Seahawks receivers’ hands mostly idle in defeat

Published on November 2, 2010 by Tacoma News Tribune (Feed)     

Receiver Mike Williams suffered a bruised knee blocking a safety on a running play early in Seattle’s loss in Oakland on Sunday.

That’s not the body part he was concerned about after Seattle’s best chance to reach the end zone bounced off his hands in the third quarter.

“It didn’t affect me dropping that ball inside the 10,” Williams said. “My hands were fine.”

It was third down when quarterback Matt Hasselbeck’s pass hit Williams in the hands about waist level. He was inside the Oakland 5 and might have scored, but instead dropped the ball. Kicker Olindo Mare missed a 29-yard field-goal attempt on the next play, and Seattle remained behind 13-0.

It was just one part of a frustrating day for Seattle’s receivers. Williams had caught 21 passes the previous two games, but finished with one catch for 27 yards in Oakland.

“This was a game for us as a wideout group to grow and show our worth,” he said, “and we left more than enough plays out there today that could have helped our offense, that could have helped our offensive line.”

Rookie Golden Tate was the only receiver to catch more than one pass. He had two receptions, and even that hurt. His fourth-quarter reception on the sideline for 24 yards was the result of a great play to get both feet inbounds, but Tate suffered what appeared to be a painful ankle injury. He returned to the field, but wore a protective boot after the game.

Tight end John Carlson and running back Justin Forsett led Seattle in receptions, with three each.

Line of fire

Hasselbeck was sacked by Tommy Kelly on the Seahawks’ first offensive play and sacked by Richard Seymour on what turned out to be Hasselbeck’s final play with 6 minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Consider those bookends for a rough day in Seattle’s pocket.

“They attacked the line of scrimmage pretty good,” coach Pete Carroll said of Oakland’s defense. “They set the tone for the pass rush for the day and they really didn’t let up at any time. We started to get some things done on the outside, on the perimeter, but we protected better as we went on. But still, that’s a miserable day for us up front.”

Bag brigade

The Seahawks gave up eight sacks, the most they had allowed in any game since giving up eight to Denver on Dec. 20, 1992. Seattle’s offensive line, which was surprisingly capable in the first five games, has become an obvious area of concern with the New York Giants coming to play at Seattle in Week 9.

Seattle has allowed 13 sacks in the past two games. Left tackle Russell Okung missed Sunday’s game after suffering his second high ankle sprain in three months. His replacement, Tyler Polumbus, had to leave the game after suffering a right-leg injury in the fourth quarter, so for about three plays, Seattle was playing its third-string left tackle, Chester Pitts.

Pitts was on the field initially only because starting guard Ben Hamilton suffered a concussion in the first half. It was the first game Pitts has played, missing the first six as he recovered from microfracture surgery.

Seattle had seven offensive linemen active for the game, and all seven played.

What happens next up front? That will depend on the prognosis for Polumbus and the possibility of Okung returning, which would seem remarkable after sitting out only a week.

Tags: Ankle Injury, Bruised Knee, coach pete carroll, End Zone, Field Goal Attempt, John Carlson, Justin Forsett, Line Of Fire, Line Of Scrimmage, Matt Hasselbeck, Offensive Line, Olindo Mare, Protective Boot, Richard Seymour, Running Play, S Pass, Tight End, Tommy Kelly, Waist Level, Yard Field Goal