No Longer The Weak Link Revamped Offensive Line Coming Through For Seahawks

Howard Mudd can admit it now. For more than a month, nights were sleepless.

Small wonder.

His job was to coach the Seattle Seahawks offensive line. And his reputation - built block-by-block through 21 years as an NFL coach was riding on a fivesome that was clearly the weak link of the entire team.

What had appeared to be a thin, but steady, front wall coming into the season, was crumbling before his eyes.

Veteran left tackle Ray Roberts went down with minor ankle surgery, leaving James Atkins, with only four NFL games to his credit, to start in his place.

Veteran left guard Jeff Blackshear was in the middle of a holdout and more than a few pot roasts over prime playing weight, meaning Matt Joyce would have to start.

Joyce’s resume showed that he had never played a down in the NFL, although he once made All-Yankee Conference as a defensive tackle.

At center, the Hawks had a veteran in former New York Jet Jim Sweeney, but he was a new acquisition and just learning the calls he would have to make.

Right tackle Howard Ballard was limping along at about half speed because of sore knees and probably deserved to be benched - if there were anybody around to replace him.

And right guard Kevin Mawae, well, he was playing fine, but all he had was a year’s experience behind him.

Funny how things work out, though. After three games against some of the league’s most talented pass rushers, the Hawks have given up only six sacks - less than the league average and fewer than the San Francisco 49ers.

And the likes of Kansas City’s Derrick Thomas and Neil Smith, San Diego’s Leslie O’Neal and Junior Seau, and Cincinnati’s Dan Wilkinson have all come away sackless.

“Well, I still don’t sleep well, but it’s better than a month ago,” Mudd said.

It should be.

“From where we started to where we are right now is amazing,” Seahawks head coach Dennis Erickson said. “Matt Joyce is continuing to get better, James Atkins is continuing to get better, House Ballard is playing better than he was last year and Ray is almost ready to come back.

“So, hopefully, by the middle of the year, something that we thought was going to be a weakness will be a strength for us.”

How could this have happened against improbable odds, though? Mostly, it’s been the coaching of Mudd, devising ways to shield and protect the youngsters on the left side until they could stand on their own, and also the veteran leadership of Sweeney and Ballard.

“The young guys have surprised me, yes,” Mudd said. “James not so much as Matt because at least he had a little experience, but they’ve both developed beyond what anybody could expect.”

And now, with the young left side, “They’re becoming more of veterans and I’m taking a lot less care with protecting a particular guy,” said Mudd, who has coached or played with seven NFL teams. “I’m a lot less inclined to do that because they’re playing with a lot more confidence.”

Credit that to the steadying influence of Sweeney in the middle of the line. The former Pro Bowl player (1988) has 11 years of experience to share with his youthful teammates.

“James and Matt are like my sons,” Sweeney said. “I kick them in the butt when they need it, or give them the words of encouragement when they need it - let them know they’re getting the job done.

“They’re still learning the ropes and they like having an old (guy) like me around to tell them war stories.”

The advice of Sweeney has helped Joyce get “a lot more calm,” he said. “My first start against San Francisco, I was so nervous I felt like I couldn’t move.

“Now, I wouldn’t say I’m all the way comfortable, but I’m getting more so with the pass stunts and twists and stuff we see.”

Atkins, meanwhile, is benefiting from the counsel of Ray Roberts, who has returned to limited practice and continues to school Atkins on the finer points of the left tackle position.

Mudd stresses, though, that the young linemen are not just all on the receiving end, that they are also giving something special to the offense.

“These young guys are real excited; they’re jumping around in the locker room,” Mudd said. “We need to have this football team take some of that enthusiasm. Maybe it’s innocent and young and all that stuff, but boy, we need that. We need to learn to play like that, to jump and click your heels and go play.”

But now, this level of play will be expected. And anything less not tolerated.

“That’s why we have to keep improving,” said Ballard, who played like a human road-grader against Cincinnati.

“We all know that all it takes is one bad play, one bad game,” Ballard said. “And we’ll be back in the doghouse again.”

And Mudd, once again, will be lying awake all night.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo