeck lost his job to Dilfer halfway through the 2001 season. If Hasselbeck struggles again, don't be surprise to see Dilfer get a look at the starting job yet again. The numbers he puts up likely won't knock anyone out, but a starting job is a starting job.
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>> Seahawks will make the playoffs because ...
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Mike Holmgren and Ray Rhodes catch lightning in a bottle much like they did in Green Bay. The combination of a young QB, RB and WRs sounds a lot like Titletown in the mid-1990s.
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>> Seahawks will miss the playoffs because ...
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While there are several recognizeable names on the defense, there are too many questions to really feel good about a defense that gave up 23 points a game last season (tied for 23rd in the league).
| Seattle Seahawks |
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| Signed |
From |
Lost |
To |
| T Walter Jones |
Franchise tag |
S Marcus Robertson |
Released |
| LB Anthony Simmons |
Re-signed |
P Jeff Feagles |
Giants |
| DL Antonio Cochran |
Re-signed |
K Rian Lindell |
Bills |
| WR Bobby Engram |
Re-signed |
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| S Damien Robinson |
Jets |
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| P Rodney Williams |
-- |
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| T Jerry Wunsch |
Re-signed |
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| C J.P. Darche |
Re-signed |
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| LB Isaiah Kacyvenski |
Re-signed |
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| DE Chike Okeafor |
49ers |
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| FB Mack Strong |
Re-signed |
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| DT Cedric Woodard |
Re-signed |
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| T Michael Thompson |
Trade w/ Atl. |
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| LB Marcus Bell |
Re-signed |
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| WR James Williams |
Re-signed |
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| WR Darrell Jackson |
Re-signed |
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| LB Randall Godfrey |
Titans |
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| Unrestricted |
Restricted |
| OL Darryl Ashmore |
CB Brandon Jennings |
| WR Alvis Whitted |
S Eric Johnson |
| CB Darrien Gordon |
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| RB Randy Jordan |
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| 2003 Draft Picks |
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| Rd. |
Pick |
Player |
Pos. |
School |
| 1 |
11 (11) |
Marcus Trufant |
CB |
Wash. St. |
| 2 |
10 (42) |
Ken Hamlin |
S |
Arkansas |
| 3 |
9 (73) |
Wayne Hunter |
OT |
Hawaii |
| 4 |
13 (110) |
Seneca Wallace |
QB |
Iowa State |
| 4 |
38 (135) |
Solomon Bates |
ILB |
Arizona State |
| 5 |
30 (165) |
Chris Davis |
FB |
Syracuse |
| 6 |
10 (183) |
Rashad Moore |
DT |
Tennessee |
| 7 |
8 (222) |
Josh Brown |
K |
Nebraska |
| 7 |
10 (224) |
Taco Wallace |
WR |
Kansas State |
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