Seattle can take its time
KIRKLAND, Wash. – In its heyday, the St. Louis Rams’ “Greatest Show on Turf” offense was like a lethal uppercut, capable of knocking out an opponent at any moment.
The 2005 yet-to-be-nicknamed Seattle Seahawks offense, which mirrors the old Rams offense only in that both have been ranked No. 1 in the NFL, is based on a different strategy. Body blow after body blow, the Seahawks eventually bring their opponents to their knees.
Unlike some high-powered offenses that rely on the big play, Seattle has shown a remarkable ability to sustain long, time-consuming drives.
“You need to do that,” Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said after Sunday’s 33-19 win over Arizona, “and we’ve done that a couple of times this season already, in important situations where you need to drive the ball a long ways.”
The Seahawks (6-2) continue to lead the league in scoring drives of 80 yards or more, with 14. As a point of reference, no other NFL team has more than nine this year, while Seattle had six during the entire 2004 season.
“If we’ve got to go 80, you go 80. If you’ve got to go 90, you go 90,” Seattle offensive lineman Robbie Tobeck said. “It’s nice to have good field position, but we don’t think about that. We just try to keep getting first downs, and then the next thing you know, you’re in field-goal range and threatening for a touchdown.”
Not all of Seattle’s long drives have been time-consuming, as shown by Shaun Alexander’s 88-yard touchdown in Sunday’s game, which counted as a drive even though it was only one play. But Seattle showed later in that game, during a 16-play, 93-yard touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter, that it is also capable of moving the first-down chains.
That drive, which bled 6 minutes and 50 seconds off the clock, was more typical of this year’s Seahawks. Of their 14 drives of 80 yards or more, 11 have included at least seven plays.
The Cardinals had just scored to get within eight points (27-19), when a penalty on the kickoff left Seattle at its 7-yard line. While the Seahawks eventually went 93 yards to clinch the victory on an Alexander 14-yard touchdown run, the drive had its share of near-misses.
“Matt Hasselbeck’s first pass was completed to fullback Mack Strong only after Strong stepped in front of Arizona cornerback David Macklin, who nearly got his hands on the ball and had a clear path to the end zone.
“On third-and-8 from the Seattle 21-yard line, Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson was flagged for a questionable pass interference penalty, giving the Seahawks a first down at the 39.
“Alexander got hit near the line of scrimmage on a third-and-2, only to eventually pick up 4 yards on second effort. That put Seattle at the Arizona 42, and Alexander scored three plays later.
Published reports indicate that Alexander will be selected today as the NFC Offensive Player of the Week.
“There are so many things that can go wrong to stop an offensive drive,” Alexander said. “Anytime you put a long one together, it really hurts the defense mentally.”
In addition to the mental toll they take on a defense, the drives also afford the team plenty of opportunities to pile up yardage. See Seattle’s No. 1 NFL ranking in total offense as further proof.
Notes
While the Seahawks won their fourth consecutive game Sunday, they saw another streak come to an end. Heading into the second half of that game, Seattle had scored a touchdown or field goal in the final 2 minutes of every half they had played this season. The Seahawks’ final score came with 5:19 remaining in the game. … While Seattle coach Mike Holmgren and Arizona coach Dennis Green have had nine multiple-game seasons, this marks only the second time a Holmgren-coached team has swept. Holmgren’s Green Bay Packers also swept Green’s Minnesota Vikings in 1997.