It's game simulation day! Today’s “game” between Seattle and the Minnesota Vikings marks the beginning of a four-week stretch of daily nightmares for Coach Mike Holmgren.You think he wakes up every morning at 2 a.m., drenched in a cold sweat, with visions of quarterback Matt Hasselbeck snapping his leg in a such a grotesque manner that Joe Theisman himself would curl up in the fetal position?
I think he does.
So, grab a beer and your Rosary beads as we pray for no catastrophic injuries while we find answers to our offseason questions. A few of things that I'm going to be paying attention to:
- The Franchise: How much is Walter Jones going to play tonight? Is quarterback Hasselbeck's playing time tied directly to Jones'? Jones doesn’t need the practice, but Hasselbeck needs the protection.
- Throwing the ball: Speaking of quarterback, how unbelievably terrified is Holmgren of his star quarterback getting hurt in a meaningless preseason game in the coach's final season. Does Hasselbeck play two series, a quarter? He's going to have to get meaningful playing time at some point so he can get a feel for the third receiver.
- Catching the ball: And who will emerge as the third receiver? Ben Obomanu and Courtney Taylor are the front runners. Who wants it more?
- Snapping the ball: The Hawks are very thin at center due to injuries and backup guard Steve Vallos will get the start against a very talented Viking defensive front.
- Defense: What's the Hawk’s first team defensive line going to look like against a very good running game? They’ve got just nine defensive linemen who will play tonight.
- Running the ball: Rumblings are T.J. Duckett will get the bulk of the carries down the stretch of each game. Julius Jones could give the Hawks a nice kick start early on. How many four receiver sets are we going to see Maurice Morris lining up in as a receiver? And will Hasselbeck go to him when defenses aren't paying attention?
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