5) Game planning.

The Seahawks can be very predictable some times. Until the shift to pass first mid-season, first down running plays were very common, almost a rule. When Holmgren first came to Seattle, screen passes, play action and draw plays were common. Things changed in 2005 when Shaun Alexander took the rushing title. Suddenly the Seahawks were a running West Coast offense. It didn't help that our receivers, Darryl Jackson and Koren Robinson, had severe problems holding onto the ball. Alexander was never a great receiving back but he went from 59 receptions in 2002 to 15 in 2005. It's important to get back to a proper balance and to do that the players need to be right. I wonder if the team does enough self-scouting to notice these trends. Defensively, John Marshall's schemes do not seem to be as aggressive on the road as they are at home, but that could be a lack of home cooking.

6) With that thought, become road warriors.

Home field for the Seahawks is practically a guaranteed win. This year they were 7-1 at Qwest Field. Road wins are much fewer to come by and include the botched handoff game in Arizona, the complete let down game in Carolina and the preparing for the playoffs game in Atlanta this year. If the Seahawks are to have home playoff games, a place no other team wants to come to in the playoffs, losses like that cannot happen. Seattle was 3-5 on the road this year. In 2005, the Seahawks were 5-3 including a last game loss to Green Bay that did not matter. Time zone changes, long flights, I understand but in the end, players are paid to go and play. They should be able to strap it on at two in the morning if they have to and go knock the snot out of the other team. That is toughness and the Seahawks do not have that reputation.

In the end, the problems are not as bad as in the past and easily corrected. The defense is a strong point, notwithstanding the Green Bay blizzard game in which the snow easily was the best player Green Bay had by negating the quickness of the defense. The offense is just missing a couple of keys. The coaching staff is solid and grooming Holmgren's heir apparent. This is the golden age of Seahawks football. Let us not waste it.