Seahawks bashed, bruised, beaten

Seattle rolls out clunker in N.Y.

By Frank Hughes | The News Tribune • Published October 06, 2008

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren better hope the team's biorhythms were off on Sunday afternoon at Giants Stadium.

Because the alternative is perhaps too distressful to consider.

For the second time in four games, the Seahawks were thoroughly manhandled, the New York Giants thrashing them from the very start of what turned out to be a 44-6 decision played before 79,529 fans, many of whom felt compelled to depart early for additional tailgating, which was more entertaining than this laugher.

Yes, the Giants are the defending Super Bowl champions who have won eight consecutive games.

But in dropping to 1-3 for the first time since 2002, the Seahawks did not appear to be even close to the same stratosphere as the undefeated Giants (4-0).

The outcome, Seattle's worst loss since dropping a 41-3 decision to the New York Jets in the 1997 season opener, once again raised questions about the Seahawks' inability to function properly when they travel to the East Coast, something Holmgren derisively dismissed as "bunk" earlier in the week.

But if that was not the explanation for getting outscored 78-16 in the state of New York this season — including a 34-10 loss at Buffalo in the season opener — then it could only mean that the Seahawks have taken a significant step back in Holmgren's final season as a head coach because they no longer appear to be able to compete with the upper echelon of the NFL.

"We have to really honestly, players and coaches, look at what we're doing and how we're doing everything," Holmgren said. "Give the Giants credit, but from our standpoint today was unacceptable. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth."

With Arizona winning on Sunday, the Seahawks have fallen two games behind the leader in the NFC West, something they never imagined when this promising season began.

It gets no easier, with Holmgren's former team, the Green Bay Packers, coming to Qwest Field next week, followed by a trip to Tampa Bay (another East Coast trip) and then San Francisco, which already has defeated Seattle this season.