Coffee and Cigarettes: Seahawks Links for Saturday

Gameday baby!! Here's what people are writing:

Seahawks.com Blog | Preseason primer: Offense ": What’s new with the Seahawks’ offense? How much time do you have? Because the answer is: Just about everything. It starts with the new system being installed by coordinator Darrell Bevell, who was hired in January after spending the past five seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. Then there are the new players who have been brought in to fit the new offense: quarterback Tarvaris Jackson and wide receiver Sidney Rice, who also came over from the Vikings in free agency; left guard Robert Gallery and tight end Zach Miller, free-agent additions from the Raiders; and tackle James Carpenter and guard John Moffitt, who were selected in the April NFL Draft to man the right side of the line.

Observations From The First Preseason Game – Defense | The Blue Bird Herd: This week has been nuts, so pardon the delay on getting this up. I’m going to be quick and somewhat brief – something I rarely, if ever, manage to accomplish.  My nutty week continues, so I must soldier on, but I didn’t want to post nothing.  There were definite notable moments and performances worth mentioning, so allow me to do so in a somewhat bulleted, concise manner… Let’s start with the defensive line.

8/19: Man up time for Tyler Polumbus, Seahawks' O-line - Blog - MyNorthwest.com: In Friday's Wrap Up video, Brock Huard says left tackle Tyler Polumbus and the rest of the Seahawks' offensive line has to man up in Saturday's preseason game against the Vikings.

Seahawks | Jackson, Rice bring same old chemistry to their new team | Seahawks | Seattle Times Newspaper: Tarvaris Jackson's first pass as a Seahawk didn't involve a football. Jackson tossed a suggestion Pete Carroll's way back on July 26 when free agency began: Give Sidney Rice a call right now. No sooner had Jackson agreed to become a Seahawk than he joined their pursuit of Rice, his teammate the past four seasons in Minnesota. "It helped us with Sidney, obviously, in terms of recruiting," general manager John Schneider said.

Preview: Familiar foes, unfamiliar receivers for Vikings at Seattle | 1500 ESPN Twin Cities – Minnesota Sports News & Opinion (Twins, Vikings, Wolves, Wild, Gophers): Three things to watch Go west, young men: The Seahawks' offense should look familiar. Former Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell now is calling the shots in Seattle, with Tarvaris Jackson the starting quarterback and Sidney Rice the No. 1 receiver. This is, of course, just an exhibition. But it would be foolish to discount the emotional element -- on both sides -- when Jackson and Rice take the field. Jackson was 3-for-5 passing for 13 yards and took two sacks last week at San Diego. Rice sat out the game as a precaution, making Saturday night his Seahawks game debut. Shutting down their former teammates would put some sort of charge into a Vikings defense that put up little resistance early against Tennessee a week ago while playing without four starters. RE Jared Allen, UT Kevin Williams, LCB Antoine Winfield and RCB Cedric Griffin all are expected to play at least a series or two on Saturday.

Vikings-Seahawks - 5 things to watch for: Entering the second week of the preseason, the Minnesota Vikings are dealing with the same dilemma as other teams around the NFL – the lockout has caused a lot of uncertainty around training camps. Coaches haven’t had the usual time to evaluate the players. For teams with new coaches or playbooks, players are still adapting to new systems. Minnesota’s offense is still finding its way in new offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave’s offense. With all of the confusion, it would be easy for teams like the Vikings to put more stock in the preseason. For established players though, this preseason is just like any other. Count quarterback Donovan McNabb among them.

Seahawks offense hopes to show what it can do " Kitsap Sun: Tarvaris Jackson already made his preseason debut with the Seattle Seahawks. Tonight, however, will be the first real chance for Jackson to show what he can do. More importantly, it's a chance for a drastically overhauled offense to show what it might look like in 2011. While nothing definitive will come out of tonight's game it will give a lot more clues into what Jackson and this offense will be capable of than it did in last week's game in San Diego.

