Week 4: Seahawks @ Colts
- Thread starter savage
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Because he picked the Hawks to win. I'll prop anyone who picks the Hawks to win, even if I don't pick them to win.
But here is some good news for the Hawks. Lofa Tatupu ran well Monday and the team expects to have him back this week. The three-time Pro Bowl linebacker missed the loss to Chicago with a hamstring injury. Heater did well this past weekend against the Bears, coming out of the game with 16 tackles and an INT, but having Tatupu back is some real good news. Big Walt might be making a come back, too. Rob Sims likely out for this game.
But here is some good news for the Hawks. Lofa Tatupu ran well Monday and the team expects to have him back this week. The three-time Pro Bowl linebacker missed the loss to Chicago with a hamstring injury. Heater did well this past weekend against the Bears, coming out of the game with 16 tackles and an INT, but having Tatupu back is some real good news. Big Walt might be making a come back, too. Rob Sims likely out for this game.
Report: Colts' Freeney Out 2-3 Weeks
Colts Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney(notes) will reportedly miss 2-3 weeks, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.
Freeney injured his right quadriceps on Sunday.
The Colts host Seattle this week, then are on the road at Tennessee before a Week 6 bye.
It would be a huge blow if Freeney misses any time, SN correspondent Mike Chappell reports. He’s off to one of the best starts of his career with four sacks in three games.
Colts Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney(notes) will reportedly miss 2-3 weeks, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.
Freeney injured his right quadriceps on Sunday.
The Colts host Seattle this week, then are on the road at Tennessee before a Week 6 bye.
It would be a huge blow if Freeney misses any time, SN correspondent Mike Chappell reports. He’s off to one of the best starts of his career with four sacks in three games.
Okay I can never bring myself to EVER saying the Seahawks are gonna lose. With that said, yes Indy is on fire right now but I still have faith in our Hawks. I dont' give a fuck if I was starting for the Seahawks my money is on them.
I feel a lot better though with Freeney out. Even if Jones was playing he'd still be a beast against us.
Props to Jazzo though!
I feel a lot better though with Freeney out. Even if Jones was playing he'd still be a beast against us.
Props to Jazzo though!
—Apparently, cornerback Josh Wilson is a quick healer. Wilson suffered a high ankle sprain and was expected to be out at least a month. However, Wilson returned to practice as a limited participant on Wednesday, and could be ready to play on Sunday in Indianapolis.
The Seahawks certainly could use Wilson, who had been starting at cornerback with Marcus Trufant, against the Colts' high-powered offense. "Every day you go out there and see what you can do, and every day it's gotten better," Wilson said about his ankle.
With Walter Jones uncertain when or if he will return this season, and Sean Locklear still nursing a high ankle sprain, Brandon Frye is the team's starting left tackle. You know Frye don't you? The same guy the team picked up off the waiver wire three weeks ago when the Miami Dolphins cut him to trim down to the 53-man limit.
Frye has been a pleasant surprise as a fill-in at left tackle, even playing through a strained groin against Chicago last week.
"We pretty much didn't have anybody else to go to," said Frye, who sat out Wednesday's practice to rest his injured groin. "It's not a situation where I can say, 'How bad is it? Should I sit out or should I not?' It's more a thing like, 'Let's try to get this win,' you know?"
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Damn that'd be badass if Josh Wilson played in this weeks matchup. If he isn't 100%, than don't play him.
The Seahawks certainly could use Wilson, who had been starting at cornerback with Marcus Trufant, against the Colts' high-powered offense. "Every day you go out there and see what you can do, and every day it's gotten better," Wilson said about his ankle.
With Walter Jones uncertain when or if he will return this season, and Sean Locklear still nursing a high ankle sprain, Brandon Frye is the team's starting left tackle. You know Frye don't you? The same guy the team picked up off the waiver wire three weeks ago when the Miami Dolphins cut him to trim down to the 53-man limit.
Frye has been a pleasant surprise as a fill-in at left tackle, even playing through a strained groin against Chicago last week.
"We pretty much didn't have anybody else to go to," said Frye, who sat out Wednesday's practice to rest his injured groin. "It's not a situation where I can say, 'How bad is it? Should I sit out or should I not?' It's more a thing like, 'Let's try to get this win,' you know?"
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Damn that'd be badass if Josh Wilson played in this weeks matchup. If he isn't 100%, than don't play him.
