Seattle Qb Avoids Queries After Defeat

This was Rick Mirer at his best.

Using his quickness and guile.

Misdirection and deception.

Of course, all this was AFTER Sunday’s game.

Slipping undetected from the Seattle Seahawks locker room Sunday, Mirer scrambled off into the protection of the night, escaping those who would ask him to rehash his weak performance against San Diego.

Call it a quarterback sneak.

It was his finest move on a day when he threw three interceptions and fumbled a snap in his own end zone.

In three seasons of learning and growing under heavy fire - and all the mistakes that go with that - Mirer always has been one to bravely face his inquisitors.

He might not have answers, but he had the grit to face the lights and cameras and mini-cassette recorders pointed at him as if from some electronic firing squad.

Until Sunday.

And the reason for Mirer’s hasty retreat, one can assume, is that he realizes he has reached the most critical point in his career - a point too grave for post-game snap judgments and quickie analysis.

His team has nose-dived to 2-5 and his statistics are at the bottom of the entire league.

The equation has one further complicating element.

Overshadowed by Mirer and his $15 million contract is John Friesz - certainly one of the best back-up quarterbacks in the NFL.

When Friesz relieved Mirer late in the 35-25 loss Sunday, it was to the delight of the crowd that had doggedly remained to the bitter end.

As he did during the preseason, Friesz looked far more comfortable in coach Dennis Erickson’s offense than Mirer has.

And the one question Mirer certainly did not want to have to answer - because it would force him to examine his own fraying confidence - is whether he should be benched to give Friesz a chance to salvage the season.

In answer to all previous questions of that nature, Erickson always made it clear that Mirer was The Man and Friesz was insurance.

But for the first time on Sunday, Erickson did not simply dismiss the idea of benching Mirer.

“He’s going to have to start playing the way he’s capable of playing,” Erickson said.

“Right now, (Rick) is struggling,” said Bob Bratkowski, Hawk offensive coordinator. “The inconsistency is really hurting us as an offense.”

The staff will convene today to “try to decide what’s the best thing for us,” Bratkowski said - leaving the possibility open that Friesz, at the very least, could be getting more repetitions in practice.

As is his way, Friesz handled the situation with predictable aplomb.

“It’s the coaches’ decision,” Friesz said of any possible juggling of the depth chart. “The quarterbacks, as a group, are strong guys. We’re all friends. We all feel the joy and the sorrow when things go well and things go bad.”

He took the same classy approach last year when another high-priced but unpolished kid - Heath Shuler - left him on the sidelines with the Washington Redskins.

“I came here as a backup and I understand my role as a backup,” Friesz said. “It’s not just one person or one position making the mistakes out there. It might be the most glaring because the quarterback has the ball.”

Friesz fought through his own growing pains with San Diego, and has tried to bottle-feed Mirer in the tough times.

“Rick is going through a stage I’ve gone through, and I’d like to believe I’ve made progress and learned from those mistakes,” Friesz said. “And Rick will too. The thing I try to get through to Rick is just be patient, don’t try to force things.

“Making mistakes, unfortunate as it is, is what you have to go through,” Friesz said. “This is a new system for Rick and he’s getting a lot better - although, at times, that might not be the perception.”

Practically every Seahawk in the locker room on Sunday was asked if they had lost confidence in Mirer. And to a man they supported him.

“We’re not losing confidence in Rick at all, he’s a great quarterback and he’ll have better days,” tackle James Atkins said.

Center Jim Sweeney was even stronger in his support. “I think he’s a helluva player. He’ll be all right - we’ll make sure of that. Rick is my quarterback and I’ll go into battle with him and fight to the death for him.”

But the battles thus far have mostly been losing ones.

Friesz explained that the biggest problem for young quarterbacks like Mirer is patience.

That may be true.

But patience is also getting difficult to maintain for the fans who have grown weary of an offense that has been consistent only in its losing.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo