Hawks’ Rhodes experiments with working from sidelines
SEATTLE – Coach Mike Holmgren felt like he was playing bumper cars. Everytime he turned around, there was Seahawks defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes.
“He bumped into me way too much during the game, so that is the third thing he’s got to do, stay away from me,” Holmgren said. “He gets kind of excited down there.”
Always a fixture in the press box, Rhodes is experimenting with calling plays from the sidelines during the preseason as Seattle tries to mesh possibly seven new starters on defense.
Rhodes’ second chance to test the idea comes tonight when the Seahawks host the Dallas Cowboys.
Being on the sideline allows Rhodes to get plays in faster and the ability to talk to the entire defense without having to relay messages through coaches.
There are drawbacks. Rhodes can’t get a full view of the field and there isn’t much space – not only to work, but away from Holmgren.
“He was in the path a few times, and we tried to avoid each other. I know to stay away from the head coach,” Rhodes said. “I talked to Mike in the offseason about trying to get a little closer to the players in game situations. It was OK.”
Last year, Dallas rallied from 10 points down in the final two minutes to beat Seattle 43-39 in week 13 in a nationally televised matchup.
Again, the teams will play in prime-time, but this time both will be getting their second chance to examine significant defensive changes being implemented.
The Cowboys are switching to a 3-4 defense, and have revamped the defensive line by drafting rookies Marcus Spears and Chris Canty, and signing Jason Ferguson as a free agent.
Spears won’t play after suffering multiple injuries to his right leg on Aug. 5. Ferguson was expected to make his Dallas debut after sitting out last week’s 13-11 loss to Arizona with an injured ankle, but tweaked the ankle again in practice this week.
“I’m getting a little worried about him to tell you the truth. He needs the work,” Dallas coach Bill Parcells said of Ferguson. “His baseline of practices is not that good and we’re running out of practice time.”
There is also concern about the Cowboys’ free safety position where Lynn Scott, Keith Davis and Izell Reese are battling for the starting spot. Scott was the starter the second half of last season.
“I’m not satisfied with the position,” Parcells said. “I don’t think we’re solid yet.”
Meanwhile, Rhodes is hoping to gain a better idea of what his linebacking corps will look like. Rookie Lofa Tatupu will make his debut at middle linebacker, where he is battling Niko Koutouvides, in his second-year, for the starting nod.
Veteran Jamie Sharper is essentially a lock at one outside linebacker spot, but who will play opposite Sharper is still in question. Veteran D.D. Lewis still hasn’t returned from a concussion suffered in the first week of training camp. Rookie LeRoy Hill started in Lewis’ place last week in New Orleans and had three tackles, a sack and a forced fumble, but sprained his right knee in practice last week.
“With the guys being down and injured, have not played in live action yet, we need to see everybody,” Rhodes said. “The way things are shaping up, we’re getting guys back one at a time.”
In total, Seattle’s defense could have up to seven new starters from last year, when the Seahawks took a step backward and ranked 26th in the league in total defense. In 2003, Rhodes first year with Seattle, the defense improved from 28th to 19th.
“Sometimes during the offseason, coaches tend to be gluttons for punishment because they keep looking at the same nightmare over and over again,” Rhodes said of last year. “You get just as mad each time you look at it.”
Rhodes said ideally he would like to have his starting units decided upon before the Seahawks go to Kansas City Saturday for their third exhibition game. That would give the starters two games to get accustom to playing with each other.
“We want to look at the players. We’ve got to get guys snaps,” Rhodes said. “Guys have to get valuable snaps, so we can evaluate against other teams.”