Seattle Set to Turn to Charlie Whitehurst at QB vs Rams Sunday Night

In a game that will decide the NFC West title, the Seahawks will be turning their offense over to little known QB Charlie Whitehurst, as coach Pete Carroll said today he will start for the injured Matt Hasselbeck.

Carroll said Monday he wasn’t ready to rule out Hasselbeck after he left Sunday’s 38-15 loss to Tampa Bay after running for a 1-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Hasselbeck suffered a strain to his lower back/hip/gluteal area that did not allow him to return.

Hasselbeck underwent an MRI and additional tests Monday morning and the results were positive enough that Carroll remained somewhat optimistic.

“It’s something (that) it may be manageable. It may be,” Carroll said. “The MRI results were not such where he doesn’t have a chance. They were very hopeful that he has an opportunity to get back, but we won’t know for days. So it’s kind of a difficult situation for us because we don’t know and we’re not sure what is going to happen until we find out the news probably by Saturday, or it may go all the way to game time.”

Whitehurst would be making just his second career start, with Seattle going for its first division title since 2007.

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Gridiron Gab Week Fifteen Preview: Atlanta at Seattle

After four turnovers on consecutive possessions doomed Seattle last Sunday in San Francisco, the Seahawks welcome the National Football League’s fourth-best team in terms of turnover differential to Qwest Field for a Week Fifteen contest of division leaders.

“It’s a really great challenge for us,” said Seattle head coach Pete Carroll during his Wednesday press conference from the team’s Renton, Wash. training facilities of Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons, “because they do so many things right.”

“It forces us to play really, really solid football. We will not be able to make mistakes and stay with these guys – they’re just too good at it.”

Of Atlanta’s 335 points scored this season, 84 have come from the team’s 24 forced turnovers.

Leading the Falcons’ attack is the four-headed monster of Matt Ryan, Roddy White, Tony Gonzalez and Michael Turner.

In his third year in the NFL, Ryan is on pace to have his best season yet. His current completion percentage and quarterback rating (63.2 and 90.7, respectively) are the highest he’s had as a pro, while his touchdown passing total of 22 ties hiss personal best he set as a rookie coming out of Boston College.

Helping Ryan develop is wide receiver Roddy White. The 6-foot, 212-pound White not only leads the league in targets, receptions and receiving yards this season, he’s also become the first Falcon to post three consecutive seasons of at least 1,200 receiving yards – passing Andre Rison’s two straight seasons in the franchise’s history book.

Then there’s tight end Tony Gonzalez, who after hauling in a four-yard touchdown reception in Atlanta’s 31-10 road victory last Sunday in Carolina, jumped into a tie for 11th all-time in the NFL for touchdown receptions with 87.

“They really feature those two guys and they’re the guys they go to and you can see on the film why,” said Seattle’s Carroll. “They just make the plays. They make the catches. They throw the ball in there with guys hanging all over them and Roddy can make his catches and of course Tony does too.”

Despite the impressive totals, Carroll isn’t too worried about giving up a big play.

“We have to challenge those guys in their routes because they’re just going to ball control them,” said the Seahawks’ head coach. “They don’t have big averages; they have just big numbers of receptions.”

“So, that with Michael Turner is a tremendous makeup for an offense.”

After an injury and an alleged weight issue slowed and eventually shelved the running back for five games last season, the third-year Falcon has rebounded.

Turner has 11 rushing touchdowns on the season with three coming from last Sunday’s road win in Carolina. In that game, success came along the left side of the offensive line. All three of Turner’s scores against the Panthers were results of rushes to that side behind starting left tackle Sam Baker.

Unlike its offensive counterpart, the rush defense has struggled lately for Atlanta (11-2). The Falcons have given up 100-yard rushing games to opposing running backs the past two games, a streak that broke the team’s mark of nine consecutive contests without an opponent eclipsing the 100-yard mark on the ground.

