#28 - Seattle Seahawks

Honestly, it shocks me to see this team ranked this low. Are there really only four teams in the NFL who are worse than the Seattle Seahawks?

Last season, that might have been true. A long, long, list of injuries conspired to give Mike Holmgren the worst kind of send-of imaginable, as Seattle managed only four wins.

For an offense that is built around the passing game (now that Shaun Alexander is gone), they were screwed from the very start. Before the first game of the season Seattle was missing the top four receivers on the depth chart, and QB Matt Hasselbeck played only seven games before a series of injuries forced him to finish the season on the bench.

The young defense was also a problem last year, as injuries piled up on that side of the ball as well.

As Seattle heads into the new season, the biggest question is the off-season coaching change. Holmgren had been the head coach since 1999, and he had guided Seattle to six playoff appearances, including four consecutive division titles (2004-2007), during his time there. Although new head coach Jim Mora has been an assistant under Holmgren for years - meaning there should be minimal changes to the system - there might still be an adjustment period.

Offensively, Seattle needs Matt Hasselbeck to be healthy. Remember, this is a guy who threw for more than 3,000 yards in five of six consecutive seasons before all the injuries last year. He has also completed more than 60 percent of his career passing attempts, and, at 34, he might still have a few good seasons left. Having targets like T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Deion Branch, along with underrated Nate Burleson, to throw to should help him regain his place as one of the top QBs in the NFC.

The running attack is going to be shared between Julius Jones and T.J. Ducket, so there isn't much there to scare defenses off the passing game. However, I'd personally love to see the Seahawks incorporate back-up QB Senaca Wallace into the offense a little more. He's lined up at wide receiver on occasion during his career, but I wonder if there is a second string signal caller anywhere in the league who would be a better fit for a wildcat offense. With him and Hasselbeck in the same backfield, you could force teams to lay off the blitz, guard Wallace for his scrambling abilities, and keep all your normal offensive options open.

Oh, and just in case you don't know what Wallace can do with his legs, you should see this.

The defense is still going to be a work in progress, but the biggest key will be a healthy group of linebackers. Lofa Tatupu and Leroy Hill were immediate impact guys a few years ago, and they need to get back to that level.

The schedule is mostly favorable, thanks to the fact that Seattle still plays in the NFC West. They also get to match up with the sub-par NFC North, and they will also host Tampa Bay. The tough part of the schedule includes trips to Indy, Dallas, and Minnesota, as well as a home game with Tennessee to close the season. Getting off to a good start will be essential, as they have four of their first six at home, including a crucial date with Arizona on October 18.

The bottom line: If they stay healthy at key positions, this team should be able to win 8 games this year (which is all it took to win the division last year). There is only one other team (Arizona) that could realistically win the division, so the Seahawks will open the season feeling like this season is a chance to redeem themselves after a pathetic showing in 2008.

- Eric

www.WeAreTheHecklers.com