Ripping off the Band-Aid

The last time the Seattle Seahawks traveled to Dallas to face the Cowboys (November 1, 2009), the Seahawks lost a game that wasn’t as close as the score indicated (38-17).

Justin Griffith (remember him? I don’t) caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Matt Hasselbeck (I do remember this guy) midway through the 4th quarter to round out the scoring for the day. It’s a painful little trip down memory lane.

The similarities between that game and their upcoming Sunday morning tilt – an early November road game in Dallas, and the Seahawks stuck with a 2-5 record – don’t just end there. Ten players from that day are still on the Seahawks’ active roster, and Gus Bradley was coaching the defense.

But just two years later, nearly everything else is different.

Gone from that 2009 lineup are the players remaining from those playoff teams from 2003-2007: Matt Hasselbeck, Walter Jones, Seneca Wallace, Jordan Babineaux and Lofa Tatupu.

Also missing are former general manager Tim Ruskell’s draft picks. If you look at the first two players drafted during each year Ruskell was GM (2005-2009), just three of the ten players remain – Max Unger, Brandon Mebane and John Carlson. No Chris Spencer, Lofa Tatupu, Lawrence Jackson, Darryl Tapp, Josh Wilson, Aaron Curry or Kelly Jennings.

What about all of those fantastic free agency signings? Names like T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Edgerrin James, T.J. Duckett, Cory Redding, Mike Wahle and Nate Burleson?

All gone.

When comparing this Sunday’s roster to the roster that played in Dallas that day, it’s easier to talk about what is the same:

Defense:

– Defensive Coordinator Gus Bradley

– DT Red Bryant

– LB Leroy Hill (Hill’s response to this: “Who woulda thought I’d still be here!”)

– LB David Hawthorne (Hawthorne had two sacks, eight tackles and a forced fumble that day)

– DT Brandon Mebane

Offense:

– RB Justin Forsett

– WR Ben Obomanu

– C Max Unger

Special Teams:

– P Jon Ryan

Recently off of PUP list:

– TE Cameron Morrah

– CB Roy Lewis

PUP (Physically Unable to Perform):

– WR Deon Butler

– CB Marcus Trufant

– TE John Carlson

Even more significant are the changes at certain positions. Of the positions that typically make up the bulk of a roster (Offensive Line: 9-10 players, Defensive Line: 9-10 players, Defensive Backs: 8-10 players), only two defensive linemen, one defensive back and one offensive lineman who played in that game, will be on the team plane to Dallas.

Players from those three positions make up over half of any roster, and just four players remain from two years ago.

Call it what you want – a roster blow-up, ripping off the Band-Aid, a restructuring – whatever. The team that will play in the Jerry-Dome this Sunday will start the 3rd youngest offense in the NFL (average age: 26 years, 5 days).

Watching this team can be an exercise in patience and faith right now. A lack of faith by Seahawks fans is easy to understand considering what’s happened since then. But in a few years from now, how similar this team is rather than how different it is, will be the real test.

2nd Half Defense

As mentioned, defensive coordinator Gus Bradley was there in 2009 and he’ll be back coaching against Dallas for good reason. The Seahawks defense ranks 13th in the NFL and sports the top-ranked run defense in the NFL with respect to yards-per-carry (3.16 yds/carry).

More impressive is the fact that in seven games, the Seahawks defense has allowed just two touchdowns and 32 total points in the second half.

The halftime adjustment conversation gets a bit overdone. Halftime in the NFL passes in the blink of an eye. By the time you get into the locker room, make any equipment changes or go to the bathroom, you have about five minutes to talk about adjustments.

But it’s clear that as the game goes on, coach Gus Bradley and his staff begin to figure out opposing offenses and the Seahawks defense tends to play better.