In '05 he finished 10th, 90 total, in the middle of a 5th to 15th, 17 point mediocrity. He also scored a 0 in week seventeen.
In '04 he was 12th which, at 89 total, was the best of the quarterbacks that missed the great-year-of-the-quarterbacks. He was, once again, mired in mediocrity.
Eleven quarterbacks scored 102 - 177. Only five quarterbacks scored 102 - 131 in '05.
In '03 a 19 point week, an anomaly, put him in 4th with 107.
In '02 he was a still developing 23rd with a measly 63.
As long as Shaun Alexander does his job, then, Seattle, will not ask much of him.
They have tried to put together a receiver corp, but, have had the worst luck. Joey Galloway didn't work out and they eventually traded him to Dallas, ironically, he finally found respect again last year in Tampa Bay.
Darrell Jackson used one good year to get petulant, then overpaid, so he could underachieve. Oh yea, and sit around injured a lot.
Koren Robinson was a high draft pick that is also beginning to realize his potential in another city, Minnesota.
There have been a variety of aged veterans and young wishfuls, but, none have overly distinguished themselves until Joe Jurevicius brought the aura, and then reality, of championship professionalism to town.
And he was allowed to move on to Cleveland.
He showed the Seahawk receivers, who they could be. Hopefully, his level of commitment and professionalism infected the whole team!
I love Bobby Engram, but, as hard as he works he is a third, possession type receiver. That's why Chicago let him go.
Peter Warrick is the great potential that was never realized, and, is revitalizing himself on special teams as a returner. Cincinnati found a cadre of excellent receivers so they let him go. It's hard to believe that he will crack the top two and have a fantasy impact.
Then there's the latest free agent project, an injured hometown boy, that they acquired due to revenge. It will be interesting to see if he can recover and then actually become the receiver he hasn't yet.
When handed the #1 job he wavered, didn't succeed in convincing anyone he could do it, and succumbed to a season ending injury.
Seattle wanted to prove a point about playing fair, but, in the end Minnesota was willing to pay, way to much for any, guard and Seattle ended up with a wounded apprentice.
There are two dynamics here.
The first, is the question of Hasselbeck's constitution and talent. One game in the playoffs he looks like he's reached a new level of excellence and then the very next game he's the same old guy.
Faced with adversity in the Superbowl he didn't step up, walked away without a trophy, and convenient scapegoats to deflect any criticism.
The second, is the epidemic of dropped passes. When even the all world, all universe, all time, incomparable Jerry Rice drops passes then you have to wonder what the real source of the sickness is.
Holmgren is a good coach. Favre won the Superbowl, and he's been trying to prove it was him ever since. Holmgren was out schemed in his second, which draws into question his own legacy and commitment.
Either there is a sickness of spirit in the receiver corp and he can't seem to inspire these men to elevate their level of concentration and play, or, he simply doesn't care to fix it and find the source.
Alexander is the focus of the scoring in this offense. He has commanded the point total of this team since he came in for Waters years ago.
Seattle had an easy ride through their division and schedule, last year, and few realize how important the schedule is to everyone's outcome.
Namath threw the most catch-able ball. That's what they all said; and, he delivered a Superbowl.
Maybe the real problem, if it's not in the spirit or leadership capabilities of the coach, is in the quarterback.
Maybe the solution is a quarterback coach who can identify this problem and fix the mechanics in Hasselbeck's throw.
I'm simply speculating, from the outside, on a fatal flaw of this team.
As far as fantasy football is concerned he is a very adequate quarterback, who will give you the average points for the position. If you draft him late, then I hope you get some extra points from the positions you drafted early, because, he won't be winning the Superbowl for you.
On the other hand he will deliver a solid average and possibly above average; he will not go below it.
Seattle has two very improved teams in its division and they will also face some of the best teams in the league all year. If they do get back to the Superbowl it will be because both Hasselbeck and Holmgren are the best at what they do.
