TEAM PREVIEW: Seattle Seahawks

5-11 in 2009

The Seattle Seahawks got better in this draft. There's no denying that. After selecting top prospects LT Russell Okung and FS Earl Thomas, they have definitely added much-needed talent on both sides of the ball. The problem however, is that they are a team far past their prime. Matt Hasselbeck can't cut it under center anymore. While he didn't have a Jake Delhomme-type meltdown last season, he clearly showed that even with a good possession receiver such as TJ Houshmandzadeh, he can't be THE GUY anymore. When Shaun Alexander declined, Matt was able to put the team on his shoulders and finish with an impressive season. But the last two years have shown that Hasselbeck struggles to stay on the field and is relatively ineffective when doing so. He posted two games last season with 4 INTs in each. Those are not numbers you would expect from such a seasoned veteran. And make no mistake: Charlie Whitehurst is not the answer. He is an '04 Hyundai that his owner kept in the garage because he had a sparkling Ferrari and a reliable Volkswagen in the driveway. (Read: Philip Rivers and Billy Volek)

I love halfback Justin Forsett, but the crowded backfield scares me. Julius Jones is far past his prime and Leon Washington is recovering from a serious leg injury. For some odd reason, their most talented runningback, Forsett, stands at third on their depth chart as of now. Look for that to change quickly. Rookie Golden Tate is a slower Percy Harvin clone and should add some playmaking ability to the offensive side of the ball as well.

Their defense is improving and the return of Pro-Bowl middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu should shore up their run defense. Earl Thomas will help a secondary that got picked apart last season.

The biggest issue with the Seahawks is their coach. Pete Carroll sucks. Whenever star college coaches reach the big-leagues, they usually get hit with a reality check. College coaches are successful because they stack their team with talent through recruitment. They beat teams because their individual players are better. On the NFL level, the playing field is much more balanced, so they lose their competitive edge.

Although the Seahawks play in a weak division and have a relatively soft schedule, Steve Spurrier... I mean Pete Carroll... will have a hard time stealing wins from opponents when his NFL coaching knowledge and Seattle's diminishing talent pool are in question.

Prediction: 4-12