The Seahawks take to the road this week to face the Indianapolis Colts in their two-year old Lucas Oil Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 10 a.m. (PT) and the game will be televised on FOX (channel 13in Seattle) and broadcast on 97.3 FM and on 710 ESPN Radio in Seattle. This week’s game versus the Colts will mark the 10th time the two clubs have squared off in the regular season with Indianapolis holding a 5-4 series lead. Seattle has won three of the last four meetings, but the two teams have only played twice since the 2000 season. It will be only the third regular season trip to Indianapolis in franchise history and first since a 31-3 win on September 14, 1997. The Seahawks have traveled to Indianapolis three times for preseason play since 2000 (2001, 2003 and 2006).
The teams last met on Christmas Eve in 2005, a 28-13 Seattle win, giv- ing the Seahawks home-field advantage en route to Super Bowl XL. Indianapolis secured home-field the week prior, so its starters played sparing- ly. Seattle won its franchise-record 13th game, 11th in a row, and Shaun Alexander scored three times, tying the NFL-record with his 27th total touch- down that season.
Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is on the verge of overtaking Dave Krieg on many of Seattle’s record lists. He needs 204 attempts, 62 completions and 2,352 yards to pass Krieg as Seattle’s all-time gun-slinger.
Seattle Seahawks 28, Indianapolis Colts 13
The Seattle Seahawks clinched home-field throughout the playoffs with a 28-13 win over the Indianapolis Colts in front of the second- largest crowd ever at Qwest Field, 67,855. Seattle also won its franchise-record 13th game and improved its winning streak to 11 in a row. The Colts, led by Peyton Manning the first two drives, took the opening kickoff and ran the first 7:09 off the clock, ending with a 24-yard field goal by Mike Vanderjagt. The Seahawks needed only five plays to go on top 7-3 after Shaun Alexander scored his first of three touchdowns on the day, this from 2 yards out. Manning then drove the Colts’ offense downfield again, but Vanderjagt’s 31- yard field-goal attempt was blocked by Michael Boulware. With that momentum, Matt Hasselbeck connected Jerramy Stevens for a 15-yard touchdown. Jim Sorgi replaced Manning in the second quarter and led the Colts to a field goal for a 14-6 halftime margin. Seattle took the second-half kickoff and it was Alexander scoring his first and only receiving touchdown of the season from 6 yards out from Hasselbeck. Seattle’s defense forced two Colts’ punts and took a 21-6 lead into the final quarter. With that lead late in the fourth, Seattle planned to rest its starters at the 5:00 mark. Marcus Tubbs sacked Sorgi and forced a fumble that was picked out of the air by Craig Terrill who returned it 18 yards to the Colts’ 17. Maurice Morris then carried twice to the 1-yard line with 4:02 left in the game. Coach Mike Holmgren then put Alexander back into the game for one play and he scored from 1-yard out, tying the NFL single-season record of 27 total touchdowns (Priest Holmes). Indianapolis added a late touchdown from Sorgi to Troy Walters for the Colts only touchdown of the game.
While the health care debate rages across the country, the Seahawks are looking for a little health care reform of their own, as Seattle has been bit by the injury bug again this season.
In the first three weeks, 10 Seattle starters have missed at least one game this season.
In Week 3’s matchup against the Chicago Bears, Seattle’s inactive list included seven starters, featuring the quarterback, 2/5 of the offensive line and 2/3 of the linebacking corps. That is not including cornerback Marcus Trufant, who began the season on the PUP list.
Depending on the travel agent of choice, he/she will tell you that the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers are 1-2 in most miles traveled in 2009. According to the NFL, Seattle tops the list with 29,054 miles traveled followed by San Francisco’s 29,020 miles. Each will “travel around the world,” which is approximately 25,000 miles.
Seattle will travel 256 more miles than the Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns combined and in the last two years have traveled 63,820 miles, the most in the NFL.
