Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Dean from Seattle writes: Phromojo from Everett, Wash., was talking about 5 division titles in a row! Get with it!
Mike Sando: Pretty funny. I thought he was asking if the Seahawks could win their next five games, not a fifth division title in a row. Sort of like the time my wife asked about flowers and I wondered why she would be thinking about a second-round draft choice from Virginia Tech on Mother's Day.
Joe from Brentwood, Calif., writes: You might have answered this in the past but if not what is your best prediction with the west at this point. So far none of the teams have really stood out and they all have to play the same tough teams. I would say the Cards, and niners look the most promising for a SHORT post-season spot. What do you think. Can the Niners pull of an 8-8 or 9-8 division win, Will warner lead the Cards, Or do you think the Seahwks will step it up and remain at the top of our division???
Mike Sando: I haven't come off my original prediction of Seattle prevailing in the end. I thought the Seahawks would have the best depth, the best quarterback (arguably), the best offensive line and the best defense. The defense has not performed to expectations in my view. That's why Seattle has had a hard time weathering the injuries at receiver. Those injuries, coupled with the issues on defense, have downgraded Seattle in my eyes -- but not enough to change my prediction after only a few games.
Tracy from parts unknown writes: SANDO, Its LevDog... I just read on MBarrows blog that Nolan is gonna continue with his "Big Sub" package. Even though we have been ran and passed on in it. Can you please explain to me his obsession with this Package and why he continues to use it even though it has not worked once?
Mike Sando: It's a package the 49ers should use, but I'm with you when it comes to mixing up personnel a little more. Sticking with that package suggests Mike Nolan isn't as excited about other players, notably Manny Lawson.
Andrew from parts unknown writes: Whatever happened to Josh Morgan? He seemed like he was going to be big-time during the preseason, but after that infection he's more or less dropped off the map. His former classmate up in Denver is really doing well, how long before the other Virginia Tech rookie comes out and gets his?
Mike Sando: Morgan was indeed impressive during preseason, but the expectation was always that he would rank no higher than the third or fourth option once the veterans got healthy and the real games got under way. Morgan then contracted a staph infection that set him back a little. He appears to be healthy now and the 49ers are using him when they spread the field. I don't think anything about Morgan has changed. He's just going through what rookie receivers tend to go through, and handling it better than most.
Mike from Dayton, Ohio, wrote: Great piece on the Boldin injury and the rights and wrongs of "going for it" in the last seconds of a game. Did anyone cover the great game Kurt had? I know it was easy to lose it in the Brett-fest that took place, but nearly 500 yds? That needs a piece to itself.
Mike Sando: Thanks, Mike. I think Warner's six turnovers offset some of the yardage gains.
Too Much Money from parts unknown writes: Looking down the road a bit, but I'm curious what you think about the possibilty of the Hawks restructuring - or, gulp - cutting Julian Peterson after this year? If I remember correctly his cap figure accelerates to something like $23M, and we could use some money to re-sign a LB (Hill) who will probably eclipse Peterson's playing ability in another year or two. To be honest, I'm not sure who will be more valuable to the '09 Hawks, Peterson or Hill.
Mike Sando: Peterson's cap number is scheduled to jump from $7.3 million this season to $8.8 million next season. That's not a prohibitive number for a Pro Bowl-caliber pass rusher.
Dan from Danville, Calif., writes: Mike you're absolutely right about the tipped pass JT O'Sullivan threw against the Saints in the end-zone. I definitely thought it was tipped on the replay but I never heard anybody say a word about it, not even on local radio. Thank you for bringing that up. Way to be on top of it. Keep up the good work!
Mike Sando: Thanks, Dan. I think there's still some uncertainty about that play, but my read on it was that the ball was tipped.
James from Bremerton, Wash., writes: Mike, Thank you for all of your analysis. It must take a tremendous amount of time to compile all of your stats and observations. I have loved football for as long as I can remember, but lacking the physical talents I never played past the pee-wee level. It is wonderful to read more in-depth insights and learn more and more about the game in the game especially when it has to do with my Hawks. Thanks!! -James
Mike Sando: Thanks, James. I've got so much to learn about football and feel as though working at it is the best way to come to a better understanding. My thought is that we can't necessarily read coverages or read minds, but we can certainly figure out what happens when certain players are on the field in plain sight.
Dean from Laramie, Wyo., writes: I don't watch many hawks games but what I did see was Matt Hasslebeck make a few poor throws. I haven't watched the entire games, but I wonder if he is more to blame for poor passes than the lack of experienced WR's. I heard a bunch of chatter about his back and now nothing. I just can't see blaming his low completion percentage entirely on the receivers. It's not like he has a Brett Favre type throw that the receivers can't hang on to.
Mike Sando: Hasselbeck becomes a tentative player when he cannot trust his receivers to be where he wants them to be. Other players might handle that better than he does. When Hasselbeck is comfortable and confident, he goes to Pro Bowls.
Tyler from Bellingham, Wash., writes: Hey Sando! There was some speculation before the season started about Mora being the "coach in waiting" causing some distractions in the locker room. I haven't heard anything recently, so should I just assume everything is going smoothly?
Mike Sando: I haven't seen any distractions. The one thing you wonder about is the comfort level. It's potentially awkward to have some staff members in limbo before the future head coach commits to his full staff for the upcoming season. I don't see it as a big distraction, though.
Miles from San Francisco writes: Glad to see someone else notice that JT O'Sullivan's first end-zone INT was tipped. The announcer's made comments like, "you cant just float the ball in there!" I thought it went off a D-lineman's helmet. I have been waiting to see if his side-arm delivery will cause problems with tips and in the redzone, where his balls have less distance to go and consequentially less height, we may see more of this. I hope not.
Mike Sando: My first thought was that an NFL quarterback wouldn't miss a 10- or 15-yard pass by that wide a margin. I'm still not 100 percent sure the pass was tipped, but I'm leaning that way for sure.
Oahu38 from parts unknown writes: I think the Niners are going to
run Vernon Davis out of town. He has the same makeup as T.O. and will get frustrated. I don't remember Mike Martz teams using the TE for anything else than blocking and an occasional pass. Put Davis into the slot if you want to utilize his speed and when he catches it. He should run like its his last play in his career even if it means running over someone.
Mike Sando: No question, the 49ers are facing personnel issues after changing offensive coordinators so frequently. The 49ers most likely would not have drafted Davis sixth overall had Martz been the coordinator at the time. I've wondered if the 49ers had the personnel on the outside to run the Martz offense well consistently. Davis is one of their most talented players, but some of that talent is going untapped.
Toby from Granda Hills, Calif., writes: Mike, Forgetting about JT O'Sullivan for a minute, what the heck is going on with the O line? Leading the league in sacks given up and highly penalized (a.k.a. undisciplined or overmatched) is a disaster for a midlevel to poor team trying to make strides and improve. Is there any hope for improvement? Should we already be talking about the top tackles in next year's draft? Is Chilo Rachal making any progress or is he already another high pick bust (I know too early to say, but with the horrible track record...)? Thanks Mike, appreciate the blog and the interaction with someone who can get closer to the game than us fans.
Mike Sando: Rachal is a rookie. Way too early to say anything about him. I do think the 49ers have built an offensive line that looks better on paper than in games. Jonas Jennings has all the measurables. He is a great prospect. Is he good football player? A savvy player? An instinctive player? Also, I think the 49ers are built to run the ball. That's one reason they can appear vulnerable trying to hold up in pass protection for long periods.
Jerry from Folsom, Calif., writes: Hi Mike. I love your blog. Great, thorough work there. I sent you a question during the chat today but it never showed up so I'll ask here. What are the chances that Lane Kiffin comes to the Rams in some capacity? I really like him as a head coach and pretty much think his firing by Al Davis is an endorsement of his abilities and mettle. Do you see him signing on as a consultant and maybe being the OC and heir apparent next season? If not, what about the possibility of the Rams moving to LA as soon as next season and signing one of the top coaches that are not currently coaching (Cowher, Marty)? Thanks.
Mike Sando: Thanks, Jerry. I've got friends in Folsom and sometimes go jet-skiing with my sister at the lake there. I have no knowledge of anything involving Kiffin and another team, this season or in the future. Al Saunders is the offensive coordinator in St. Louis. I'm not sure making fundamental changes to the offensive system after four games would make much sense.
As far as the Rams moving, my understanding is that their lease will tie them to St. Louis for the time being. I do think the ownership situation there is potentially tenuous, though.
Adam from Seattle writes: Hi Mike, awesome blog! I'm wondering if you agree that the noise at Qwest Field is starting to become a handicap for the Seattle defense. Every home game, the hawks are pretty much guaranteed 2 to 5 false starts, basically killing a few drives a game by the opponent, and letting them rest. On the road, they have to play a full game without these gimmes, and seem to struggle. It kind of seems like practicing guitar with a capo on three frets up all the time, and then taking it off and immediately trying to play a concert.
Mike Sando: Thanks, Adam. I'm not sure the advantage at home creates a disadvantage on the road. In other words, the disadvantage that exists on the road isn't dependent on what happens at Qwest Field. I think Seattle has built its defense for speed and that speed matters more when the opposing offense is a half-step slower while trying to hear the snap count.
Kenny from Chicago writes: since breaston will start in place of boldin who will do the kick and punt returns?
Mike Sando: The plan was for Steve Breaston to remain the Cardinals' return specialist.
Jamie from Austin, Texas, writes: Hi Mike, great job as usual, been following your blogs since the '05 draft when everyone laughed at the Tatupu pick. On to my question. I've read a couple of things now about Haslett opening up the Rams' practices to reporters. I just assumed that all teams allowed this, since you guys have always reported on the Seahawks practices. How common is it for teams to allow reporters at practice? Is it mostly just the media-friendly teams? I can think of a few that probably don't, like Belichick, Mangini, Parcells, etc. If you could give us some insight to that process, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.
Mike Sando: Some teams do allow local reporters to watch practices on condition that those reporters will not report specific information about game plans. That means you don't write or talk about that halfback pass or fake field goal you might have seen. The Seahawks practices have been open under Mike Holmgren.
Cirxtopher from Richmond, Va., writes: Mike, I am having a hard time getting to the bottom of Anquan Boldin's injury. The buzz phrase is "fractured sinus membrane", but I can't find a definition for that. I have heard all sorts of guesses, but there's a big difference between a simple broken nose or soft tissue damage versus a fissured forehead, which could keep him out of action for well over a month. What do you know?
Mike Sando: I have the same questions. I've sought answers from the Cardinals. They have revealed nothing. The word "fracture" suggests something more than a torn membrane.
Alex from Tempe, Ariz., writes: Hey Mike, Do you think that the Cards still have a legitimate chance to take the NFC West title this year after going 2-2? Even after the aweful play of the defense against the Jets, I am still optimistic. Also, do you have any idea if Anquan will play against Buffalo?
Mike Sando: I do not expect Boldin to play this week. And I think the inability to split on the recent road trip raises the ante. The Cardinals must beat the Bills in my view. Otherwise they would be 2-3 and riding a three-game losing streak into their game against Dallas.
Kerry from Richmond, Wash., writes: Hey Mike, What do you think the Hawks are going to do with Keary Colbert and all of the leftover receivers that don't fit into the plan any more with Engram, and Deion back and healthy? And with Julius Jones's amazing performance against the Rams, will we be seeing more of that, or was it just a one game fluke?
Mike Sando: Courtney Taylor would probably be the odd man out if everyone's healthy. Koren Robinson's inability to make it through practices doesn't help his cause. That one is worth monitoring. As for Jones, he won't get to play the Rams every week. I think he will have some big games, but not every week.
Josh from Springfield writes: Do you think Bobby Engram or Deion Branch will be the #1 receiver in Seattle? Who do you think will have more fantasy value?
Mike Sando: Engram. Hasselbeck trusts him implicitly and has a great rapport with him.
Fatejd from Bellevue, Wash., writes: Whatever happened to Plack? I noticed ESPN hasn't updated his profile since he was release by the 'Hawks. Do you have any insight as to why he was kicking so badly after he came back? Maybe just not into game condition yet?
Mike Sando: Ryan Plackemeier remains out of work. He probably had to hurry back from the torn pectoral. Not that he wasn't ready physically, but he didn't have the luxury that another month of offseason rehab would have afforded.
Kolbe from Scottsdale, Ariz., writes: Do you think with Q out we'll see any glimpses of Early Doucet? Like Josh Morgan with the '9ers I remember hearing good things in Spring Training but not a sign of him since. Also, what can the Cardinals do to shore up their suddenly porous defense? Was Bertrand Berry that good or are opponents just wising up to Clancy's overly aggressive schemes? I've noticed the Cards' D has been especially vulnerable to screens and misdirections the last couple weeks.
Mike Sando: I don't think the Cardinals have been overly aggressive on defense so far, at least compared to how they played in the past. My gut tells me they missed Adrian Wilson, and that they just didn't handle sudden-change situations (frequent turnovers) very well on the road. As for Doucet, the hamstring injury set him back. It's tough for these young receivers to flourish in game situations. I've watched Breaston struggle to get lined up correctly.
Chris from Minneapolis writes: In your links roundup, why do you underline the columnist and not the main point of the story? It is a major inconvenience. Nobody cares about the columnists. With so much content, underlining the key takeaway would enrich the experience for your readers. On the Q&A front, with Ty on the hotseat at UW, the question continues to be raised as to whether or not Jim Mora Jr. can be a program savior. Under what circumstances, if any, could Mora be talked out of his future head coaching gig with the 'Hawks?
Mike Sando: I agree with you in theory but thought the abundance of linked items might make uniformity more valuable. The way I do it allows for quick identification of the source while making the experience more predictable. That was my feeling anyway. In general, I agree with you wholeheartedly. Link the verbs.
I don't think the Seahawks would let Mora take that job, and I don't think Mora would want that job over the Seahawks job.
Alan from Long Beach, Calif., writes: I feel that you did a solid job in breaking down the details of the alignment for my 49ers really well. I felt that our two TE sets work well becuase it almost forces the LB's to think deep pass, but yet worry about a solid run by the best RB in the game (Frank Gore)- that spilt second of hesitation was seen well by the Detroit Lions linbackers in week 3. Good job, Mike. _Alan
Mike Sando: Thanks. It's interesting to watch how Martz uses his personnel, and to formulate opinions as to how that personnel might be used differently.
Zach from Seattle writes: Mike, I was wondering where do you think the hawks stand in the future with Jim Mora Jr. as the coach. As a hawks fan and growing up watching them I feel that the loss of Holmgren will be close to devastating to Seattle and its organization, I just hope I'm wrong. What do you think about this?
Mike Sando: I do anticipate some growing pains. Holmgren brought such stability to the franchise. For all his sideline fury and combustibility, Holmgren can bring calm to a rough situation. I wonder how the Seahawks will respond to adversity once Holmgren leaves.
Mike from Jackson, Miss., writes: Mike - While I trying not to pay too much attention to the Power Rankings, I find it a bit naive that the media has the Giants up on this huge pedestal after we're only 4 weeks into the season and they have played only 3 games. I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone of the 3 games both the hawks and giants have played thus far: Week 1 - Redskins @ home. Redskins have a brand new head coach, new offensive system, and a young quarterback that has had a new offensive scheme every year he's been in the league - 4 years.
It would be good to revisit what was written about the Redskins after that game. Yes, they've won 3 straight now, including the Cowboys in Dallas, but the week 4 Redskins team is not the same as the week 1 Redskins team. Week 2 - @ St. Louis Rams. We all know the story here. All aspects of this team are in complete disarray. Week 3 - Cincinnatti Bengals @ home. See week 2 @ St. Louis, plus they had to eek this one out in overtime.
The Seahawks lost @ Buffalo due to some unusual special teams plays, plus key injuries. They lost a very good game at home to S.F., with even more injuries coming in to play. They pounded St. Louis with receivers that came off the street and unproven rookies or young players with "athletic ability". Oh yea, their Pro Bowl middle linebacker and cornerback are playing with casts on their hands. I see a shocker coming to New York this weekend. Mike in Jackson, MS. (displaced Seahawks fan)
Mike Sando: The power rankings can be tough to compile. Someone has to be No. 1. The gap between teams can be difficult to measure. Are the Giants much better than, say, the Cowboys?
Every team has injuries. Seattle's defense hasn't stepped up to expectations, injuries or not. The Giants have fought through all sorts of personnel issues. Michael Strahan retires. Osi Umenyiora out for the season. Those situations hurt more than having casts on hands, yet the Giants have persevered.
Joe from New York writes: Mike, Great work on the NFC West updates as usual!!! Seattle has a tough game this weekend at the Giants, but with [RT Sean] Locklear coming back and some healthy wideouts this game should be a close one. Your thoughts? Also any update on a contract offer to Leroy Hill? They need to get him under contract for a long time as a can do it all at the LB spot. Regards, Joey
Mike Sando: Thanks much, Joe. Have heard nothing new on Hill. I'll share some end-of-week thoughts on the Seahawks-Giants game as part of our "Audibles" package scheduled to run this afternoon.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Mike Sando
Sando joined ESPN.com in 2007 after nine seasons covering the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma (Wash.) News Tribune. He lives in the Seattle-Tacoma area with his wife and two sons.