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Thursday, January 4, 2007
Seahawks Notebook: Defense feeling pressure to produce more sacks
DB's jobs might be easier if Seahawks can rattle Romo
By CLARE FARNSWORTH AND MOLLY YANITY
P-I REPORTERS
KIRKLAND -- The best way for the Seahawks to compensate for their injury-depleted secondary in Saturday's playoff game is to crank up the heat on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.
A first-year starter, Romo will be making only his 11th NFL start -- and first in the postseason.
One problem: Opponents have found ways to sack the Seahawks' pass rush in the second half of the season.
After producing a league-leading 50 sacks last season and collecting a league-best 34 sacks through nine games this season, the Seahawks have only seven in the past seven games.
What gives?
"I don't know," coach Mike Holmgren said Wednesday. "Ask John Marshall."
OK. What gives, John?
"When you start leading the league in sacks one year and then you're off to a good start the next year, people are going to do more things to prevent you from getting them," the Seahawks' defensive coordinator said.
Opponents have started keeping seven and eight players in to block on passing downs, and also have had their quarterbacks take shorter drops to get rid of the ball more quickly.
The result has been only one game down the stretch with more than one sack for Seattle -- Week 13 in Denver, when the Seahawks got to Broncos rookie Jay Cutler three times.
"The biggest way to stop the pass rush is to make sure it's a quick game so guys can't get in the face of the quarterback," said Pro Bowl linebacker and designated pass-rusher Julian Peterson, who leads the Seahawks with a career-high 10 sacks.
"If you have a one-on-one battle, you have to win it nine out of 10 times."
Another option would be to blitz more, but that would leave the undermanned secondary more vulnerable.
"It's a real concern," Holmgren said. "I'm not sure we can do that that much."
INJURY UPDATE: Linebacker Leroy Hill (concussion) and defensive tackle Chuck Darby (excused absence) returned to practice after sitting out Tuesday.
Seven players remained sidelined.
Cornerback Marcus Trufant (sprained ankle) will miss his second consecutive game, while the status of guards Chris Gray (bruised tight) and Floyd Womack (strained groin) will be game-day decisions. With Gray and Womack sidelined, Tom Ashworth is working at right guard. If he starts, it would be the ninth different line combination the Seahawks have used this season.
Leading receiver Darrell Jackson is scheduled to test the hyperextended toe that has sidelined him for the past three games in practice today.
Also out, but expected to play: wide receivers D.J. Hackett (hip flexor) and Nate Burleson (sore ankle), and defensive tackle Rocky Bernard (sore foot).
The Cowboys, as usual, listed no one on their injury report.
NEW GUYS UPDATE: Cornerbacks Rich Gardner, who was signed last week, and Pete Hunter, who was added Tuesday, continued their crash courses in the defense.
How much does Holmgren expect to see them on the field Saturday?
"Probably too much," he said. "They're great young guys, and they're going to have to play. It's not a great situation for them."
Rookie Kelly Jennings and converted safety Jordan Babineaux will start for Trufant and Kelly Herndon, who was placed on injured reserve Tuesday after breaking his left ankle in Sunday's game at Tampa. Gardner and Hunter can expect to see time in the nickel and dime defenses against the Cowboys' three- and four-receiver sets.
"They're excited about the opportunity, but they're going against some very fine players," Holmgren said. "There's no alternative, so they'll play."
HAWK TALK: Romo grew up in Wisconsin and was a fan of the Holmgren-coached Green Bay Packers. So much so, that he used "us" when talking about it Wednesday. "Yeah, I definitely grew up a Packer fan," Romo said. "You couldn't help but like Mike Holmgren because he took us to the Super Bowl. That was a real exciting time up there in Wisconsin."
FASHION JUNKIE: Nate Burleson has a knack for blazing down the sideline. But a runway? It's not that far-fetched.
The Seahawks receiver has a self-admitted "shoe fetish," a room just for his shoes and, as of this season, a custom-tailored suit for every game.
"This is the first year I've done it. I always thought it was a selfish act, but everyone said I earned it," Burleson said.
A former O'Dea High star, he signed a seven-year, $49 million contact with the hometown Seahawks last spring.
Once Burleson allowed himself the guilty pleasure, tailor Peter Roberti of Rochester, N.Y.-based Adrian Jules Ltd. Custom Clothier visited.
"He sat down and had a lot of fabrics, a lot of colors, a lot of patterns. He came up with the idea that we could design the suits to the teams we play," Burleson said.
"We have three-piece, four-piece suits, overcoats, no-tie suits, high buttons, low buttons, velvet jackets -- all kinds. It's very diverse in the styles. None are the same."
The color schemes fit the color of the Seahawks' opponents.
Burleson wears the suits on game day as he heads to the stadium.
What does this week's suit look like as the Seahawks prepare to host the blue- and silver-donned Cowboys?
"I don't know yet. I haven't seen it," Burleson said. "I just called (Roberti) when I found out who we were playing, and he said he could get it done (in time.) I said I had to have it by Friday. I'm not going to have any idea what it looks like until I get it."
That's different from the regular-season suits, which Burleson saw before they were made.
Being outfitted for the season ran Burleson about $40,000, he said, and also included shoes and some accessories, like jackets and hats.
Roberti has also designed suits for actors Robert DeNiro, Nicholas Cage and Ray Liotta, as well as several sports stars, including 7-foot-1 Shaquille O'Neal. Adrian Jules Ltd. is also an NFL sponsor.
BLUE FRIDAY: The Seahawks have distributed jerseys, caps and ponchos to local television and radio stations to give away in celebration of Blue Friday.
"Our fans are the best and have made Qwest Field the best home field in all the NFL," Seahawks CEO Tod Leiweke said. "Saturday the nation will hear our fans roar. This Friday we are asking our fans to be seen and support the Seahawks by wearing blue."
The team is encouraging fans to wear Seahawks garb or blue clothing to support the team the day before it hosts Dallas in the wild-card game.
Replicas of the 12th Man Flag will be raised at the Space Needle and Two Union Square.
MORE THAN M-O-M: The most intricate tattoo on free safety Ken Hamlin's body is a tribute to his mother, Venita. On his left shoulder blade is an elaborate drawing of his mother's face, about the size of a dinner plate. It is the most recent of his four tattoos.
Hamlin said he had that one done last year. The first work in his flesh gallery is a crude drawing of an athlete in a red jersey emerging from a cluster of flames.
It is on his left upper arm and reads "Ballin Out of Control." (The "i" in Ballin is a football.)
"In whatever sport I was doing, I just wanted to be out of control and really good," Hamlin said.
Hamlin competed in football, baseball, basketball and track at Frayser High School in Memphis, Tenn.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: Dr. Z, the SI.com clairvoyant, posted a piece Wednesday that rehashed his preseason predictions. He put the Seahawks at a preseason No. 9, going 11-5. He wrote: "An 11-5 no-brainer. They'd whip through the NFC West without raising a sweat and then, surprise, lose to the Giants in the divisional playoffs."
He was off in that the Seahawks finished at 9-7. Oh well.
Remember last year's offering? This: "Prediction: the Giants score the postseason's major upset over the 'Hawks."
The Giants never made it to Seattle. Keep rooting, Z.
P-I reporter Clare Farnsworth can be reached at 206-448-8016 or clarefarnsworth@seattlepi.com.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/football/298314_hbok04.html