THREE HOT HAWKS TOPICS FOR THE OPENING SMASH

This will hit the airwaves at 8:00. I look forward to your calls and reaction.

Defense is better than people say
The Hawks defense is 4th in the NFL in pts allowed per game. Nothing else matters. The game is about not letting people score and they are 4th in the NFL at not allowing people to score.

Yes they are giving up yardage. No they are not dominant like the other teams in that category, but whatever the knack is they have it.

I think there are two things you have to realize about this defense.

One you call plays differently as a defense when the offense is as good as the Hawks is. You literally bend but don’t break. If you have a bad offensive then you have a responsibility as a defense to make a play, create points, force turnover, whatever it is and you player a higher risk style. The Hawks on the other hand don’t have to do that. They can play a more conservative approach and wait for you to make a mistake, because offensively it seems like they can score at will.

In addition, I don’t think this team is blessed with amazing athletes and speed defensively so when the field gets smaller they do a better job and are harder to penetrate. In addition, they are much stouter on the run when they don’t have to protect their corners as much in the red zone.

Really only one thing matters – points allowed and no matter how they are doing it they are darn good at it.


Ruskell - Executive of the Year
It is time to sign the praises of Tim Ruskell again. What he has done in one year is remarkable. He sent the defense packing and a few other bad apples and most of them aren’t even playing in the NFL anymore.

Then he filled the gaps and their were a ton of gaps to be filled. The most impressive thing he didn’t fill the gaps only on the top line he found a way to fill the gaps two and three layers deep. It is really awesome. This team has had a good deal of injuries and they have bounced back remarkably well.

Holmgren was asked about this on Monday and he sited the leadership. Far enough, but the player personnel department that has used every roster spot to its maximum deserves credit.
Heck if it is leadership, maybe they deserve credit there. Go back to Ruskell’s opening press conference and he said the following .. I believe one of the keys that doesn't get talked about enough is unifying. People working together where there are no walls, where there are no agendas, where everybody has a common focus on the goal, and that's winning." How right he is.
Look at the track record -- the signings are amazing. … Joe Jurevicius, Chuck Darby, Bryce Fisher, Kevin Bentley, Josh Scobbey, Joe Tofoya, and Jimmy Williams all of them have been very valuable. And then I am not sure he will ever have another draft like this one. Lofa Tatupu and Leroy Hill plus Chris Spencer is showing all the signs of being a 5 to 10 year lineman.

The man should win Executive of the year


Walter Jones the best Seahawk ever
Is there a chance that Walter Jones is the greatest Seahawk of all time. I believe the consensus at the time is Steve Largent since he is a Hall of Famer. Jones will join him. Jones is going to his 6th pro bowl and in all likelihood will hit double digits before he is done. For three years now Jones is unquestionably the best at his position in the game. It was a story when he allowed a sack this year.

In contrast Largent was great. But he never lead the league in receptions, he lead the league in yardage twice. It might be a tough argument that he was the best wide receiver in the game during his career. Art Monk, John Stallworth, Wes Chandler for the early part of his career and by 1986 Jerry Rice. Don’t miss understand Largent was great. Hall of Famer. Probably the best.

I would still say there is a chance Walter Jones is the best Seahawk the franchise has ever seen.