Thiel: Seahawks’ big man coming to WR near you | Seattle Seahawks: Seahawks fans get their first in-person look Saturday against the Minnesota Vikings at what a 7-9 team can do with a lot of available payroll cash, little time time to implement its rewards and even less veteran leadership to help execute the plan. You might want to practice watching the game through the fingers of one hand. Nevertheless, as fans sort out whether newcomer Tarvaris Jackson is even the question at quarterback, much less the answer, it will be fun to cast your eyes for a few moments on No. 79 on defense. He won’t be hard to spot. He’s the 335-pound dude chasing 180-pound receivers in the secondary. "Imagine a wide receiver seeing that big ol’ guy with him," said Seahawks defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, grinning maniacally. "That might get him to hesitate a little."

Seattle Seahawks - Jim Trotter - SI.com: WHERE'S SI.COM? In Renton, Wa., where on Thursday the Seahawks conducted their final workout before breaking training camp. As with any Pete Carroll team, there was great enthusiasm and tempo during the practice. The only thing louder than the thud of bodies and pads crashing together was linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr. barking at the offense. The man's voice was as loud as the seaplane that lifted off beautiful Lake Washington, which borders the western edge of the Seahawks' training complex. This is Carroll's second training camp and the team he oversees now looks virtually nothing like the one he inherited. In what might be the most remarkable stat of the preseason, the Seahawks have just 17 players who were on the roster when Carroll arrived last year. Seventeen. Remarkable.

Defensive Backs Grades Preseason Game 2011-1: 1) Byron Maxwell (B+) The Seahawks drafted Maxwell in the sixth round of this years draft. THE GOOD: Byron did a nice job against the outside run holding his ground and not allowing the back to turn the corner forcing him back inside where he had help. He did and excellent job sticking to his man in coverage. THE BAD: I’m not saying he was perfect but he played a solid game and made no glaring mistakes.

NFL News Updates - CBSSports.com RapidReports: Obomanu strong in practice but won't play Saturday WR Ben Obomanu had an impressive practice, catching one long touchdown pass from Tarvaris Jackson, and later making a nice one-handed grab across the middle. However, Obomanu, who had shoulder surgery in the offseason, will sit out Saturday's preseason game.

Dave Krieg's Strike Beard: Your 2011 Seattle Seahawks Jersey Buying Guide: With training camp in full swing, it's time for those of us with the necessary means to start thinking about which new Seahawks jersey we want to wrap ourselves in this fall. I'm of the mind that a Seahawks jersey is the ONLY appropriate gameday garb for a Soldier of Twelve, and I also can't bring myself to wear the jersey of a player who is now on another NFL team- So my Hasselbeck jersey is out. Particularly in these times of want and woe, I'm not going to get on anyone else's case for continuing to wear a Hasselbeck jersey... But I simply can't do it. This means I gotta buy a new jersey.

Seahawks Blog | Position paper: Tight fit at tight end | Seattle Times Newspaper: Last season began with the belief that this was going to be a breakthrough season for tight end John Carlson. The Seahawks new offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates liked a heavy diet of two-tight end sets, and the addition of blocking specialist Chris Baker meant that Carlson was going to be freed up to focus more on receiving, which is really what he's best suited for.

Seahawks training camp wrapped on Thursday - Blog - MyNorthwest.com: Seahawks training camp officially broke on Thursday, compressing nearly an entire offseason into just three weeks. "Yeah, this happened way too fast, that it’s done in this regard," said Pete Carroll Thursday after practice. "We’ve had great competitiveness, which is what we always hope for and the players rallied around the style of practice – the high tempo and the energy that we expect of them and competing every day, they did that. "So I think we’ve done what we can. Now it’s just, as we say, it’s just a race to the finish line of the beginning and we’ll see how it goes."

BLABBERMOUTH.NET - Seahawks To Feature QUEENSRŸCHE Song During Preseason Telecasts: The Seattle Seahawks announced today the new QUEENSRŸCHE song "Get Started" will be featured during the Seahawks three preseason games to be broadcast on KING 5. "We are longtime Seahawks fans and I've been honored to perform the national anthem on quite a few occasions," said QUEENSRŸCHE lead singer Geoff Tate. "Our new song, 'Get Started', is the perfect anthem for the 12th Man all over the Northwest and we hope it proves to be good luck for the Seahawks throughout the year."

ProFootballWeekly.com - Seahawks are high on DT Branch: "They're really high on him," said one team source of Branch, who we hear will also be counted on to spell Red Bryant at the five-technique spot. "They feel Branch never really got the shot he deserved in Arizona, and they love his size, athleticism and versatility. He hasn't had a lot of 'wow' moments, but he's been solid. They love the fact that three of their starters on the line — Branch, Mebane and Bryant — weigh well over 300 pounds and can also play multiple positions."

Seattle Seahawks 2011 NFL Team Preview | AthlonSports.com: Pete Carroll did the Seahawks shuffle when he took over as coach, engineering 284 roster moves in his first 12 months. During this dizzying transformation, he lost his players in a big way at midseason (dropping six of eight games), got them back in a bigger way at season’s end (rescuing the postseason) and turned them strangely historical — coming up with the NFL’s first losing team (7–9) to collect a division title and win a playoff game (41–36 over New Orleans). In Year 2, Carroll will be hard-pressed to provide a more unconventional encore in the NFC West, pro football’s weakest division. At the same time, the coach likely will keep trading pieces furiously until he reaches desired stability. A lot of work still needs to be done with the Seahawks, and Carroll has pegged the offensive line as his highest priority, spending his latest top two draft picks on reinforcements. The team Carroll inherited wasn’t tough enough or physical enough, and it was unable to run the ball the way he wanted — a lingering problem for the franchise ever since Hall of Fame-bound left tackle Walter Jones showed considerable wear in 2008 and retired a season later. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck deserved better protection and better health. The defense was on the field and on its heels far too long last season. In Carroll’s mind, a cohesive offensive line is the solution to these problems.

Seahawks.com Blog | Camp Carroll: The final day ": FOCUS ON The obvious. It’s the end of camp, which was like none in franchise history – or league history, for that matter – because of the condensed schedule and hurry-up feeling following the 136-day lockout. "This happened way too fast," coach Pete Carroll said after the final two-hour practice. "Every day we spent here has been so important, and we just need more of them. We stayed long again today, and just try to take advantage of every chance we get on the practice field to get ready and get the players ready." He wasn’t talking about being ready for Saturday night’s preseason home opener against the Minnesota Vikings at CenturyLink Field. Carroll is talking about being as prepared as possible for the Sept. 11 regular-season opener against the 49ers in San Francisco. "We’ll still get after it with a big week next week. Next week will be like an official game week for us in terms of preparation."

Seahawks' Washington getting tested during camp - seattlepi.com: Admittedly, Pete Carroll babied Leon Washington through his first training camp in Seattle. Washington was still recovering from a gruesome broken leg sustained midway through the 2009 season, and the last thing Carroll wanted to do was push Washington too much. So the veteran running back had to settle for the role of kick returner and spot runner during the 2010 season. Carroll is doing his best to change that early in the preseason.

Seahawks.com Blog | The envelope, please … ": Best player: Sidney Rice. He got a late start, because free-agent additions were not allowed to begin practicing until Aug. 4. He also sat out last week’s preseason opener to rest a sore shoulder. But when the Pro Bowl wide receiver from the Vikings was on the field, the 6-foot-4 Rice displayed the traits that attracted the Seahawks – an off-the-charts catch radius; sure, soft hands; the kind of competitive work ethic that is the foundation for Pete Carroll’s program; an instant rapport with also just-acquired QB Tarvaris Jackson. As former Seahawks linebacker Dave Wyman said on 710 ESPN today, "I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone have a better camp."

HeraldNet.com - Sports: Seahawks' rookie linebacker Wright making a good impression: Draft pick from Mississippi State looks sharp in training camp -- at a position he didn't play in college.

LB pair add flash and bash | Seattle Seahawks - The News Tribune: Linebackers Malcolm Smith and K.J. Wright embody the Seattle Seahawks’ desire to get bigger, faster, stronger – and younger – on defense. Smith, a 22-year-old seventh-round draft choice out of the University of Southern California, created some buzz last week against San Diego with a couple explosive plays that had defensive coordinator Gus Bradley singing his praises on Thursday.

