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http:// --> Ashland, Oregon HOME Valley & State Sports Nation & World Opinion/Editorial Classifieds Business Columnists Obituaries Weather Archive Hot Topics Forum Photo Gallery Past Readers Polls Revels Etcetera Backpage O-Zone Special Sections Real Estate Guide Menu Guide Shakespeare Subscribe Contact Us Rate Card Place an Ad Online Games Movie Preview October 7, 2006 Seahawks feeling Hutchinson's loss By Gregg Bell The Associated Press KIRKLAND, Wash. — Steve Hutchinson used his speed and agility to plow freeway-sized running lanes for Shaun Alexander during his five seasons in Seattle. He and fellow All-Pro neighbor Walter Jones used freakish strength each week to repel pass rushers. A comfortable Matt Hasselbeck became a Pro Bowl and Super Bowl quarterback behind them. But through their first four games without the Pro Bowl left guard, now in Minnesota, the Seahawks (3-1) miss more than Hutchinson's manhandling of opponents. They miss "the look." Hasselbeck has said that in recent seasons, his linemen would look at a defense's alignment. They then would simply nod their heads to each other to signal blocking assignments immediately before the snap. "That comes from our group being a little bit more of a veteran group, and guys not having to make the technical term calls at the time of scrimmage," Hasselbeck said of a line on which Hutchinson made it four starters who played together for at least three years. "You hear (center Robbie) Tobeck and (guard) Chris Gray at the line of scrimmage and they'll say something like 'Here it is' — and we run the play, go. That's all we say. "We just recognize 'the look.'" Without Hutchinson, that look has often been one of frustration. Aside from a 42-30 win over the New York Giants in which two interceptions gift-wrapped two early touchdowns, Seattle's offense has struggled. The team that led the NFL in scoring at over 28 points per game last season is 14th entering its bye week, averaging 19.5 points. The Seahawks have been held without an offensive touchdown in two of four games, blasphemous for offensive guru Mike Holmgren. Seattle is coming off a 37-6 loss at Chicago that was the worst since Holmgren arrived to coach Seattle in 1999. It was the Seahawks' lowest scoring output since a 14-3 defeat to Washington on Nov. 3, 2002. "This is the most pressure I think Matt has felt in a while," Holmgren said of Chicago's romp. The Bears sacked Hasselbeck five times. They seemed to confuse his offensive line, whose excellence last year was the largest reason Alexander became the league's MVP and Seattle reached its first Super Bowl. Even tackle Jones, considered the sport's best lineman, was beaten for two sacks. "We just have to roll our sleeves up and get ready for the next opponent," Jones said, knowing that is St. Louis on Oct. 15. The Rams and Seahawks are tied atop the NFC West. Hasselbeck has been sacked 13 times through four games after getting dumped just 27 times in 16 games last season. He also has seven interceptions. He had nine all of last season. He attributes much of the struggling to communication problems. "We didn't communicate well at the line of scrimmage," Hasselbeck said after Chicago's rout. "We got some people blocking the run and some people blocking the pass — on the same play." But don't blame all that on Hutchinson's loss. "There's only one new guy (first-year starter Chris Spencer)," Holmgren said. Plus, Seattle is 3-1 for the third time in four years. Most teams would take that kind of struggling. "What I will do is say this is the fourth game of 16. Now, again, we got hit right in the mouth, and that's no fun for anybody," Holmgren said. "So now it's very important (to) bounce back after this. And I suspect knowing the team the way I know them, it will be fine." Fine is what Hasselbeck's ribs are just now getting back to. The Lions badly bruised them in Seattle's season-opening 9-6 win in Detroit. Alexander has also felt rare pain beyond his 62.3 yards rushing per game that is the NFL's 25th best. The 2005 league rushing leader severely bruised his foot when a Lions player fell on it. He kept playing, then cracked a bone in the bruised area two weeks ago. Last week, Alexander was out for the first time in his 100-game career. Holmgren and Alexander are both targeting his return for Oct. 22 against the Vikings. No one has to remind Hasselbeck that's Hutchinson new team. "He's a great player ... It was a tough loss," Hasselbeck said. "I think it's a loss that we can overcome. But at the same time, there are some things that Hutch brought to our team in terms of leadership and intensity in the locker room — and also maybe even a little bit of a nasty streak, an intimidation factor. You can't really replace that." Seattle is on Plan C already. Plan A was Hutchinson signing the team's contract offer last spring as its transition player. The Seahawks didn't give Hutchinson the more restrictive franchise tag to keep him from free agency because they didn't want to spend tackle-like millions on a guard — not after signing Jones to a $52.5 million, seven-year deal the previous spring. Offensive linemen with franchise-player designations must be offered a one-year salary at the average of the top five of all blockers, regardless of position. Minnesota signed Hutchinson to a $49 million, seven-year contract — the richest ever for a guard. The Seahawks could have matched, but the Vikings' contract contained tricky provisions that would have guaranteed the entire contract for Seattle, but not Minnesota. The Seahawks let Hutchinson go in the name in fiscal responsibility. Plan B was going to be veteran Floyd Womack. But he injured his left knee Sept. 17 against Arizona and hasn't played since. So now it's Spencer, the team's No. 1 draft choice in 2005. He is starting, but not at center, the position for which he was drafted. Chicago's Tommie Harris often beat him en route to two sacks last week. "It maybe takes a couple of weeks to find your groove with your new set of guys," Hasselbeck said. And, unfortunately for Hasselbeck, perhaps a couple of more unwanted hits. Leave a Comment: Advertisement: Advertisement: Paid Advertising Inkjet Printers Student Loans Water Filter Helzberg Diamonds Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Advertisement: Copyright © 2006 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers. All Rights Reserved.