At the beginning of the season, when Chris Berman asked ESPN analyst Tom Jackson which quarterback in the league will lose his job first, Jackson replied, “Matt Hasselbeck.” He admitted that he is a big Seneca Wallace fan, but his response surprised me a little, considering I drafted Hasselbeck in four of my five fantasy leagues and was expecting a big season from him. What did Hasselbeck do? He was fourth in the league with a passer rating of 98.2 and threw for 3459 yards and 24 touchdowns against only nine interceptions, putting together the most efficient season of his career.
When Mike Holmgren left Green Bay to take over the head coaching and general manager duties in Seattle, he immediately traded for Hasselbeck, giving up just a third round pick and moving down seven spots in the first round. The Packers had to get something for Hasselbeck as he was due to become a free agent at the end of the season, but with the draft picks, the trade ended up being Hasselbeck and G Steve Hutchinson for DE Jamal Reynolds and MLB Torrance Marshall. It turned out to be a great trade for the Seahawks.
But it wasn’t always smooth sailing for the quarterback in Seattle. He and Holmgren butted heads several times over his first few seasons and it wasn’t until 2003 that the light really went on in Hasselbeck’s head. Now it seems that the coach and the quarterback are on the same page and the result is the first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history.
Everyone thinks that it is RB Shaun Alexander that makes the Seahawks go. But Seattle’s passing game is so important, especially against a stout rush defense like Pittsburgh. Seattle will not win if Hasselbeck doesn’t play well, and the quarterback from the other team isn’t in quite the same situation. Ben Roethlisberger can play poorly and the Steelers, with their outstanding running game and defense, can still get a win. Seattle’s offense is their strength and the pressure is really on Hasselbeck to play well.
