TK Posted November 6, 2003 Share Posted November 6, 2003 http://www.tribnet.com/sports/story/4346670p-4355713c.html Hasselbeck gets 2nd chance at FedEx MIKE SANDO; The News Tribune KIRKLAND - An overconfident Matt Hasselbeck fell flat the last time he faced an underachieving Washington Redskins team at FedEx Field. The Seattle quarterback was making his fifth NFL start. The Seahawks had won three of six games to start the 2001 season, while the Redskins were only beginning to recover from an 0-5 start. The Seahawks lost, 27-14, and Hasselbeck was benched at halftime. He tossed two interceptions on the first three drives, then lost a fumble on first-and-goal with less than a minute left before halftime. "You're still trying to do things your way and until you're ready to do things my way, you're not going to play," coach Mike Holmgren told his precocious passer at halftime. While the Redskins are still struggling two years later - their record reads 3-5 heading into their game against Seattle on Sunday - Hasselbeck is a new player. "My confidence in Matt doing the correct things is as good as it has ever been," Holmgren said Wednesday. "That will just get better as we're together more. He's really playing very well." The Seahawks (6-2) are leading the NFC West. Dating to last season, the team has won 10 of 14 games with Hasselbeck as the starting quarterback. The player who bombed at FedEx Field two years ago no longer plays for Seattle. "We went in there thinking we would take it to them and they took it to us," Hasselbeck recalled. "You learn from that experience and you learn to play on the road, which we are hopefully getting better at, and this is an opportunity for us to go get a win." Hasselbeck has 14 touchdowns with nine interceptions in 10 road games over the last two seasons. That includes five touchdowns with four interceptions in three road games this season. The Seahawks are winning largely because Hasselbeck makes few mistakes, and also because he performs best when the pressure is greatest. Hasselbeck ranks fourth among NFL quarterbacks in third-down passer rating (110.1), behind Daunte Culpepper, Steve McNair and Marc Bulger. He ranks ninth in fourth-quarter passing (85.2) and 11th in overall rating (85.0). And he is remarkably effective when time is running short. Hasselbeck's rating jumps to 96.5 in the final two minutes of the second and fourth quarters. "His game speaks for itself," quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn said. "He's making big plays." Hasselbeck performed efficiently in two of three road games this season. He struggled at Green Bay, while tipped passes ruined an otherwise solid effort at Cincinnati two weeks ago. The team has been much more careless with the football away from Seahawks Stadium, although Hasselbeck usually wasn't to blame. "What can't change - from home game, road game, playoffs, Super Bowl - for the quarterback is his approach to decision-making," Holmgren said. "All of a sudden we go on the road and so we have seven turnovers and we play the four games at home and we don't have any. "That doesn't make any sense. ... That's something we have to focus in on and get better at." Hasselbeck has won four of his last six starts on the road dating to last season, plus a 2002 game at Dallas when he rallied Seattle to victory after the Seahawks lost Trent Dilfer to injury. One of the defeats was against the Redskins last season. Hasselbeck completed 64 percent of his passes for 264 yards without an interception, but the offense faltered repeatedly in the red zone. The Redskins, led by two of the NFL's top cornerbacks in Champ Bailey and Fred Smoot, left Seahawks Stadium with a 14-3 victory. This time, Hasselbeck will have to contend with some 85,000 hostile fans, plus any demons left over from his 2001 meltdown there. Crowd noise is a primary concern. "There is so much communication going on with the offensive line and the snap count," Hasselbeck said. "If you have a team with a great pass rusher who gets a jump on the snap count, then you can no longer use the snap count to your advantage. "That's tough, it is tough to pass protect and it's just tough every way that way. But, that is something you have to overcome. It is a reality that you have to go on the road and win." Mike Sando: 425-822-9504 mike.sando@mail.tribnet.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@DCGoldPants Posted November 6, 2003 Share Posted November 6, 2003 Did I read that wrong? I thought we went to Seattle last year.....didn't stary 0-5.....and beat up Hassleback. Am I missing somthing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TK Posted November 6, 2003 Author Share Posted November 6, 2003 Originally posted by Pharaoh Ramsey Did I read that wrong? I thought we went to Seattle last year.....didn't stary 0-5.....and beat up Hassleback. Am I missing somthing? Yes. You are. The Seahawks had won three of six games to start the 2001 season, while the Redskins were only beginning to recover from an 0-5 start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@DCGoldPants Posted November 6, 2003 Share Posted November 6, 2003 but that wasn't the last time faced Hassleback. We faced him last year and Bruce Smith forced a fumble from him I think and we only allowed 3 points.....from Hassleback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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