From the road-Interview with.............

From the home office at the Holiday Inn,I had some down time and was able to get this up and finished.

This is an interview with John Morgan,the editor of Field Gulls.

Field Gulls is the elite Seahawks blog out there and details 'Hawk football in the same manner that I like to think we cover the Pirates and the SAL here.

Thanks to John for taking the time to do this for us and hopefully I can get him to make a return here after the season ends.

1) Why has Shaun Alexander's game declined so quickly and is there a chance that he could be gone in 2008?

John:Shaun Alexander's decline is typical of players of his age, injury history and usage. It doesn't help that his offensive line has taken a big step down in the past two seasons. That doesn't mean the line is bad--just not the "best in the league" unit of 2005. What's exacerbating his decline is that his style is particularly precarious.When he could cut with authority, and moreover, had the initial burst or first gear to hit the hole or cutback, he was a legitimate big playback. Now that he can't, he's attempting to do too much with a body that is simply no longer able. It is very reasonable to think thatAlexander will no longer be with the team in 2008.

2) The offensive line was thought to be a strength,but has been a mild disappointment,why so and your thoughts on improvement?

John:The Seahawks offensive line is a strength, it just is masked beneath the poor rushing of Alexander and the recent injuries to the Hawks' top two wide outs. The former has made the run blocking look far worse than it has been. The latter has led to cover sacks, as Matt Hasselbeck seems content to take a sack or attempt a futile scramble rather than throw to a receiver he cannot trust. With the exception of Chris Gray,every member of Seattle's line is above average for their position or better. I think a big story next year will be the improved run blocking of Seattle's line, but in reality the improvement will be moderate, more a result of improved running back play

3)Is the long term plan for Seneca Wallace to be a " slash" player or continue as the 2nd QB?

John:Slash. That's clear this season, the coaching staff cannot have that much faith in Frye after only a couple of months. I think we can saywith some certainty that the Hawks have long wanted to convertWallace, but that David Greene simply was not good enough to allow that

4)I have thought that teams are beginning to see the Holmgren "routine" on playcalling,for example the play action to the TE on short yardage. Your thoughts?

John:Up until last game, the Hawks ran a ton out of 3 WR, I-Back sets. So I watched for that, but they mixed it up. It didn't help, because Alexander was still not rushing well and other than Engram, Beck had no one he trusts receiving. I don't think Seattle's problem is overly
predictable play calling. I think it's lack of execution. When you think of 2005, everyone in the stadium could see an off tackle run with a Hutch pull block coming a mile away, but when the talent and execution is able the plays work.

5)Your thoughts are the performance of this years rookie class?

John:Seattle, I would say good to excellent. Mebane is a proper run stuffer, a big upgrade over Darby and a good fit in Seattle's preferred one gap system. Josh Wilson could develop into an elite nickel back and once Seattle moves Nate Burleson (I think they will do that this off season) should be able to be a similarly explosive kickand punt returner. Wrotto and Kent are all potential, so that's very wait and see. Taylor has Engram like hands, savvy and work ethic. I believe he should have little trouble sticking with the team, and should become a very valuable slot or possession receiver. Vallos has a chance of being a very good center or utility lineman after some seasoning on the practice squad. Herring is a contributor on special teams and could work as a third down linebacker eventually. Baraka Atkins is still having problems converting his athletic talent into on-field production, but at the very least he's a sound run stopping end that has value in a rotation. The Hawks lacked a first round pick,but few teams can boast the kind of immediate and comprehensive production Seattle has gotten from this last draft class.

6)What is the reason behind the seeming lack of chemistry between Hasselbeck and his receivers?Seems like they are on the wrong page often even with the veterans that have been there for a while

John:I don't know why Beck takes so long to get a feel for his receivers,but you saw that last season with Branch too. Holmgren's system is all timing, I would guess a lack of rhythm in the literal sense of timedmotion is the culprit. Beck is not seeing his receivers where he needs them to be when he needs them to be and has gotten the Holmgren brainwash to not improvise.

7)Chances on re-signing Marcus Trufant?

John:The chances of resigning Trufant, I would guess, are very good.

8)Could there be a chance that Holmgren steps down at seasons end?If so,will the replacement be inside the organization or outside?

John:I fully believe this is Holmgren's last season, and though I'm not very keen on the idea, it's also very likely that Jim Mora Jr. will have every opportunity to take over

9)Your thoughts on the 2nd half?

John:The Hawks likely have a playoff spot for the taking, so WRT the secondhalf, you can nearly count on that. This team has a lot of upward or downward mobility. Upward, dependent on health and some needed personnel changes (especially in the running game). Downward, injury,injury, injury. Walter Jones may no longer be WALTER JONES, but he's still an upper echelon left tackle. Obviously if Beck gets hurt the offense will stall. The Hawks are currently very thin behind Brandon Mebane, but I like Mebane's ability to stay healthy. One player people don't understand that Seattle can't live without is Rocky Bernard.He's possibly the most underrated 3 technique tackle in all offootball and really drives the pass rush. You can say injury could fell any squad, even the NE juggernaut would be lost without Brady, so take the injury stuff as you will. Healthy, with some semblance of a rushing attack (something as simple as giving Weaver and Morris carries), and this team is a true Super Bowl contender in the NFC. No NFC squad, short of a miracle, is going to stand a chance againstwhatever AFC squad emerges, but football isn't truly a zero sum game.Fans and franchises benefit from simple success. So, if you are willing to see the playoffs as not entitled, but a reward most fans don't get and some haven't gotten for a very long time, the Hawks are and have been one of the most rewarding teams in football.

Thanks for doing this John,I appreciate the time.