What a Difference a Year Makes

by: Michael Steffes

Over the last half decade or so, Seahawk fans have gotten pretty used to turnover on defense. The team struggled for years on that side of the ball. That makes improvements necessary. Since the Superbowl year of 2005, however, you could argue that it was the offense letting the team down. This has led to big changes on the offensive side of the ball this year. To take a look....



As you can see in the chart, this unit is going through a tremendous amount of change. There will be 6 different starters than the group that came out of camp. There is a total of 7 changes, with Sims moving to the right side. That of course, is assuming he holds the job. The biggest turnover is in the skill positions. Both running backs have turned over, as have two of the three WR positions. Part of that is due to injury, but regardless new guys will be opening the season as starters. This also brings to light how important the retention of Sean Locklear was. Turnover would be at a near absurd level had he signed somewhere else.

If we think back to last year, there was much less change. Three players had new spots. DJ Hackett was replacing Darrel Jackson, Pollard was replacing Jerramy Stevens, and Sims was replacing the oft injured Womack, who started 06' as the left guard.

It is a big jump from three changes (27%) to 7 changes (64%). This unit will benefit from spending a whole training camp together and healthy. Lets hope they can get the bumps and bruises mended before OTA's begin again in June.

Now lets compare this to the defense, shall we...



You can see right away the stability of this unit. There are only two changes. And only one of them is for sure. Even the one change from the start of last season is relatively minor when you consider that Mebane became the starter early in the season and held that position. Overall this unit, for the first time really, is going to be allowed to benefit from continuity.

Lets look back to the start of last season. It would look much like the offense does this year. Both safeties were new. Patrick Kerney was new. Tapp was announced as the starter over Fisher right before the season, so he was new. Jennings was taking over a starting spot for the first time, and that was moving Marcus Trufant over to the left side. Plus, because of the injury to Tubbs, Chuck Darby had become a starter. That is 6 new starters with 7 changes to the lineup, 67% turnover. The same as this years offense. This year the team will have at most two players beginning the season in the Hawks starting lineup for the first time. That is 18%. If Tapp remains the starter, and Jackson is a supersub, then that number drops to 9%!

There has been a lot of talk about the Hawks improving their defense. They certainly have improved the depth. But with Holmgren challenging defensive coaches to improve the play on the road, it is possible this would have happened anyway through continuity. A little emphasis on that won't hurt though.

All of this is good news for Hawk fans. No unit suffers from playing together for an extended time. That was one of the reasons the 2005 offense was so great. This year it certainly seems the defense should be the star unit while the new offense gels together, hopefully creating another deep playoff run.




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