That could be good news for Seattle (6-7), who should be able to find better success in the ground game with a more balanced offensive attack Sunday thanks to the possible return of receivers Mike Williams and Ben Obomanu. Williams, the team’s leading receiver with 52 receptions for 654 yards, has missed essentially the last three weeks due to injuries – the latest, an ankle injury, costing him to miss all but a handful of snaps the last two games. Obomanu, whose 430 receiving yards rank second-most on the Seattle roster this year, suffered a cut on his right hand two weeks ago after making a catch against Carolina.

With the possibility of having the team’s top-two receivers back on the field Sunday, running backs Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett could potentially face less defensive attention. Last Sunday when both receivers were out, Lynch and Forsett combined for just 34 yards on 13 carries.

Sunday’s kickoff at Qwest Field for the matchup between Atlanta and Seattle is set for 4:05 p.m.

Can’t get enough NFLGridironGab? Follow SeahawksGab Editor Devon Heinen on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DevonHeinen.

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Chiefs Just Three Plays From a Perfect Game Last Week In Seattle

A blocked punt. A blocked field goal. A blown assignment on an 87 yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.

OK, maybe not perfect, but pretty close.

It’s been rare that we’ve seen that kind of break down in the special teams. Maybe you have to credit the Seahawks.

The 87 yard touchdown is more of a concern, one that I’m sure they’ve talked about this week.

This was as complete a game as we’ve seen from this team in a very long time. Take away those 87 yards on that pass play and the Seahawks end up with 195 yards passing to go along with their 20 yards rushing.

The defense was dominating. The running game was fantastic, even by the high standard they’ve already set.

I’m hoping by now it has become less fashionable to criticize Matt Cassel. One of the few stats he is not one of highest ranked quarterbacks at this points in total yards passing.

That’s what “top quarterbacks” are based on. Unless of course you know something about football.

Dwayne Bowe has turned into one of the top wide receivers in the NFL. That came out of nowhere. Two months ago the guy couldn’t hold a ball thrown into his hands.

One of the most telling plays, to me, was a third a ten late in the game. Bowe went about 12 yards, curled back and Cassel delivered the ball low, right where he should. Bowe caught the ball, first down.

It is these type of plays that the Chiefs have not been making. Normally, that route would have been run eight yards and curled for a 6 yard gain. If not, Bowe would have dropped it, or it would have been too low.

If they can do that on a consistent basis, they will be very difficult to beat, home or away.

They have a tough road in front of them. We will know they have turned the corner if they can go into San Diego and win.

Regardless, in many ways they have turned that corner that we have been waiting for.

I have been excited about the way the Chiefs have been building their organization. With ten wins in three years, and a 7-4 record this year, it’s hard not to be.

Winning the Super Bowl is the goal for every team, every year. We all know, however, that’s not really the case. The Lions, Bills, Panthers and Chiefs, to name a few, probably had few expectations of actually reaching that goal this season.

If the Chiefs make the playoffs they will be a very dangerous team. I say that because in order to do that, they will have to win some big games between now and the end of the season.

If they fail to make the playoffs, this will be an off season with great optimism for next year.

Each week, this team grows, matures and improves. That does not mean we should be shocked at setbacks and bad losses. The loss to the Broncos should never happen. The loss to the Raiders is understandable, but avoidable.

This week, just take care of business. Then worry about next week.

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Gridiron Gab Week Thirteen Preview: Carolina at Seattle

Eleven games into the season, Pete Carroll and his Seattle Seahawks find themselves owning a share of the lead in the NFC West standings. They also welcome in the Carolina Panthers – the National Football League’s worst team this season – for a Week 13 matchup at Qwest Field, yet the head coach isn’t sitting easy.

“It’s as tight as it can get,” said Carroll during his Wednesday press conference from the Seahawks’ Renton, Wash. training facilities of the state of the NFC West where the last place Arizona Cardinals at 3-8 are just two games out of a share of first place.

“Each game matters so much.”

