A bunch of refs just lost money. I'm sorry I can't say that. Seahawks fans aren't allowed to call out poor and biased officiating.
No, though the refs tried their best, Holmgren, Marshall tried their best, the Saint Louis Rams, led by Gus Frerotte, just sucked too hard. It was an ordained win for the Gateway City, three hours of baffling non-penalties, a near 4 to 1 pass to run ratio despite Morris earning nearly 5 yards per carry, and a prevent style defense on the Rams final drive that ceded the first 50 yards. But, somehow, the Hawks talent advantage won out.
Let's run this down before I vomit. The Hawks ran 23 pass plays in the first half, reserving their four runs for such sensible times as, pinned within their 1, 1st and fifteen and the always riotous farce known as 3rd and short. Jim Haslett, like the preteen Maddenite that he is, calls blitz on nearly every play. Surprisingly, drives stall, Hasselbeck is sacked and, not so surprising, I begin doing lines of drain cleaner - as my yay budget can't keep up with Holmgren's boobery. The Hawks enter halftime down 12 points.
Then something miraculous happens: The Hawks defense, so good, so talented, so one piece away from being among the league's elite, shuts out the Rams for the next 27 minutes. Kerney pass rushes like a jihadist hyped on PCP, Mebane flattens the Rams rushing lanes like Brando flattened hookers and the Hawks crawl back into this game, take the lead and shave 6 years off my life. Wait, no, that comes next.
John Marshall loves deep zone coverages. Loves`em. Thinks they have Scarlett Johansson's tits and J-Lo's ass. After a contest that forced Seattle to respect the rush, keep a safety shallow and - God forbid - the corners in man coverage, Marshall was sprouting new hair seeing that Seattle could drop into prevent against the Rams' final drive. Like usual, it worked like a charm. The Rams picked up 19 yards on back to back plays, sent Holt deep, and then watched the officials call pass interference for what might politely be called incidental contact. I'm not entirely certain what pass interference is, but if Grant and Holt briefly touching hands qualifies, I think every offense is soon going to look like the Pats. Enough of that.
So, predictably, the Rams drive into their red zone, but what happens, on fourth down, a completely unforced fumble?!?
The Hawks did not deserve to win this game. The Hawks defense deserved to win it twice, but the Hawks on the whole did not. From Nate Burleson, who's equally talented and lazy, to Holmgren and Marshall, each in turn attempted to run this team into the ground. But the Hawks did win and no matter how, that's something.
Waking up at 4 in the morning today I remember seeing a piece on Chucky the year he led the Bucs to the Super Bowl. It talked about how he woke up at 3 each morning constructing his master plan. It's dog's work being a coach; you work 7 days, 70+ hours a week, but the pay's nice. The Hawks three major coaches, Holmgren, Marshall and Gil Haskell are a combined 185 years old. No one would blame them if they didn't want to dedicate the time it takes to be a NFL coach, but, please, delegate your duties to someone who does. This team is talented, but old in some very essential positions. We should be talking about a playoff run, instead I'm dreading January. All I can say about the Hawks chances in the playoffs is that I'm very disappointed and terrified.
Game Ball: Who else? "The Jowler" Patrick Kerney with his second straight 3 sack, forced fumble game. Kerney never had a ton of help in Atlanta, now healthy, driven and only one part in a dominant pass rush, he's showing that Tim Ruskell is smarter than me. I love seeing him do it.