Seahawks Recap

It's easier to sleep after a primetime win, so I'll try to be brief:

Obviously, I'm happy after a win. To paraphrase Mack Strong, 'I don't care if it's 3-0, you don't apologize for a win'. Yeah, the Seahawks won 42-10, but it was against a winless team and in their own building. "Any given Sunday" is more than just a crappy movie, so the table can be turned relatively quickly.

What I Liked Tonight:

- I'll come out and say it: Pay Alexander, and pay him now. He's earned it, and while the Seahawks could probably make due without him, why chance it. The "market" value deal is 5-years, $25-30M with a $10M signing bonus. People don't realize it, but the Seahawks have ample cap room next year to absorb a deal of that magnitude, and still will be able to re-sign Steve Hutchinson, and there aren't many other players on this team scheduled to hit the open market.

Sure, it's not my money, but you want to keep as much of this group as you can, and you want keep them for as long as you can. It's a special offense (I'm sure they'll still be ranked #1, pending tomorrow night's Rams-Colts game), and Alexander is a major, major piece of it.

- I like the way the WRs are stepping up. Peter Warrick started for DJ Hackett, and had 3 catches for 53 yards. Joe Jurevicius continues to catch everything thrown his way, and Jerramy Stevens is having a breakout season. To put up 79 points in 2 games, without your #1 and #2 WRs, is a testament to the balance and depth the Seahawks have right now.

- It's great for Grant Wistrom to put his name into the "sack" column tonight. For the amount of money he's making, having 0 sacks through 5 games, on the surface, looks pretty bad. Now, if they had a stat for "sacks forced", he'd be leading the team. I honestly thought he was going to kill David Carr tonight.

- Jordan Babineaux will hit you, and you will feel it. For an undrafted CB, Babineaux is filling the nickel role perfectly, especially when you consider he's only supposed to be the 4th CB.

- I'm totally comfortable with Rocky Bernard as our pass-rushing DT. 4.5 sacks thus far, and he's improving at a point in the season he usually lags. Teamed with Craig Terrill, the Seahawks have gotten 6 sacks out of that duo in 6 games. Nice production.

What I Didn't Like Tonight (And I Don't Mean Joe Theismann, Though It Applies):

- Continued poor special teams plays. The penalties, the fumbles on kick returns, and the inability to get any significant return yardage, has got to change. If Bob Casullo doesn't get it turned around, his tenure in Seattle will be brief.

- Bryce Fisher, whenever you want to line up onsides, that would be swell. Do it once, it's no big deal. Do it repeatedly, then I have to wonder what side you want to play on.

- If this team ever starts creating turnovers, they'll be dangerous. NONE forced (again) today, and only 4 for the season. Yes, there were 2 forced fumbles, but none were recovered. The starting CBs have 0 INTs, and neither do any of our safeties.

This one falls in both categories, but I didn't like seeing this much of Leonard Weaver tonight. "The Hydrant" impressed the hell out of me, particularly his block that sprung Alexander on his 4th TD and his stiff arm on his own run, but this team needs a healthy Mack Strong.

More on the rest of the NFL action tomorrow.