Errors Bury Hawks Seattle Generous To A Fault; Midseason Grades Not Good

Heading into Sunday’s Seattle-Arizona game, Cardinala coach Buddy Ryan trotted out a folksy phrase to assess the prospects of his 2-5 club.

“I’ve seen sicker cows than this get well,” Ryan said.

His team did get well, defeating the Seahawks 20-14 in overtime in an athletic atrocity that featured 11 turnovers, 11 dropped passes, two blocked field goals and 22 penalties.

That left the Seahawks, meanwhile, as one of the sickest cows in the NFL pasture. Now 2-6, the Hawks surely must be considered among the worst teams in the league.

How did this cow grow so ill?

It’s easy to identify. But certainly difficult to cure. Their minus-13 in the turnover/takeaway ratio is the most distressing in the league.

That equates to 13 more possessions - or roughly an entire extra game’s worth of offense - they should have had.

And the 15 turnovers in the last three games have led to 53 opponent points. The Hawks lost those three games by a total of 22 points.

Get the drift? There are no mysteries here.

When the Seahawks keep the football off the playing surface and pass it amongst themselves, they can compete at a moderate level of success. But those are things they haven’t done in a month.

It is time, then, after eight games, for an examination of the Seahawks’ mid-term performance:

Quarterback grade: F

That doesn’t stand for “Fine.”

Third-year quarterback Rick Mirer has unraveled in front of fans’ eyes.

Granted, Mirer has spent a portion of the season peeling himself off the turf. But his inconsistency has, nonetheless, been the major contributing factor to the Seahawks’ losing.

Coming into the season with a passing attack that has worked everywhere else for coach Dennis Erickson, Mirer was expected to have a breakthrough season.

Especially after obvious maturation in 1994, when he threw only seven interceptions all season.

But in eight 1995 games, he already has 14 interceptions.

The “F” doesn’t stand for Friesz, either.

John Friesz, performing in Mirer’s stead Sunday in Arizona, also had two interceptions in the Hawks loss, but he repeatedly got the ball away under pressure, seemed accurate on most of his throws, and never forced the ball into double coverage - a miscue Mirer had turned into a habit.

He showed both ability and guttiness on Sunday, completing 13 of 18 in the second half while playing with a separated left shoulder.

Unfortunately, Erickson reported Monday that Friesz will likely miss this week to allow the shoulder to heal and Mirer will be back at the controls.

Let’s give Friesz an incomplete, with further performances like Sunday’s earning high marks.

Running backs: B+

Chris Warren, with 696 yards in eight games, is just 17 yards behind last year’s pace when he led the AFC in rushing with 1,545 yards.

In several games, he appeared to be running with more determination than he has in his career, although he has not turned into the receiving threat that was expected.

Backup tailbacks Steve Broussard and Lamar Smith have provided excellent changes of pace when Warren has taken brief rests.

At fullback, Steve Smith has been a very solid blocker, and Mack Strong an extremely promising and versatile sub.

A couple fumbles and dropped passes are all that keep this from being an “A.”

Receivers: C+

Brian Blades, with 35 catches, is 12 catches down from this point last year.

Rookie Joey Galloway, meanwhile, has made some brilliant catches and shown a breakaway burst, but his 30 catches are seven fewer than Kelvin Martin had last year after eight games.

More than a dozen drops by wideouts and backs dramatically drops the grade here.

The future of the tight end position, however, is glowing, as both rookie Christian Fauria and second-year Carlester Crumpler have showed they can block, catch and run once they get it.

The two already have 26 catches, with only 40 coming from the tight ends all last year.

Offensive line: C+

Actually, considering that veteran starting left tackle Ray Roberts has missed virtually the entire season because of injury, this group has played fairly well.

A seven-sack game against San Diego is the biggest smudge on their record, but the run blocking for Warren has been consistently sound.

Defensive line: D

The Hawks have just 10 sacks in eight games, lowest in the league. Last year, they had 14 at this point, the year before that, 20 after eight games.

Seattle has brought absolutely no pressure from the defensive ends. The four who have played there have accounted for four sacks this season.

Cortez Kennedy, with 3.5 sacks, is the only Seahawk with more sacks than you can count on your index finger.

Linebackers: C+

Terry Wooden, the team leader with 64 tackles, has become one of the very finest in the league.

He is a deadly tackler who never seems to miss a ball carrier or be in the wrong spot.

At middle linebacker, Tyrone Stowe was performing well before breaking his arm against Buffalo and being sidelined for the season. Dean Wells is competent in his place.

But at the other side, Winston Moss has been largely invisible. Brought in to help replace Rufus Porter, Moss has had more personal foul penalties than big plays.

Secondary: D

Safety Robert Blackmon and cornerback Carlton Gray have made crucial mental mistakes, allowing the Hawks to get burned on numerous deep balls - 60 yards and 40 yards against Kansas City, alone.

Corey Harris has shown surprising competence at the other corner as he’s become the best cover man on the team.

Former Pro Bowl safety Eugene Robinson, who has more interceptions in the 90s than any player in the NFL, is to be recognized for the courageous manner in which he has rebounded from Achilles surgery.

The fact he’s playing at all is remarkable. Yet he’s obviously not nearly back to form, as he has not only not had an interception yet, he hasn’t even batted down one pass.

As a group, the Hawks secondary has just four interceptions. The team had 12 at this point last year.

Special teams: C

Punter Rick Tuten is still among the league’s best, but kicker Todd Peterson (7 for 11) is a come-down from John Kasay, who was 10 for 11 at this point in 1994.

Coverage units have been shoddy, and the inability to stop a fake punt against San Diego was a turning point in the loss.

Coaching: C+

The offensive scheme is not at fault, as it is far more imaginative than has been seen in Seattle in a number of seasons. The problem is with its execution.

Defensively, the Hawks have been slow to make changes to stop opponents’ success.

And don’t even get started on the preparation of special teams.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 Photos (1 Color)