The Seahawks are the defending NFC West champions, but so what?

Their 9-7 record was the worst by a division winner, and they lost in the first
round of the playoffs for the third time under Mike Holmgren. What that
did was create more questions than it answered. Holmgren has spent the summer looking for answers, the first being how to to beat the Rams, against whom he went 0-3 last season.

Another was to figure out how defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes will shore up a unit that slipped to 26th in total defense last season. The simple answer is wait for people to get healthy, because six of Rhodes' top players missed a total of 52 games last year, including the loss for nearly half a season of defensive end Grant Wistrom, their premier free-agent signing. But it was not as simple as that, and Holmgren and Rhodes know it. It got more complicated after the free-agent defections of leading cornerback Ken Lucas, who had six interceptions last season to tie for the conference lead, and pass rusher Chike Okeafor.

To replace Okeafor, the Seahawks went back to the Rams and signed Wistrom's former teammate, Bryce Fisher, who had 8 1/2 sacks a year ago and should benefit playing opposite Wistrom. Replacing Lucas wasn't quite so simple.

Seattle added free-agent linebacker Jamie Sharper and undersized rookie linebacker Lofa Tatupu out of Southern Cal. Tatupu has come in undersized and stepped right in at middle linebacker almost from Day One.

At the second level, corners Kelly Herndon and Andre Dyson were brought in during free agency. Both have starting experience, although neither may be the player Lucas was becoming. Dyson will start across from Marcus Trufant, then we'll see where Rhodes goes. Rhodes' defense last season not only gave up three more points per game than the year before but more importantly gave up more points than the Seahawks scored. That must reverse itself, and we'll see if they were able to blend the new parts in with the ones that remain.

HOT SEAT: Peter Warrick. The vastly talented wide receiver Koren Robinson wore out his welcome in Seattle. It's been so long since the year he caught 78 passes for 1,240 yards back in 2002 that all anyone on the Seahawks' staff can remember is that he keeps getting in trouble off the field and dropping balls when he's on it.

Robinson was among the NFL leaders in dropped passes in 2003-04 and he missed six games last season due to both a league suspension for substance abuse and a team suspension for violating club rules. Now Warrick is here. Former teammate and ex-Seahawk quarterback Jon Kitna believes the Seattle offense is perfectly suited to his talents. Holmgren hopes Kitna is right.

OVERHEARD: Holmgren's problems with Pro Bowl running back Shawn Alexander were more philosophical than personal. Alexander rushed for 1,696 yards last season, one less than the Jets' Curtis Martin, and he took that personally. Frankly, so did Holmgren, but in a different way.

Holmgren believes teams don't get to the Super Bowl with the game's leading rusher, his thinking being if you're grinding it out that way you're not making enough big plays. He's reminded of this every time he looks at the Super Bowl ring he won coaching the Packers. That year lead back Edgar Bennett rushed for less than 900 yards. Now Alexander is signed to a one-year franchise designation the Seahawks have agreed will not be extended. So Alexander is playing for free agency or a long-term deal in Seattle. To get either he has to play well.

OUTLOOK: The Seahawks have a sound offense and a defense that should be better than it played last season. If they both play up to their potential, the Seahawks will battle the Rams for the division title. But somehow they always seem to end up 9-7 and in a dogfight to the final weekend.

PREDICTION: Second.

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