Chat wrap: 'Gunslinger' mentality at QB? - NFC West Blog - ESPN: Trenchbroom from Spokane, Wash., wonders what position besides offensive line figures to be most improved for the Seattle Seahawks in 2011. Mike Sando: Wide receiver is a good place to start after the team added Sidney Rice in free agency. The Seahawks have caught the ball exceptionally well this summer. They now have two big targets at receiver. They have a pass-catching tight end (Zach Miller) to give opposing secondaries more to think about. And if they get any consistency from Golden Tate this season, that would further elevate the group. Seattle was better than expected at receiver last season after trading Deion Branch and releasing T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Expectations are higher heading into the upcoming season, and for good reason. The talent is better.

Squeeze play: The Seahawks put the wraps on their second training camp under coach Pete Carroll on Thursday, but they’re still in a hurry-up mode after the 136-day lockout and no two-a-day practices in camp.

HeraldNet.com - Seahawks blog: Okung making progress, Red Bryant looking good, and other notes from the final day of training camp: Thursday marked the end of training camp for the Seahawks, though that distinction is a lot less significant now that the team holds camp at its practice facility and not in Cheney, Wash. The players still get excited about this day, however, because it means they can leave hotel life behind and return to their homes. For the coaches, however, it is reminder that the regular season is getting closer by the day. "This happened way too fast," Pete Carroll said. ". . . We feel rushed, we do feel rushed."

Camp over, and Okung still weeks away | Seattle Seahawks - The News Tribune: Training camp officially ended for the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday. But coach Pete Carroll would have liked a little more time. "Everything we do is important," he said. "We haven’t had many breaks. We haven’t had many opportunities to do anything other than the stuff that we’ve done, and our coaching staff feels good about it. But we feel rushed. We do feel rushed. It’s what it is."

Seahawks Blog | Russell Okung back at practice to a limited extent | Seattle Times Newspaper: Russell Okung was on the practice wearing a helmet on Thursday, participating in some individual drills. He wasn't going full speed per se, but one week after Okung injured his left ankle in the exhibition opener at San Diego, it's clear that this injury won't sideline him nearly as long as the two high ankle sprains he suffered last year. "Russell is not as bad as he was," coach Pete Carroll said, referring to Okung's pair of ankle injuries in 2010. "There's no doubt. He's way, way ahead of where he was so we know that he's maybe a week away or two weeks away at the most."

Seahawks | Zach Miller gives Seahawks a lot of power at TE | Seattle Times Newspaper: Zach Miller's hands have caught more than just the NFL's attention. He is one of only four tight ends in the league with 50 or more receptions in each of the three past seasons. Just don't say Miller's hands are soft. That's simply not possible for a tight end, whose job description requires him to block the big uglies along the defensive line one play, and then catch a pass the next.

Jon Ryan For MVP - YouTube: No Lyin'! Vote Ryan! (old, but still funny).

17 Power, A Seattle Seahawks Blog: Lockout Hangover: Safety: When Roman Harper was named as a Pro Bowl fill-in instead of fellow alternate Earl Thomas, I was confused. It was the free safety position (not the strong safety, Harper's position) that had been vacated, so I figured Thomas should have been next in line. Plus, Thomas wasn't the one to lay a massive egg in Qwest Field last January. But then I remembered that the NFL doesn't distinguish between free safeties and strong safeties. Only certain teams, like those that run Tampa 2 defenses, make that distinction. So Harper got it. Oh well. Thomas' day isn't far off. But about the distinction: free safeties are the purer coverage guys, the roaming, rangy, instinctive QB duelers. Strong safeties are usually bigger, heavier, and slower because they're intended more as run support. Seattle's safeties are divided pretty cleanly into these two groups, so don't be alarmed if a deficiency is mentioned. It's about scheme.

Why it’s OK to get excited about Josh Portis " Seahawks Draft Blog: It’s 18 years since the Seahawks last spent a first round pick on a quarterback. There are almost certainly Seahawks fans among us that saw the birth of a child around the time their football team drafted Rick Mirer in 1993. That child will now be preparing for college. 

Take 2 | Charlie Whitehurst, Keith Stones and Seahawks Lookalikes | Take 2 | Seattle Times Newspaper: The similarities are striking up and down the Seahawks roster from the punter who looks like a pirate, and the former defensive end who could pass for an astronaut. We took to Twitter this week and came up with quite a list including the leprachaun Doppelganger for a certain Seahawks reporter:

This Evening: Thanks To ESPN, Matt Hasselbeck's Hair Has Grown Back: This is funny.