Seahawks fans – and
players – are becoming accustomed to winning games. The bye week has now
become a lost opportunity, in a way, to win a game. Yes, the mindset has changed.
Player interviews this week
are a bit guarded. Most players are saying something to the effect that they
wish they could keep playing, and winning, while the team is on a roll. They
give passing acknowledgement that there are players who need some rest this
week. But the truth – their truth – is that only Chad Brown has
an injury that would definitely keep him out of a game this week.
Mack Strong and Isaiah Kacyvenski
would most likely be listed as questionable or even doubtful for a hypothetical
game this Sunday, but overall, team health is good. Many other teams around
the league have far worse injury problems than the Seahawks. By the way, that
pounding you hear in the background is me knocking on wood.
So Seattle, one of the healthier
teams around, gets a week to let the little aches and boo-boos heal.
Meanwhile, the players get
some days off. Many will fly out to see family or take a mini-vacation. Many
will stay in the area. All have been urged by Holmgren, the coaching staff,
and the senior players and team captains to remember their workout routines
over the time off. There is a strange feeling around this group of guys that
tell me they will listen and, for the most part, heed that suggestion.
Everyone from Holmgren on
down has been lauding the dedication that has been shown by most players this
past off season. The addition of high motor, dedicated veterans like Grant Wistrom
and Bobby Taylor has helped that dedication grow in the minds and hearts of
players all over the team.
It still leaves the fans
high and dry.
In my personal life, it
worked out well. The California branch of the family was planning a cookout
for me, celebrating my plans to move back to Washington in the near future.
Originally planned for last Saturday, and postponed to today because a key participant
tends to work Saturday, it will not now cause me to miss a game. Meanwhile,
it gives me more time to continue painting and fixing up the condo. Yeah, that’s
a lot of fun.
It’s painful, this
little bit of off season patched into the middle of the real season.
The ominous fact looms over
us, that we haven’t done well after a bye. The team as a whole, and especially
under Holmgren, have not responded well to time off. The Seahawks have yet to
close a bye week with a win under Mike. Very curious. Most times, one would
expect that some rest and some extra preparation would be a good thing. Apparently
not. At least not historically.
Playing at home and against
a division rival should take care of any emotional let-down. They couldn’t
possibly be flat next week, could they? One would think not.
Could they be looking ahead
to the impending match-up against New England? Hopefully not.
Can they thump the Rams
as badly as they should? The upcoming game should be a 7-point spread, at least.
And the Seahawks should cover it handily. This will be the Rams’ second
consecutive road game, and 3rd in 4 weeks. Anything less than a fairly easy
victory next week should be considered a bit of a disappointment, bye week or
not.
The team gets a bye week,
but we columnists don’t. Before you get all weepy for me, though –
not to say that you actually will – don’t worry, I’ll compensate
by cutting this column a bit shorter than normal. I still have plenty to paint,
a toilet to install, some flooring to lay, some things to throw away/donate.
I’ll be busy enough
this week, just not on football.
Steve Utz writes a column for Seahawks.NET every Sunday. Send your feedback
to Steve at wisecoyote1@cox.net.