Seattle boasts the NFC’s third-best record since the beginning of the 2003 season with a 56-43 (.566) record... With Week 1’s 28-0 shut out of St. Louis, it marked the fourth time in Seahawks his- tory where they shut out an opponent on Kickoff Weekend... It was also Seattle’s first shut out since November 12, 2007 vs. San Francisco (24-0)... Seattle’s defense is allowing 16.0 ppg (T4th NFL)... Seattle’s 446 total yards of offense vs. StL (9/13) is the most since it put up 501 yards at Atlanta (12/30/07)... Matt Hasselbeck threw for 279 yards on 25 of 36 passing with three touchdowns and two interceptions for a 96.9 passer rating vs. StL (9/13)... Seneca Wallace started in place of Hasselbeck (rib) vs. Chi (9/27) and set career-highs in attempts (44), completions (26) and yards (261)... Julius Jones rushed for his 11th career 100-yd. game, third with Seattle, with 117 yards on 19 carries and a 62-yard touchdown vs. StL (9/13). Caught his first-career touch- down pass at SF (9/20) and added a 39-yard touchdown recep- tion the following week vs. Chi (9/27)... John Carlson caught a career-high two touchdowns on six receptions for 95 yards vs. StL (9/13)... Nate Burleson led the team with seven catches for 74 yards in his first game back from knee surgery vs. StL (9/13). He leads the team with 20 catches for 229 yards... T.J. Houshmandzadeh made his Seahawks debut with six catches for 46 yards... Chris Spencer made his season debut vs. Chi (9/27) after recovering from thigh injury... Lawrence Jackson leads the NFC (T4th NFL) with 3.0 sacks... David Hawthorne made his first- career start in place of Lofa Tatupu (hamstring) and tied for the third-best tackle performance in Seattle history with a career- high 16 tackles (15 solo) and one interception vs. Chi (9/27). It was the most tackles since Isaiah Kacyvenski’s 16 at Oakland (9/8/02)... Aaron Curry collected his first-career sack vs. Chi (9/27)... Olindo Mare is tied for the NFL-lead with seven touch- backs... Jon Ryan ranks first in the NFL with a 52.8 punting avg. and a 45.1 net punting avg.... The following players were inactive vs. Chi; DE Michael Bennett, FB Justin Griffith, QBMatt Hasselbeck, LB Leroy Hill, T Walter Jones, T Sean Locklear, LB Lofa Tatupu and CB Josh Wilson.
The teams last met on Christmas Eve in 2005, a 28-13 Seattle win, giv- ing the Seahawks home-field advantage en route to Super Bowl XL. Indianapolis secured home-field the week prior, so its starters played sparing- ly. Seattle won its franchise-record 13th game, 11th in a row, and Shaun Alexander scored three times, tying the NFL-record with his 27th total touch- down that season.
Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is on the verge of overtaking Dave Krieg on many of Seattle’s record lists. He needs 204 attempts, 62 completions and 2,352 yards to pass Krieg as Seattle’s all-time gun-slinger.
Seattle Seahawks 28, Indianapolis Colts 13
The Seattle Seahawks clinched home-field throughout the playoffs with a 28-13 win over the Indianapolis Colts in front of the second- largest crowd ever at Qwest Field, 67,855. Seattle also won its franchise-record 13th game and improved its winning streak to 11 in a row. The Colts, led by Peyton Manning the first two drives, took the opening kickoff and ran the first 7:09 off the clock, ending with a 24-yard field goal by Mike Vanderjagt. The Seahawks needed only five plays to go on top 7-3 after Shaun Alexander scored his first of three touchdowns on the day, this from 2 yards out. Manning then drove the Colts’ offense downfield again, but Vanderjagt’s 31- yard field-goal attempt was blocked by Michael Boulware. With that momentum, Matt Hasselbeck connected Jerramy Stevens for a 15-yard touchdown. Jim Sorgi replaced Manning in the second quarter and led the Colts to a field goal for a 14-6 halftime margin. Seattle took the second-half kickoff and it was Alexander scoring his first and only receiving touchdown of the season from 6 yards out from Hasselbeck. Seattle’s defense forced two Colts’ punts and took a 21-6 lead into the final quarter. With that lead late in the fourth, Seattle planned to rest its starters at the 5:00 mark. Marcus Tubbs sacked Sorgi and forced a fumble that was picked out of the air by Craig Terrill who returned it 18 yards to the Colts’ 17. Maurice Morris then carried twice to the 1-yard line with 4:02 left in the game. Coach Mike Holmgren then put Alexander back into the game for one play and he scored from 1-yard out, tying the NFL single-season record of 27 total touchdowns (Priest Holmes). Indianapolis added a late touchdown from Sorgi to Troy Walters for the Colts only touchdown of the game.
While the health care debate rages across the country, the Seahawks are looking for a little health care reform of their own, as Seattle has been bit by the injury bug again this season.
In the first three weeks, 10 Seattle starters have missed at least one game this season.
