Robinson needs to put team first
SEATTLE _ The calendar year changed. The Seahawks didn’t.
They endured another chaotic ending that provided the perfect symbolism to their bizarre regular season.
The Seahawks were dancing around Qwest Field, secure in the knowledge that they had just held off Atlanta 28-26. Coach Mike Holmgren was visiting with Falcons counterpart Jim Mora near midfield. Yards away, players embraced and shook hands. Music blared and the scoreboard flashed: “NFC WEST CHAMPIONS.”
And then it was as if the football gods looked down and said, “Nope, we can’t make it that easy on these guys.”
Actually, it was the replay official in a booth high above Qwest Field who made the Seahawks squirm for an uncomfortable minute or two as he reviewed the Falcons’ two-point conversion attempt in which running back Warrick Dunn was stopped at the 1-yard line. Holmgren, you’ll recall, has been on the short end of several key challenges/booth reviews this season and he wasn’t exactly thrilled to be dragged through another one.
“All of a sudden somebody said they were reviewing it. We’ve been through some of those and some that they didn’t review either,” said Holmgren, drawing howls of laughter from the assembled media. “Then one of the officials was nice enough to come up and say, ‘Mike, you guys won. It’s more of a formality.’ And I said, ‘Thank you very much.’ “
Only in the Meadowlands with Vinny Testaverde carrying the ball could this one have been ruled any differently. The replays confirmed that Dunn wasn’t close to the goal line and the Seahawks, finally, were officially NFC West champions. Their reward is a home playoff game against St. Louis on Saturday.
So after all of the injuries, all of the fourth-quarter meltdowns and all of receiver Koren Robinson’s immaturity, the Seahawks are still standing.
“We’ve been pretty much beaten up all year long, but we’re still here, though,” receiver Jerry Rice said. “We’re still here and we have an opportunity and it’s in our hands. That’s all you can ask for in this profession.”
Rice was pressed into starting duty when Robinson broke his umpteenth team rule. For his latest transgression, Robinson was put on the inactive list and he faces another tongue-lashing from Holmgren when the two meet today.
“When young people have problems, whatever they are, I really try to think about long term with them,” Holmgren said. “I get frustrated with him, just like my own kids when they were growing up. But I’m never going to abandon him or say that’s enough. We’ll keep working through stuff.”
It’s fair to ask if Holmgren is taking a tough enough stance. While Holmgren’s patience is laudable, it also seems his discussions with Robinson haven’t improved the talented receiver’s ability to set his alarm clock or comply with NFL substance abuse rules. The day before Seattle’s biggest game of the season, Robinson wasn’t where he was supposed to be. He apparently missed an expanded walk-through or a meeting. Whatever the violation, he let his teammates down – again – and he has jeopardized their trust – again.
He’s missed six games, more than a third of the season. He is missing the point.
“I have confidence in him as a football player,” quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said. “I have confidence in him as a person. But you need to be there for your teammates and your teammates need to know that they can count on you, and he needs to learn that lesson.”
Holmgren is in a tricky spot here as he weighs Robinson’s pluses and minuses. Holmgren drafted Robinson four years ago in the first round, well aware of Robinson’s checkered background at North Carolina State. Robinson is probably Seattle’s best after-the-catch threat.
But he’s become unreliable. Worse, he’s a distraction on a playoff-bound team that has a bit of momentum with two straight wins.
The flip side is Seattle’s offense is noticeably different without Robinson. Hasselbeck, still recovering from a tender elbow, didn’t test Atlanta deep. His longest completion was for 23 yards. Three tight ends combined for seven catches and three running backs had four more. Rice didn’t have a reception. He dropped one pass and was fortunate that officials ruled an incompletion on a play he appeared to fumble. He was jammed at the line of scrimmage by cornerback DeAngelo Hall, who picked off a pass intended for Rice and returned it 48 yards for a touchdown.
While Holmgren is preparing a game plan for the Rams, he must also wrestle with his decision on Robinson’s future.
“In preparation for (the Atlanta) game, I was talking to the FOX people because I have those production meetings,” Holmgren said. “We need him, I needed him to step up and be a force like he can be, like he is capable of being in the playoffs… . He and I are going to meet (this morning) and see if I can help straighten this thing out a little bit.”
Good idea. Just make sure Robinson’s alarm clock is plugged in. And a couple thousand wake-up calls are probably in order, because the previous ones didn’t get through.