Mixed grades

KIRKLAND, Wash. – Disaster has struck so many times that the 2006 Seattle Seahawks have become numb to it.

Whether it’s the foot injury that has already cost league Most Valuable Player Shaun Alexander five games, the knee injury that has kept quarterback Matt Hasselbeck out of the past two, or a pass defense that has given up more long balls than Bert Blyleven, the first half of the Seahawks’ season has been one problem after another.

Yet Seattle enters the midway points with a decent record (5-3) and sole possession of first place in the also-ran convention known as the NFC West.

Based on that, the Seahawks might deserve a grade of A-plus for just staying afloat.

But this is a new era of Seahawks football, where grades aren’t so much based on where the team ranks among its peers, but how it measures up to the 2005 team that advanced to the Super Bowl.

With grading pencil in one hand, and notes from the 2005 NFC Championship team in the other, The Herald gave this year’s Seahawks their midseason marks:

Quarterbacks

Seneca Wallace has answered the questions about whether he can succeed as a starter. He hasn’t been overly impressive as Hasselbeck’s replacement, but he’s done enough to keep the Seahawks in games. Hasselbeck got off to a slow start but was really playing well before the knee injury that cost him the past two games.

Grade: B

Running backs

Maurice Morris finally got his chance to be a starter, and he’s been mostly unimpressive. Only his 138-yard performance against the Oakland Raiders was worthy of note. Even Alexander, before the injury, was struggling. Perhaps the most overlooked aspect of this area has been the inconsistency of blocking back Mack Strong, a Pro Bowler.

Grade: D+

Wide receivers

The Seahawks might have the deepest set of receivers in the league, thanks in part to the in-season addition of Deion Branch and the recent emergence of D.J. Hackett. Because of Seattle’s depth, the team hasn’t been overly affected by Bobby Engram’s illness or Nate Burleson’s struggles. Darrell Jackson has had a great year, while Branch has been a solid addition.

Grade: B+

Tight ends

Jerramy Stevens missed the start of the season with a knee injury, and he’s been slow to make much of an impact. Backup Itula Mili did little in Stevens’ place – either as a receiver or blocker. Hard as it is to imagine, the Seahawks actually miss Ryan Hannam.

Grade: C-

Offensive line

Has any unit in football fallen as far as this one? Once considered the best line in football, Seattle’s front five have struggled from defection (Steve Hutchinson), age (Chris Gray and Robbie Tobeck are both 36) and inconsistency (Floyd Womack and Chris Spencer both struggled while working as the starting left guard).

Grade: D+

Defensive line

Seattle’s linemen might send a note of thanks to the Oakland Raiders for temporarily putting this area of concern on the backburner. Monday night’s nine-sack performance overshadowed a season that has seen inconsistency in terms of the pass rush. Even the run defense, a strong point of the team last year, has fallen off to some degree.

Grade: C-

Linebackers

Julian Peterson has been a key addition to the defense and has been extremely effective rushing the quarterback. Middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu has had another solid season despite a forgettable performance against Kansas City 10 days ago. As expected, this unit has set the tone for the defense.

Grade: B+

Cornerbacks

Yes, Marcus Trufant (a Washington State University product) got beat a few times in the Kansas City game. Rookie Kelly Jennings has given up a big play or two as well. But the cornerbacks have generally played well. Many of the times they’ve been beaten have been because of an anemic pass rush.

Grade: B

Safeties

The Seahawks have been proactive in trying to fix this unit, yet the jury is still out. Ken Hamlin, Jordan Babineaux, and displaced starter Michael Boulware have all had their moments of subpar play. The safeties haven’t been solely responsible for all the big plays, but they haven’t done enough to clean things up, either.

Grade: D+

Specialists

Rookie punter Ryan Plackemeier was shaky in Monday’s rain, but he’s been pretty steady other than that. Place-kicker Josh Brown has recovered from some early blocks and has two game-winning kicks. Long snapper Derek Rackley has had some scary moments in field-goal formation, but Plackemeier has bailed him out. The return game continues to be uninspiring, as both return men have been replaced.

Grade: B