I'm starting the verbal runs on my boy Alexander.

[awwchrist]

I know...I know...

he burned alot of you owners this year. Asides from the Sunday night godlike perfomance against the Viqueens..he gave you nothing but indigestion and heartburn (much like that 5 alarm chili).

FEAR NOT! For I am here to tell you that he will be the RB of promise! Why you may ask?

1. Primarily first and foremost, the offensive line.
A. Walter Jones The best LT you never heard of. Thing is, he knows it. Worse yet, so does Roosevelt Barnes, his agent. So for most of last season he held out. Wanting a HUMONGO contract that would make him the highest paid lineman in the league. Just short of "No" the Hawks slapped The Franchise sticker on this guy, and now it's the same ol same ol for this offseason. Good thing is that this year we have caproom to play with (tune of 22 mil) and this should get done. He'll be playing every game next season.
B. Steve Hutchinson. The monster LG. Missed most of the season to injury and will be ready to play.
C. The right tackle position. Finally solved with the addition of Chris Terry late last year. This guy improved our running AND passing game 2 fold, solidfying what was a turnstyle of tryouts.

2. The passing game. We have one. It was almost overnight really. This team finally knows and believes we can pass the ball. Hasselbeck matured this year. He knows it's his team. The orginization and the fans knows it's his team. And he went out and broke the team's passing record not once, but twice last season. Well if anyone believes: "having a successful passing game frees up the running game" then Alexander is s-e-t.

and 3. Seattle will address the Defense this year in the draft and through FA. Sidwell (DEF coordinator) has already been fired and ANY improvement on that side of the ball (which can be marginal ...we were horrid on D..check any stats) will directly help Shaun get the ball more through time of possesion, closer games, etc.


Considering the guy put up a rather quiet 1600 combined yards and 18 TDs last year despite all the aforementioned issues...

2 pennies.

[terpfan]

i like shaun alot too, almost pick him over deuce but since i had shaun last year i went for a change...

i agree with everything u say but the one thing i dont like about shaun is his east-west running style. how he kinda bunny hops sideways once he gets too the line of scrimmage and goes down immediately... he needs to get that fixed.

[JayM09]

agreed, with you both you guys, I feel alexander will rebound and have the year that we all expect him to have

[Guttpuppy]

I agree with the 'Hawks having a passing game & all that.I also agree that he should have a decent year.But I just don't feel that he should be ranked as highly as he was last season.Most people have him going in the first round,I don't fall into that category.He is a Top10 FF RB for certain but is not a first round FF pick in my opinion(maybe in a larger league),too much talent at RB,let alone QB & WR,to select Shaun Alexander in the 1st round of any of my drafts.To each his own,if he's available in the 2nd round,he's mine.

[awwchrist]

totally agree.

Holmgren talked about that a times during the year, with him trying to correct it and with the media/fans.

The gist of his comments was Shaun tries to hit the homerun with every carry. Instead of hitting the hole and following his blocker Shaun is constantly trying to score.

Even Alexander admitted it. He said back at Alabama they'd expect him to score and that's all he thought of. Getting into the endzone.

So yeah I won't say that's not a problem, but I think that came to the top because it's easiest just to blame one person, rather than evaulate the problem as it relates to others around him.

I think that problem won't be as visible if we can actually create some running lanes and downfield blocks.

It's gonna be a good year for us feathered fans.

[terpfan]

To each his own,if he's available in the 2nd round,he's mine.

not if im picking in front of u!!

[Homeless]

I agree with GP, I wouldnt use a first round pick on him, but 2nd round yes, assuming I cant see anyone better

I believe that Alexanders and Seattles performance in 03 is tied to Hasselbeck being the starting QB. I would down grade Alexander if Dilfer is at the helm again.

[Dazedncnfz]

agreed, with you both you guys, I feel alexander will rebound and have the year that we all expect him to have

I'm sure he will now that I don't have him on my team!!

[Slingblade]

thats why i drafted him in the mock draft...lol

[VIPER]

Yeah, 7th overall in our draft I think sums it up!!!