The optimism that was established in San Francisco last week and fed the starved Seattle Seahawks for seven days gave way to reality on Sunday afternoon at Qwest Field.
That’s when the team formerly known as the NFC West champion saw hopes diminish to a mere trickle with a rather unsettling 26-7 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle’s third home loss in four games this season, something that was virtually unthinkable only 12 months ago.
But if the Seahawks had not already realized their fate, the 68,055 on hand certainly did. With Arizona’s 34-13 road victory over the St. Louis Rams, the Seahawks (2-6) are now three games behind their desert rivals (5-3) with only eight remaining to play.
Barring fortune intervening in dramatic fashion, that hardly seems like enough to salvage their reign, which consisted of four straight division titles and five consecutive trips to the postseason.
Afterward, Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren rang a note of determination, telling his coaching staff and players he was not quitting on them despite the obvious.
“We have half the season left,” Holmgren said, “and I assured them that I will be there for them, to do what I can do until the last play of the last game of this year. I asked everyone to go along with me on that.”
Other than a 90-yard pass play to Koren Robinson for a touchdown on Seattle’s first offensive play, the Seahawks were thoroughly dominated for the second straight time by an NFC East team.
The offense was ineffective and overmatched. A solid first quarter notwithstanding, the defense was unable to cope with the experience of Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb, who missed the prior two times the teams played, both Seattle victories.
And the special teams bordered on embarrassment, given that they twice failed to have 11 men on the field for punt coverage and were forced to use a timeout to rectify the mistake.
All things considered, this was a poor impersonation of a Holmgren-coached team, their deficiencies no longer masked and negativity bleeding into all areas.
“There were a couple of times today where … if I was sitting in the stands I would ask what the heck are they doing,” Holmgren said. “That leaves a bad taste in my mouth.”
Once again, the Seahawks were badly affected by injuries. They knew they would be without starting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and Pro Bowl defensive end Patrick Kerney, but they were hoping to have middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu and fullback Leonard Weaver.
But Holmgren was told that Tatupu could further damage his strained groin if he played. So he didn’t. And Weaver, who had two long touchdown receptions against San Francisco last week, had a lingering foot injury that kept him sidelined.
Still, it was the absence of Kerney and Hasselbeck that hurt the Seahawks most – and they are not sure if and when those players will return.
The defense started the game extremely well, the line getting pressure on McNabb, who missed his first seven attempts. The Seahawks forced the Eagles into three consecutive three-and-outs. They looked lively and rejuvenated.
But then McNabb began to get into a rhythm, and the pass rush completely disappeared. In the second quarter, McNabb completed all 10 of his passes, including touchdown throws to Reggie Brown to tie the game at 7 and to offensive tackle Todd Herremans from 1 yard out to give the Eagles a 14-7 halftime lead – more than enough, as it turned out, to win the game.
By the end, McNabb had completed 28 of 49 passes for 349 yards, 131 of which went to tight end Brent Celek. David Akers’ four field goals completed the scoring.
“You look back on the first quarter and things were just kind of off,” McNabb said. “We were able to settle down and get things going and get a bead on what they were trying to do in certain situations.”
Meanwhile, the Seahawks’ offense was as unproductive as it was in Tampa Bay two weeks ago, other than Robinson’s touchdown, the longest play in franchise history, which briefly quenched the fans’ thirst for an upset.
But thereafter, the offense was feeble. For the second straight week, the running game was missing, 22 carries producing 86 yards. It didn’t help Wallace’s passing (13-of-29 for 169 yards) that he had several passes dropped. Penalties didn’t help, and neither did the 4-for-15 stagnation on third down conversions.
A perfect microcosm of the Seahawks’ woes was on display late in the first half.
With less than two minutes remaining, they were trying to drive for at least a field-goal attempt. On a second-and-10, Holmgren called a draw that went for 2 yards.
Before the play, he told Wallace to spike the ball, assuming they would get a first down.
They didn’t, but Wallace spiked the ball anyway on third down, meaning they were facing a fourth-and-8 on their own 45. They couldn’t go for it and were forced to punt because they gave away a play.
Holmgren took the blame, saying it was a miscommunication. Wallace did not have the awareness to adjust.
And by the time anybody realized what was happening, it was too late.
Just like their season.
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