Yikes.

Jackson, Flynn throwing to ‘hungry, hard-working’ receivers

Maybe that's a bad photo, but man, does BMW ever look out of shape. Obviously it's not easy staying in shape while recovering from a broken ankle, but I was hoping that he had put the weight issues that plagued him in Detroit and Oakland behind him.

I've heard speculation that BMW isn't a lock to make the final roster, but up until now I didn't really believe it. One thing is for sure, this is the wrong year to show up out of shape and hobbled. Rice, Baldwin, and Tate are definitely going to make the team. Pete Carroll just raved about Ricardo Lockette yesterday, and they still appear to be high on Durham's upside. And then there's Ben Obomanu, a guy who always makes the most of his playing time. Where does that leave BMW?

In week 7 of the 2006 NFL season, at the ripe old age of 34, Drew Bledsoe threw his last NFL pass in a home game against the New York Giants.  He wasn't injured--Bill Parcells was just fed up with his play.  Strahan and company sacked Bledsoe four times in the first half, and Bledsoe threw a costly pick at the Giants four yard line with 1:33 left in the first half.  Tony Romo started the second half, and the rest as they, is history.

 It's not hard to see the similarities between 35 year old Matt Hasselbeck and a 34 year old Drew Bledsoe.  In five and a half games, Drew Bledsoe threw for 1,164 yards, completing 90 of 169 passes (53.3%, 6.9 YPA) with 9 TD's (two rushing) and 8 interceptions.  Worst of all, he took 16 sacks.  Through six games, Matt Hasselbeck has 1,248 passing yards, completing 122 of 204 passes (59.8%, 6.1 YPA) with 8 TD's (2 rushing) and 6 interceptions. He has been sacked 14 times.  The Cowboys had a 3-2 record heading into the Giants game, and they were fresh off a convincing 34-6 victory over a hapless Texans team.  The Seahawks currently have a 4-2 record, and while the Raiders are next up on the schedule, it's their matchup at home against the Giants in less than two weeks that is weighing heavily on my mind.

Will Matt Hasselbeck go down in flames the same way Bledsoe did against the Giants in 2006?  Or does he have more left in the tank than most of us are giving him credit for? 

One thing is for sure, when I watch Hasselbeck play this Sunday against the Raiders, I'm going to savor it.  Even if he struggles, the unfortunate way that Bledsoe ended his career has reminded me that each throw Hasselbeck makes may be his last. Bledsoe was one of the best pocket passers of his generation, but after he threw one strike to Sam Madison in the end zone he was replaced for good by an undrafted kid from Eastern Illinois. 

Now Bledsoe is selling wine.

3,966 yards, with 28 TD's and just 12 interceptions.  2005 may have been Hasselbeck's most efficient season, but in 2007, Hasselbeck put the offense on his back.

I find it interesting that 6 games into the 2007 season, the Seahawks had a 3-3 record and Hasselbeck had 1,510 passing yards, 9 TD's, and 5 interceptions.  During that span, the Seahawks offense averaged 17.6 points per game. This season the Seahawks have a 4-2 record, Hasselbeck has 1,248 passing yards, 8 TD's (2 rushing) and 6 interceptions.  The Seahawks are currently averaging 20 points per game.

My point here is not that Hasselbeck is due to explode again after a slow start (his season could go in any direction at this point), it's that writing a QB off after 6 games of mediocre to average football is a mistake. I'm sure the "Bench Hasselbeck" contingent on Field Gulls would argue that they've watched Hasselbeck play in 130+ games, and that the writing has been on the wall for quite some time--if not years.  And if that that's their argument, I can respect that.  From a big picture perspective, it's a fair stance. 

What I don't like is the way the Hasselbeck vs Whitehurst debate has put every throw Hasselbeck makes under the microscope.  Right now, if Hasselbeck misses on a throw or takes a sack, his naysayers portray him as a snake bit bum who should be holding a clipboard for a living.  And if he delivers a ball with nice zip (and he has--seriously), his supporters would have you believe that he has still got it.  None of it is that black and white, and living and dying with each Hasselbeck throw is no way to go through a football season.

If the Seahawks manage to land a young franchise QB in the next few years, I think I will enjoy having an unquestioned starter at the position just as much as anything he brings to the field.  QB controversies (especially on a winning team) aren't fun, and I hope our next one is at least a decade away.

Since 1990, teams that start the season 2-0 go on to make the playoffs 64% of the time.

