Groz’s 2005 Seahawks Rewind: Surprising start to Super Bowl season
Sep 9, 2021, 10:53 AM
Turnovers were a surprising issue for the 2005 Seahawks in Week 1. (Getty)
(Getty)
With Mike Holmgren and Matt Hasselbeck going into the Seahawks Ring of Honor this year, we look back at their finest hour: the 2005 Super Bowl season.
Though the 2005 season had great expectations, the Seahawks were not favored in the season opener.
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The Hawks had to travel to Jacksonville to meet Jack Del Rio’s Jaguars, who were coming off a 9-7 season and on their way to a 12-4 2005. The day was hot and humid as there had been some concern about a hurricane before the game.
The Seahawks for some reason hit the ground stumbling, and they simply couldn’t hold on to the football this day. They were minus-five in the turnover battle so the fact that they lost was of no surprise to anyone. Turnovers were not normally a problem for this team, which made the day that much more frustrating.
Afterwards, the Seahawks tried to focus on some bright spots. The defense played well for the most part, though Jimmy Smith, a big, rangy Jacksonville receiver, gave them trouble. Rookie Lofa Tatupu had played well starting at middle linebacker, and Seattle held the Jags to six points on three drives that started in Seahawks territory after turnovers.
Despite the turnovers, Seattle was still in it behind by less then a touchdown with eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter before losing by a final margin of 26-14.
Watch SportsCenter highlights from this game here
The running game got off to a less-than-stellar start besides a 36-yard run by Shaun Alexander, who had 14 carries for 73 yards. Seattle as a team had 97 yards while Jacksonville ran for 119 yards.
It felt like a game you could put in the rearview. After all, Matt Hasselbeck’s teams didn’t have five turnovers. But it was what it was, a double-digit loss in the season opener, and it wasn’t getting any easier in the home opener the following week as the defending NFC South champs from Atlanta were coming in. That meant facing quarterback Michael Vick, who at 25 was coming off an All-Pro season and a Week 1 win over Philly.
It was up to Seattle to play well or be staring at an 0-2 start in this already pressure-packed season.
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