2009 Gridiron Gab Team Previews: Seattle Seahawks

Forget the term “bouncing back”. It doesn’t apply here. For, to talk about this Seattle Seahawks team “bouncing back” is to give relevance to last season’s 4-12 disaster. And last season really isn’t relevant. An epidemic of injuries ruined everything. Last season, Seattle’s quarterback battled a bulging disk in his lower back.

The receiving corps was more depleted than Michael Richards’s fan base; at one point, the top six wideouts were all hurt. By the time the leaves had fallen, Seattle’s offensive line was without its starting left tackle and both guards. And the defense had lost its top pass-rusher.

The only bright spot about 2008 for head coach Mike Holmgren was that it validated the wisdom behind his decision to take a sabbatical. Now, per owner Paul Allen and GM Tim Ruskell’s original plan, secondary coach Jim Mora, Jr. assumes Holmgren’s top position. Mora has been in this position before. In 2004, he took over a talented Falcons team that had fallen flat on its face the previous year due to a rash of injuries (most notably a broken leg to quarterback Michael Vick). Mora led those Falcons to an 11-5 record and the NFC Title Game. Of course, he also limped to a 15-17 record over the following two seasons and was fired.

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