In Week 3’s matchup against the Chicago Bears, Seattle’s inactive list included seven starters, featuring the quarterback, 2/5 of the offensive line and 2/3 of the linebacking corps. That is not including cornerback Marcus Trufant, who began the season on the PUP list.
Depending on the travel agent of choice, he/she will tell you that the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers are 1-2 in most miles traveled in 2009. According to the NFL, Seattle tops the list with 29,054 miles traveled followed by San Francisco’s 29,020 miles. Each will “travel around the world,” which is approximately 25,000 miles.
Seattle will travel 256 more miles than the Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns combined and in the last two years have traveled 63,820 miles, the most in the NFL.
Seattle boasts the NFC’s third-best record since the beginning of the 2003 season with a 56-43 (.566) record... With Week 1’s 28-0 shut out of St. Louis, it marked the fourth time in Seahawks his- tory where they shut out an opponent on Kickoff Weekend... It was also Seattle’s first shut out since November 12, 2007 vs. San Francisco (24-0)... Seattle’s defense is allowing 16.0 ppg (T4th NFL)... Seattle’s 446 total yards of offense vs. StL (9/13) is the most since it put up 501 yards at Atlanta (12/30/07)... Matt Hasselbeck threw for 279 yards on 25 of 36 passing with three touchdowns and two interceptions for a 96.9 passer rating vs. StL (9/13)... Seneca Wallace started in place of Hasselbeck (rib) vs. Chi (9/27) and set career-highs in attempts (44), completions (26) and yards (261)... Julius Jones rushed for his 11th career 100-yd. game, third with Seattle, with 117 yards on 19 carries and a 62-yard touchdown vs. StL (9/13). Caught his first-career touch- down pass at SF (9/20) and added a 39-yard touchdown recep- tion the following week vs. Chi (9/27)... John Carlson caught a career-high two touchdowns on six receptions for 95 yards vs. StL (9/13)... Nate Burleson led the team with seven catches for 74 yards in his first game back from knee surgery vs. StL (9/13). He leads the team with 20 catches for 229 yards... T.J. Houshmandzadeh made his Seahawks debut with six catches for 46 yards... Chris Spencer made his season debut vs. Chi (9/27) after recovering from thigh injury... Lawrence Jackson leads the NFC (T4th NFL) with 3.0 sacks... David Hawthorne made his first- career start in place of Lofa Tatupu (hamstring) and tied for the third-best tackle performance in Seattle history with a career- high 16 tackles (15 solo) and one interception vs. Chi (9/27). It was the most tackles since Isaiah Kacyvenski’s 16 at Oakland (9/8/02)... Aaron Curry collected his first-career sack vs. Chi (9/27)... Olindo Mare is tied for the NFL-lead with seven touch- backs... Jon Ryan ranks first in the NFL with a 52.8 punting avg. and a 45.1 net punting avg.... The following players were inactive vs. Chi; DE Michael Bennett, FB Justin Griffith, QBMatt Hasselbeck, LB Leroy Hill, T Walter Jones, T Sean Locklear, LB Lofa Tatupu and CB Josh Wilson.
The axis of communication
The Seahawks are feeling better about facing Peyton Manning on Sunday because middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu is back and prepared to give the Colts QB the silent treatment.
The “axis of communication” was back on Friday, and there also was a new wrinkle for the defensive linemen – wristbands.
The Seahawks are breaking out the traditional – and the not-so-traditional – for Sunday’s game against the unbeaten Colts and their mastermind quarterback Peyton Manning in Indianapolis.
The first positive was getting Lofa Tatupu back, after the team’s middle linebacker, defensive co-captain and single-caller missed last week’s game against the Chicago Bears and most of the game the week before against the San Francisco 49ers because of a strained hamstring.
“He’s just kind of the axis of communication for our defense, and it gives our players a comfort level – up in front of him and also behind him,” coach Jim Mora said after practice.
The defensive coaches also have come up with a new twist to counter all the audibles Manning calls before the snap. The linemen will wear wristbands – like most quarterbacks do – to help give Manning the silent treatment.
“I’m not used to that, either,” Mora said of seeing the linemen with wristbands. “Here’s the thing: Peyton Manning presents unique problems, in that he is so intelligent and he accumulates so much knowledge throughout a game, that the less that we communicate verbally as a defense, the less cues we’ll give him to what we’re doing.”
A lot of times against a no-huddle offense, the call will be sent to Tatupu, who will disperse it verbally.