Injuries and inconsistent play have plagued Seattle (5-6) as of late, a team that’s lost four of its last five games, but those same issues have wreaked havoc on Carolina (1-10).

Four quarterbacks have lined up under center so far for the Panthers and three of them have been sidelined to some extent. The team’s starter coming into the season, Matt Moore, is on Injured Reserve. Brian St. Pierre, brought in off the street two weeks ago, dealt with a sore arm after one start and rookie Jimmy Clausen is one game removed from a concussion.

“That would challenge anybody,” said Seattle’s head coach.

The running back position, too, hasn’t been able to sidestep the injury bug, yet Carolina’s current tandem of Jonathan Stewart and Mike Goodson were able to do something last week in Cleveland that hasn’t been done often this season by the team – collectively run for over 100 yards. In fact, the pair’s 151 combined rushing yards last Sunday were the team’s best total in 2010.

“He’s matured into this monster of a running back,” said Carroll of Stewart whose University of Oregon team played Carroll’s University of Southern California squad while the two called the Pac-10 home.

“But the other kid, Michael Goodson, is a guy that – man – he was on my radar. I’ve known this kid for a long time. I knew him as he was growing up through high school and he was one of the top, if not the top guy we were recruiting at the time, so for him to be such an explosive running back doesn’t surprise me one bit.”

While Carolina is coming off its best rushing performance, Seattle isn’t. Headlined by Marshawn Lynch’s team-leading seven carries, the Seahawks managed just 20 rushing yards as a unit.

“I’m really, I’m so uncomfortable with the fact that we’re not running the football in a better fashion and I’ve said to you [reporters] weeks and weeks that ‘we’re going to get better, we’re going to improve,’ and we have – you know – we still have been in this mode of flux and we have not got it to the point where we need to get it,” said Carroll.

Part of the reason for that is the way Seattle’s lost four of their last five games. With an average final deficit of just over 24 points, the Seahawks haven’t had the luxury of developing a ground attack.

A more even mix might be the key to a Seattle victory Sunday over visiting Carolina because Mike Williams, the team’s top aerial threat with 52 receptions for 654 yards and a touchdown, isn’t expected to take the field.

“There’s a presence that a big receiver gives ya,” said Carroll. “You can just throw the ball at ‘em whenever you need to and they’ll likely make a play for you and that, that’s not existent in – you know – guys that aren’t 6-5.”

Kickoff at Qwest Field for Sunday’s matchup between the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks is set for 4:15 p.m. Eastern.

Can’t get enough SeahawksGab? Follow Editor Devon Heinen on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DevonHeinen.

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GridironGab Week Eleven Preview: Seattle at New Orleans

It seems like a weekly ritual, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll calling his team’s upcoming matchup a challenge; however, he recognizes that Week 11 presents something even more arduous than usual.

Leaving the Pacific Northwest to take on the defending Super Bowl champions.

“This is a really big-time challenge,” said Carroll, at his Wednesday press conference from the Seahawks’ Renton, Wash. training facilities, of facing the New Orleans Saints. “This quarterback. This, this head coach. This defensive coordinator – all of these guys have just expertise out the, out the wazoo.”

The quarterback position is arguably the most noticeable for New Orleans. Drew Brees was crowned last season’s Super Bowl MVP in the team’s 31-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts and finds himself among the top in the National Football League in passing yards this year.

“They’re averaging almost 50 throws a game the last three weeks, so, why not?” asked Carroll.

“He does everything right. He understands. He does a marvelous job of checking off and adjusting and doing the things that great experienced quarterbacks do. Moves perfectly in the pocket to find his throwing lanes and he has every throw.”

While Brees has excelled this season, his success has been tempered as defenses have used two-deep zones to hang back in coverage and take away the deep ball – a staple in the Saints’ aerial attack last year. Because of this, wide receivers Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem have been relatively quiet. Both had career seasons last year, but both have less than 24 receptions this season.

“You have to do everything,” said Carroll of how to defend Brees. “You can’t just cover. You can’t just rush. You won’t be able to just blitz him and knock him outta the boat because he’ll tear ya up.”