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In week 12 of the 2009 season, Alex Smith registered the third most passing attempts of his career (41) in a 20-3 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars. In week 13 against the Seattle Seahawks, Smith attempted a career high 45 passing attempts. Over his last six games of the season, Smith averaged 36.1 passing attempts per game. To put that number into perspective, only Matt Schaub (36.4 ATT/G) and Matthew "We were always trailing so I had to throw the ball" Stafford (37.7 ATT/G) threw the ball more per game (although they did it over a full season).

In years past, it would have been very difficult to get a feel for the 49ers passing attack.  But this year, Smith is playing under the same offensive coordinator--a luxury he never had in the past. Jimmy Raye appears committed to spreading defenses out and letting Smith attack them with his arm. In the Sports Illustrated NFL preview, Smith said, "We've evolved. We can play three wides, get guys in space, throw it all over the field, and we think we can win playing that way."

What I wonder is whether Mike Singletary thinks they can win that way? Throwing the ball 35+ times a game doesn't seem to fall in line with Singletary's philosophy of smash mouth football. Jim Mora may be gone, but I don't think Singletary has forgotten these quotes:

"It’s a load off when they take care of one of our problems for us. It was … beautiful." -Aaron Curry on Frank Gore getting just nine carries.

"I’m glad he didn’t have the ball more." -Jim Mora

While I do worry about Frank Gore and the 49ers running right at Chris Clemons until Pete Carrol throws up the white flag, I still think Seattle's defense is better equipped to stop the run than it is the pass.  Having a healthy Marcus Trufant back is huge, but I worry about Smith picking apart the Seahawks defense on first and second down.

If I told you before the game that Smith was going to throw the ball 35+ times, would you be worried or relieved?  If your answer is relieved, be careful what you wish for.

The Seahawks managed just five wins in 2009. Their average margin of victory for their first four wins was a gaudy 22.7 points. Simply put, the 2009 Seahawks either blew their opponents out, or they lost. There was no in-between.

As a result, we are left with very few memorable plays from the 2009 season. Our 41-0 drubbing of the Jaguars was thoroughly entertaining, but what do we really remember from that game? Nick Reed scooping up a fumble and taking it 79 yards to the house was more funny than it was spectacular. Blowouts are great, but nothing beats a clutch play late in the game.

In week 13, against the hated San Francisco 49ers, the Seahawks offense finally came up big in the final minutes of a game. But in typical Seahawks fashion, they almost gave the game away before Matt Hasselbeck and Deon Butler could work their magic. Hasselbeck marched the Seahawks offense down to the San Francisco 40 with four straight completions (three to T.J. Houshmanzadeh) with 1:19 left, but the offense went backwards after Patrick Willis blew up a Julius Jones screen pass, and Chris Spencer was whistled for a false start. Faced with an almost impossible 3rd and 19 situation, Hasselbeck managed to let loose a circa 2005 40 yard pass right on the numbers to Deion Branch at the 12 yard line only to watch Branch drop it.

Instead of being set up for the game winning field goal, the Seahawks had to punt. But all was not lost. The Seahawks forced a quick three and out, and Nate Burleson came through with a clutch 21 yard punt return to the Seattle 48 with 21 seconds left. Two plays later, Seattle went three wide on the left side and lined up Deon Butler all by his lonesome on the right. The 49ers cheated safety help away from Butler and over to the left, leaving Butler one on one with Keith Smith. The Seahawks managed to pick up the 49ers blitz, and Hasselbeck lofted up a perfect 32 yard rainbow to Butler along the sideline.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/09000d5d814c2faf/Butler-sets-up-game-winner

Game. Set. Match. No playoffs for you, 49ers.

Hasselbeck appears to be healthy again.  Moreover, the media and Hasselbeck's camp are singing the praises  of core exercises in aiding his recovery.

A quote from Eric William's latest Seahawks Insider post:

After missing nine games last season due to a bulging disk in his back that caused instability in his leg, Hasselbeck says he’s healthy and ready to go. An offseason training regimen that included working on his core muscles should help.

I'd love to believe that.  But the way that's spinned makes it seem like Hasselbeck's past training regimens didn't include core muscle training.  I'm sure I'm not the only one who remembers this video on ESPN of Hasselbeck training in Lake Chelan last summer:

Hasselbeck training video

That video shows that Hasselbeck was doing plenty of core training before last season began.  He was working out with medicine balls to strengthen his abs, and utilizing elastic bands and swimming pool workouts.

I'm no trainer, but it seems to me that he did everything right last summer.  For those of you who know a lot about training and rehab, what do you think of Hasselbeck's workout video?  Was he just scratching the surface as far as working his core muscles goes?  As fans should we optimistic that a 34 year old Hasselbeck can fully recover from the bulging disk and resulting instability in his leg?  Can the right core muscle exercises erase any lingering problems from his bulging disk?