“Well, Peyton’s a guy that will hear that, and he’ll pick up on it,” Mora said. “And we don’t necessarily want to give him a legitimate pre-snap read, and we certainly don’t want to tell him, ‘Hey Peyton, we’re going to play this coverage,’ by verbalizing it.”
“So, we’re going to be silent in our communication, and non-verbal in our communication. Hopefully that works, and hopefully it helps us.”
Mora has taken the wristband approach before, but not to this extent.
“We’re pretty extensive with it this week, and I believe we need to be with the guy we’re playing against,” Mora said. “He’s one of those guys that, really, nothing gets by him.”
Hey, it can’t hurt. And it could fall into that “whatever works” category.
“It’s not every quarterback who has his grasp for the game,” Tatupu said. “So if you had just one guy tell everybody what we’re in, eventually Peyton would pick up on the code word. It will be interesting. We’ll see how it works.”
Defensive end Patrick Kerney has played in the league for 11 seasons, but this wristband ploy is a first for him, too.
“I wish we’d had them two years ago against the Bengals when they came out in that first drive and went no-huddle for 14 plays,” Kerney said. “It’s not too complex, and it will help against teams that use no-huddle. And that’s certainly something the Colts have used a lot in their history.
“This way, Lofa can just spit out a number and we’ll get the play off the wristband.”
And if Manning cracks the code?
“If he can remember 40 of our calls and all their playbook, and know them at the line, then kudos to him,” Kerney said. “If that happens, then they’ve got an Einstein brain in there.”
The Seahawks are feeling better about facing Peyton Manning on Sunday because middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu is back and prepared to give the Colts QB the silent treatment.
The “axis of communication” was back on Friday, and there also was a new wrinkle for the defensive linemen – wristbands.
The Seahawks are breaking out the traditional – and the not-so-traditional – for Sunday’s game against the unbeaten Colts and their mastermind quarterback Peyton Manning in Indianapolis.
The first positive was getting Lofa Tatupu back, after the team’s middle linebacker, defensive co-captain and single-caller missed last week’s game against the Chicago Bears and most of the game the week before against the San Francisco 49ers because of a strained hamstring.
“He’s just kind of the axis of communication for our defense, and it gives our players a comfort level – up in front of him and also behind him,” coach Jim Mora said after practice.
The defensive coaches also have come up with a new twist to counter all the audibles Manning calls before the snap. The linemen will wear wristbands – like most quarterbacks do – to help give Manning the silent treatment.
“I’m not used to that, either,” Mora said of seeing the linemen with wristbands. “Here’s the thing: Peyton Manning presents unique problems, in that he is so intelligent and he accumulates so much knowledge throughout a game, that the less that we communicate verbally as a defense, the less cues we’ll give him to what we’re doing.”
A lot of times against a no-huddle offense, the call will be sent to Tatupu, who will disperse it verbally.
“Well, Peyton’s a guy that will hear that, and he’ll pick up on it,” Mora said. “And we don’t necessarily want to give him a legitimate pre-snap read, and we certainly don’t want to tell him, ‘Hey Peyton, we’re going to play this coverage,’ by verbalizing it.”
“So, we’re going to be silent in our communication, and non-verbal in our communication. Hopefully that works, and hopefully it helps us.”
Mora has taken the wristband approach before, but not to this extent.
“We’re pretty extensive with it this week, and I believe we need to be with the guy we’re playing against,” Mora said. “He’s one of those guys that, really, nothing gets by him.”
Hey, it can’t hurt. And it could fall into that “whatever works” category.
“It’s not every quarterback who has his grasp for the game,” Tatupu said. “So if you had just one guy tell everybody what we’re in, eventually Peyton would pick up on the code word. It will be interesting. We’ll see how it works.”
Defensive end Patrick Kerney has played in the league for 11 seasons, but this wristband ploy is a first for him, too.
“I wish we’d had them two years ago against the Bengals when they came out in that first drive and went no-huddle for 14 plays,” Kerney said. “It’s not too complex, and it will help against teams that use no-huddle. And that’s certainly something the Colts have used a lot in their history.
“This way, Lofa can just spit out a number and we’ll get the play off the wristband.”
And if Manning cracks the code?
“If he can remember 40 of our calls and all their playbook, and know them at the line, then kudos to him,” Kerney said. “If that happens, then they’ve got an Einstein brain in there.”