Helping to possibly relieve some defensive attention off Brees will be Reggie Bush. The running back is set to return to the Saints’ lineup after missing the past seven games with a broken fibula.

“He’s just a factor, you know?” asked Seattle’s Carroll, who coached Bush in college at the University of Southern California. “They use him in so many different ways and he’s so explosive that you have to pay attention to him.”

While New Orleans’ offense has been noteworthy, its defense has been even better.

Led by coordinator Greg Williams, the unit’s jumped from 20th in points allowed in the NFL and 25th in yards allowed last season to fourth and third, respectively.

“Over the years, Greg’s done so much stuff and he’s always been on the cutting edge of aggressive attack,” said the Seahawks’ head coach.

Subduing that aggressiveness will be even more important this week than others for Carroll and the Seahawks because starting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has a broken bone in the wrist of his non-throwing hand. However, Carroll won’t change the team’s offensive game plan due to the injury.

“Our plan is that we can do whatever we want to do,” said the head coach.

With the game plan intact, wide receiver Mike Williams will look to continue to be a prominent fixture. His 145 receiving yards in last week’s win in Arizona was the best single-game performance of his four-year career in the NFL and, in Seattle’s last three wins, the wideout has had at least 10 receptions.

Sunday’s kickoff for Seattle (5-4) and New Orleans (6-3) from the Superdome is set for 4:05 p.m. Eastern.

Can’t get enough NFLGridironGab?  Follow SeahawksGab Editor Devon Heinen on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DevonHeinen.

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Draft Day 2011 Could Bring Tough Choices, Surprise Decision for Seattle

The final seconds tick off the clock. Beads of sweat trickle down your face as you shuffle through your notes. All around you, phones ring and voices fight to be heard. You’re moments away from making Seattle’s first pick in the 2011 National Football League Draft and you’ve decided the team’s going to invest in a quarterback and the options at the position are plenty.

There’s Jake Locker. He’s the local product who has captured the hearts of many. Standing at 6-foot-3, 230-pounds, his physical tools are well known. He’s more mobile than most at the position and has a strong arm. His competitiveness has never been in doubt despite playing for one of the country’s worst college football teams over the past few years.

There’s also the downside to the Husky. He’s an erratic passer and, because of his mobility and competitiveness, he’s been banged up more than you’d like for someone his age.

What about Ryan Mallet? Not many quarterbacks come in the form of a 6-foot-6, 238-pound gunslinger. He’s spent two years in the SEC – a conference everybody knows is among the best if not the best in terms of competition. In the conference, he’s not only shown that he can play, but play well. His completion percentage (67.3) has jumped roughly 12 percentage points in his second season at Arkansas and is approaching 70 percent.

He’s not all that mobile, though, but is that something you need from your quarterback?

How about a dark horse? Someone that can play with the best of them and that can be had with your pick or possibly a later one if you trade back a few spots and pick up an additional selection or two in the process?

Enter Cam Newton.

In his first year starting in the SEC, Newton’s put himself front and center among the nation’s top quarterbacks and has built a strong portfolio towards winning the Heisman Trophy. His completion percentage (68.2) is better than Mallet’s and, with 1,297 rushing yards on 6.3 yards per carry and 17 rushing touchdowns, is as much a threat on the ground as he is via the air.

With all the hype also comes a serious question mark.

The alleged pay-for-play recruitment scandal has dragged Auburn’s signal caller through the mud. Did he or people associated with him take money? Did he or people associated with him even ask for money? How will this situation affect his maturity and decision making on and off the field at the next level of the sport?

With the final seconds waning quicker than they should, you call together the team’s decision makers for one last go-over of opinions and the final decision is made.

Now all that is left is to turn in the card to the commissioner and welcome in the next generation of Seahawks football.

Can’t get enough NFLGridironGab?  Follow SeahawksGab Editor Devon Heinen on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DevonHeinen.

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