Seahawks feel good about the future
DETROIT – History tells us that rebounding from a Super Bowl loss is difficult, but the Seattle Seahawks appear to be better equipped to recover than their Roman Numeral predecessors.
Of the last five teams to lose in a Super Bowl, the best record any of them managed the ensuing season was 7-9. None made it to the playoffs. The last 12 seasons, the Super Bowl loser won an average of 8.3 games the following year and seven of those teams didn’t qualify for the playoffs.
“A guy my age, I tend to look at my future as weeks and not years,” said center Robbie Tobeck, a 12-year veteran from Washington State. “You look at Philadelphia this season. Was Philadelphia a bad team? No, they were a beat-up team. That’s what we had in Atlanta (after the Falcons lost in the 1999 Super Bowl). You lose Jamal Anderson, Tony Martin was playing in Miami, a team leader like Cornelius Bennett. You lose guys like that to retirement or free agency and it has a big effect on your team.”
Seattle, which saw the best season in franchise history conclude with a disappointing 21-10 loss Sunday to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL, has its share of free-agent concerns, but not as many as a year ago at this time.
You’ll recall that after the 2004 season, Seattle had 16 potential unrestricted free agents, including the “Big Three” of Matt Hasselbeck, Shaun Alexander and Walter Jones. They re-signed the trio, but in agreeing to a one-year deal with Alexander the team gave up the right to use the franchise tag on the running back who earned MVP honors this season.
“If we keep this core group together, then we have a chance of doing some special things; of bettering our chances to get back here,” receiver Bobby Engram said.
Fourteen Seahawks are eligible for free agency in March, the most prominent being Alexander and Pro Bowl guard Steve Hutchinson.
“This was an exciting opportunity,” Alexander said following Sunday’s loss. “I definitely think that if I come back to Seattle we’ll be back. Where’s the Super Bowl next year? Miami? Yeah, Miami’s good.”
That’s a big if. Alexander’s record-breaking season probably hiked his price tag and there could be several teams willing to pay dearly for his services.
Hutchinson, a cornerstone on the left side of the line with Jones, figures to be in Seattle’s plans.
Other free agents on offense are dependable receiver Joe Jurevicius, Pro Bowl fullback Mack Strong, reserve running back Maurice Morris and tight end Ryan Hannam.
Seattle’s young defense made huge strides during the season, despite getting burned by three big plays in Sunday’s loss – a 75-yard touchdown run by Willie Parker, a school-yard play in which Ben Roethlisberger scrambled and threw across field to Hines Ward for 37 yards and a reverse pass to Ward that resulted in a 43-yard touchdown.
“I think the defense can be great,” cornerback Marcus Trufant said. “Every week we seemed to get better and better. The longer we’re together the better we should get.”
Key free agents are tackle Rocky Bernard, who had a breakout year in his fourth season with 8.5 sacks and 52 tackles, and safety Marquand Manuel, who filled in admirably after Ken Hamlin suffered a fractured skull.
“We’ve got a good foundation to work with,” said John Marshall, who coordinated the defense following Ray Rhodes’ health problems. “With free agency, trades, retirements, you do get more turnover. Plus you’re always trying to upgrade what you have.”
Special teams could see some changes. Kicker Josh Brown is a restricted free agent, along with reserve offensive tackle Wayne Hunter and backup quarterback Seneca Wallace. Seattle has the right to match any offer to a restricted free agent. Punter Tom Rouen is another unrestricted free agent.
“We’re building something really good around here,” second-year defensive tackle Marcus Tubbs said. “I think it’s a great idea to get a lot of players who are really young and a lot of no-name players buying into the team concept. I think that was a key to our success this year.”