Ripe for success

The Seattle Seahawks are thinking big this year: Division title, NFC championship, Super Bowl, eBay.

“Itula Mili is running around with one of those Seahawks’ yearbook things trying to get it autographed by everybody, which is sort of unusual,” quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said during a slow day at training camp at Eastern Washington University. “I said, ‘Who is this for – charity or your uncle?’ He said, ‘Oh no, it’s going to be a good year, man, it’s going to be a good year. This thing might be worth something in January.’

Hasselbeck wasn’t attempting to illustrate Mili’s entrepreneurial spirit, merely an underlying confidence on a team that seems poised to make a run in the NFC.

“It’s kind of a feeling that we have as players about our team,” Hasselbeck continued. “I picked out Itula, but I think we all feel that way, that it could be a really good year for us.”

While they’re thinking big, they’re not talking big. They haven’t earned that right. Coach Mike Holmgren doesn’t mind confidence, but he’s more of a show-me type. And Seattle, which hasn’t won a playoff game since 1984, still has its share of doubters.

“It’s healthy to pump themselves up and get a good feeling about where they are and where the team is,” said Holmgren, who is entering his sixth season in Seattle. “I will always add that thinking about it is one thing and making it happen is another. How you do that is through a lot of hard work.”

Therefore, Super Bowl chatter was largely confined to the first day of training camp.

“We always set the bar high and we talk about it once,” said Hasselbeck, who set a franchise record with 3,841 passing yards last season. “His thing is… show me on the field that’s what you want and I’ll hear you loud and clear.”

That’s why Seattle’s first order of business is the NFC West, a strange four-team mix. The Seahawks look ready to join the NFC’s elite, St. Louis has offensive weapons and defensive questions, and Arizona and San Francisco are considered two of the worst teams in the NFL.

The Seahawks figure to start the same offense that produced 404 points, the second most in team history. One possible change is at tight end, where Jerramy Stevens could replace Mili as a starter. Both figure to play a lot.

Hasselbeck has produced back-to-back seasons with passer ratings in the upper 80s and completion percentages above 60. Shaun Alexander, who, like Hasselbeck is entering the final year of his contract, averaged 4.4 yards per carry, his best since taking over for Ricky Watters in 2001. Fullback Mack Strong is dependable.

Darrell Jackson and Koren Robinson are big-play threats at receiver who seem to have resolved the issues with dropped passes that plagued them a year ago. Stevens is immensely talented and Mili is coming off a solid season.

That leaves the line, which has been patchwork during the preseason, thanks to injury and another Walter Jones holdout. When everyone is on hand, Jones and Steve Hutchinson form a formidable left side. Center Robbie Tobeck and right guard Chris Gray are proven veterans and Chris Terry anchors right tackle. Hasselbeck was sacked 42 times last year, a number that probably needs to be reduced.

The picture isn’t as clear on the other side of the ball. Seattle made measurable progress last year in total defense, from No. 28 to No. 19 in coordinator Ray Rhodes’ first year, but another jump might be necessary for the team to succeed in January.

Through three preseason games, Seattle’s first unit hasn’t allowed a touchdown, but it was lenient with yardage against Denver.

“Most of the time people want to come and see the offense score touchdowns. With Ray and his attitude and the excitement he brings, it has a lot of people on defense thinking we can be a main attraction,” defensive tackle Cedric Woodard said. “It’s not shifting — it’s always going to be offense, that’s the way it is — but we want to do our part to help the team win.”

And that means a lot of young players must come through. The veteran of the secondary is fourth-year pro Ken Lucas, who had a so-so 2003 season. Safety Terreal Bierria has never started, but he’s slated to do so in front of second-round pick Michael Boulware. Marcus Trufant and Ken Hamlin are entering their second seasons.

“It reminds me of the Tampa Bay defense when I was there,” said backup safety Damien Robinson, a Buccaneer from 1997-2000. “We had a lot of young guys sprinkled with a couple of veterans and it was a lot of fun.

“We’re pretty young, but I think everything has an opportunity to play itself out and guys that are vets will do the best we can to help the young guys. Whether we’re out there or not, the key is to win.”

The loss of Chad Brown (fractured fibula) at outside linebacker will put another new face in the lineup, possibly Tracy White, a speedy second-year pro. Middle linebacker is another spot where experience is scarce — only Orlando Huff has started before.

The line has the majority of the defensive experience, provided end Grant Wistrom returns at full speed from plantar fasciitis, which kept him out of practices in Cheney. Veterans Chike Okeafor and Woodard, along with second-year pro Rashad Moore join Wistrom up front. Rookie Marcus Tubbs should work into the tackle rotation.

“When we have everybody up and running, this is by far the most talented and fastest defense I’ve been on,” outside linebacker Anthony Simmons said. “We have a lot of guys that can run at all the positions. But you can have all the talent in the world, if you don’t have it together you’re not going to win any games.”

Many figure it’s about time that the Seahawks win a lot of games. They’ve never been to the Super Bowl, falling short in the 1984 AFC title game. Holmgren, who was 1-1 in Super Bowls with Green Bay, has produced one division champion and two playoff teams in his first five years with Seattle.

Simmons hears all about Seattle’s past and present when he’s home in South Carolina in the off season.

“That’s just an ongoing thing,” he said, laughing. “This year it’s probably been the worst: ‘You guys going to do it this year? You were close last year; this has to be the year, right?’ “

Simmons’ reply?

“We’re trying,” he said. “We’ll do what we can, but I know we are getting better.”