Top > Sport > 2005 > September > 2005-09-26

Seahawks look to better season

Another day, another year, this game winds up differently. Another outcome, another blown save, this city is raising the Seahawks banner above Qwest Field today and starting to turn out the lights already on another season. Instead, something refreshingly different happened Sunday in Seahawk-land. The Hawks hung on to win a game they desperately needed in order to prove the proposed turnaround of this franchise is more than just talk.

Don",t underestimate the importance of this 21-18 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. You might be shaking your head this morning and grousing about how Mike Holmgren",s boys nearly blew a 21-point lead by burying their heads in the artificial sand after a perfect first half. But imagine the feeling if Seattle had actually blown this one. If the Seahawks are serious about winning this year, they will do so only if the rebuilt defense holds up its end of the bargain.

The Seahawks awaken this morning with a share of the NFC West lead instead of that frightening feeling of deja boo. Sure, it helped that Michael Vick was hobbled by a sore hamstring by game",s end. But give the Hawks credit for bottling Vick up about as well as magic can be contained by mortal beings. That was the difference in this game, the Seahawks", defense keeping the explosive Falcons to 223 yards and just 23 minutes of possession time.