Seahawks' passing game has been a failure

RENTON — Halfway through this season, the Seahawks don't need any letter grades to give a progress report.

This year has really been more of a pass-fail proposition. Specifically, Seattle's failure to pass can explain much of what has gone wrong in this 2-6 season.

The Seahawks have averaged 141.3 yards passing, the fewest in the league and their lowest total after eight games since Mike Holmgren became the coach in 1999. They've started three different quarterbacks and the cumulative passer rating of that trio is 65.7, also the lowest after eight games of any Holmgren-coached Seahawks team.

The airborne difficulties help explain some of the other deficiencies. Take for example the rushing offense that was supposed to be so improved this season after the additions of Julius Jones, T.J. Duckett and left guard Mike Wahle? Well, Seattle hasn't had a back rush for 100 yards since September, and the Seahawks have been held to less than 100 yards as a team in four of eight games this season.

Does that mean the offseason rebuilding plan was for naught or that any rushing improvement has been neutralized because opponents are stacking defenders at the line of scrimmage, unafraid of Seattle throwing the ball over the top?

"People crowd the line of scrimmage," coach Mike Holmgren said. "They play us man-to-man coverage. They don't care if we throw."

Seattle's passing game hasn't helped the defense that has been deemed such a disappointment this season, either. The defense has been increasingly exposed by an offense that cannot sustain drives.

"We can't score enough points to help them," Holmgren conceded after Sunday's loss to Philadelphia.

The Seahawks are averaging only 56.6 offensive plays per game, more than four plays fewer than any other season during Holmgren's Seahawks tenure. Four less plays means the Seahawks are earning fewer first downs, which means opponents are getting more chances at Seattle's defense.

Two games in particular show that when the Seahawks defense has stood stout, the offense hasn't done much of anything.

In the season opener at Buffalo, Seattle's defense didn't give up a first down on any of the Bills' first four possessions. The offense responded to that by punting the ball right back to the Bills. Seattle had only one first down on its first four possessions.

It was a similar story this past week against Philadelphia, the Seahawks forcing a punt without allowing a first down on four of the Eagles' first five possessions.

Seattle took advantage of that once, scoring a 90-yard touchdown on the Seahawks' first play from scrimmage. It was their only first down of the first quarter and their only touchdown of the game.

Will it get better this season?

That's an open question that won't necessarily be answered by Matt Hasselbeck's return from his back injury. Hasselbeck could begin practicing this week, Holmgren said Monday, but even in the four games Hasselbeck has played, he had twice as many interceptions as touchdowns and a rating of 57.7.

The reality is that of the four receivers who played for Seattle on Sunday, only Bobby Engram caught a pass for the Seahawks last season, and it takes more than just a month or two for a player to get up to speed.

"I've always said it takes almost three years to feel comfortable in it," Holmgren said two weeks ago.

That has produced a very uncomfortable reality halfway through this Seahawks season as Seattle doesn't have a single receiver with more than 15 receptions in 2008.

Danny O'Neil: 206-464-2364 or doneil@seattletimes.com