Come On, Who Are The Real Seahawks?

I’m confused. Will the real Seattle Seahawks please stand up?

Would they kindly let the public know what they’re up to? Are they a playoff team, or are they just stringing us along?

They are dazzling one minute, disappointing the next. They are 3-3 after Sunday’s underwhelming 16-13 win over Tennessee in the Kingdome.

Now, is that 3-3 en route to 10-6? Or 6-10? They keep teasing us with these madcap wins over lukewarm competition (Tennessee and San Diego). Since their schedule is crammed with creampuffs by NFL standards, anyway this pattern might remain until December.

Seattle continues to troll for the big win, and the legitimacy that comes with it. The kind of win that Seattle let slip away against Kansas City last Sunday.

“Every game is critical now. We’ve got to win six of our next 10, maybe seven,” guard Pete Kendall said. “We can do it.”

We know they can. We want to know if they will.

“I think our team is better than the record shows and around the league maybe people think that, too,” Kendall said. “But you can’t go back and play it over. I believe we have a playoff team, especially to do what we did last week and today.

“But I don’t want to call us a playoff team until we go. We can play with a lot of teams that are going to go to the playoffs.”

Sunday’s win shouldn’t be trivialized. Injuries shelved starters Cortez Kennedy, Chris Warren, Joey Galloway, John Friesz and Phillip Daniels. Bennie Blades was sidelined twice with neck stingers. Even Steve Broussard, who rescued the Seahawks with two long touchdown runs in the second half, got knocked silly and had to watch the last half of the fourth quarter.

The alibis were built in, but the Seahawks, commendably, ignored them.

The defense, barbecued in the first two games by the Jets and Denver, has emerged the last four, holding opponents to an average of 14.5 points. During that span, opponents have just four TDs and 10 field goals.

“We’ll give up the three,” safety Bennie Blades said. “We’re not giving up the seven.”

True, they’re not giving up 7s to the San Diegos and Tennessees. But that’s as it should be. Right?

“A lot of people think when you’re playing a lesser team in the NFL you should walk over them, but that’s not the case,” receiver Mike Pritchard said. “These guys have a losing record, but they’ve still got great athletes. Look at Tampa Bay. There aren’t a lot of name people on their team.

“I think our team is getting better. I see our defenses holding teams. We just have to stay poised and win.”

Seattle might just do that. In the parity-driven NFL, the Seahawks are a perfect fit, a pretender and contender all in one. Dallas has lost to the Giants and Cardinals. Green Bay got whipped by Detroit. There are a few elite teams, a horde stuck in the middle and a handful of stinkers.

Seattle’s currently perched on a middle rung, one leg up and one leg down. Who knows which direction the Seahawks are headed?

They’ll win this Sunday for sure. The bye week will help restore the Seahawks’ health. It’s already doing wonders for their sense of humor.

“A lot of guys could use the 5, 6 days off,” Kendall said. “But you can’t just sit around on your laurels, or other parts of your anatomy. Where exactly are your laurels anyway?”

Just great. Now I’m confused again.

, DataTimes