Obscured offense
Seahawks look for elusive yards
SAN FRANCISCO – Following a week of questions dealing with his history – and possible future – in the Bay Area, Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren wouldn’t mind getting a blast of the past this afternoon.
The longtime 49ers assistant would love to see his Seahawks offense play a little bit like the ones he used to coach in San Francisco.
The problem is, Montana-to-Rice won’t be on the score sheet. Holmgren can only cross his fingers that Seneca Wallace-to-Koren Robinson will be.
The Seahawks’ hobbled offense will take the field without a few starters again this afternoon, when Wallace, Robinson and Co. will try to come untracked against the 49ers (2-5). Seattle has gone three consecutive games without hitting the 200-yard mark, and the passing offense has a total of 250 yards in that same three-week span. Eight NFL quarterbacks passed for more than 250 yards last week alone.
“It’s not like we’re not prepared, not studying our plays. We just are not getting it done on the field,” veteran receiver Bobby Engram said.
The 540 yards of total offense the Seahawks have compiled over the past three weeks mark the lowest three-game total of Holmgren’s 10-year career in Seattle. The Seahawks haven’t reached triple digits in the passing game since Hasselbeck posted a pedestrian total of 113 in a 44-6 loss to the New York Giants on Oct. 5.
Through six games, the Seahawks rank 28th in the league in total offense (258.3 per game) and last in passing yards per game (126.8). The only other season that ranks lower than those totals was in 1992, when Seattle’s offense registered franchise-worst averages of 210.9 and 111.1, respectively.
“The offensive side of the ball has to hold up their end of the bargain,” Holmgren said.
Holmgren has been careful not to put too much blame on the quarterback position, pointing toward a litany of injuries at the receiver position as well as some unexpected shuffling on the offensive line. Engram said that the injuries have caused Holmgren to be more conservative in his play-calling.
“I think we’ve been a little reserved,” Engram said. “Rightfully so. I’m sure it’s been tough on Mike to try and dial up plays when he’s not sure who’s going to be in there.”