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Left smarting, and fuming

Posted Dec 13, 2009

Coach Jim Mora was threatening changes on the offensive line Sunday after QB Matt Hasselbeck was battered in a 34-7 loss to the Texans


HOUSTON – Jim Mora was pulling no punches after his team had just been slapped around by the Houston Texans.

The Seahawks’ first-year head coach said he was discouraged after his team’s 34-7 loss on Sunday. “As discouraged as after any game in my career,” he fumed.

But Mora didn’t stop there. He plans to look long and hard at any changes that can be made on the offensive line after quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was battered into near submission by a relentless pass rush at Reliant Stadium. He will use the team’s remaining three games as a barometer to gauge which players deserve to be with the club next season.

The loss was that devastating, and complete.

“No. 1, I’m not happy at all with the way our offensive line is playing,” Mora said. “We are going to take an extremely hard look at that over the next two days. And I can promise you, there will be changes. If there are changes that need to be made, then we will make them even at this late stage in the season.

“No. 2, we’re going to find out about some people over the next three weeks. As slim as our playoff aspirations where, they were there. There not there anymore. Now, we’re going to find out who desrves to be part of the process going forward.

“We going to take a microscope and look at everything.”

The Texans came into this game on a four-game losing streak. But they definitely had the Seahawks’ number on this day. Or, numbers, to be exact.

There was No. 80, Pro Bowl wide receiver Andre Johnson. The players and coaches talked all week about containing the big-play receiver who also is a big receiver. Instead, Johnson scored on a 64-yard reception on the first play of the game and never looked back in finishing with 11 receptions for 193 yards and two touchdowns.

“He’s a big-time player and he made big-time plays today,” said cornerback Marcus Trufant, who was beaten on the first play of the game and several of Johnson’s other receptions.

There was No. 8, sore-shoulder QB Matt Schaub, who played for Mora when both were with the Atlanta Falcons. The plan was to get some pressure on Schaub, who separated his left shoulder in last week’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. But rather than make him feel uncomfortable in the pocket, Schaub felt right at home for most of the afternoon as he completed 29 of 39 passes for 365 yards and the two TD passes to Johnson.

Defensively, there were No. 59 and No. 56, the linebacking duo of DeMeco Ryans and rookie Brian Cushing who combined for 22 tackles, Cushing had one of the Texans’ three sacks of Hasselbeck, while defensive end Mario Williams had the other two. Hasselbeck also was hit six other times, but it looked and felt like 60.

The Seahawks weren’t just beaten, they were beat up, as well. Wide receivers Nate Burleson (ankle) and linebacker Aaron Curry (hip) were carted off the field. Burleson is scheduled for a magnetic resonance imaging test on Monday. Curry said he was feeling better after the game, but could not have walked off the field after being blasted by teammate and middle linebacker David Hawthorne.

Then there was Hasselbeck, who had to leave the game at one point, but did return.

“We didn’t protect Matt a lick,” Mora said. “I’m not going to say he’s OK. Because no one can stand there and get punished the way he did and he OK.”

Hasselbeck did throw a 4-yard TD pass to John Carlson for the Seahawks’ only score, but wasn’t nearly enough on a day when he was under duress from start to finish.

“It’s our fault,” left guard Rob Sims. “It rests on our shoulders.”

As impressive as the Texans’ statistics were, the Seahawks countered with some telling numbers of their own: 1 for 14 on third downs; 1 for 5 on fourth downs; an almost eight-minute gap in time of possession.

“Our execution right now is just not very good,” Hasselbeck said, after his lengthy stay in the training room. “If you come out and play like that you’re going to get embarrassed, and that’s what happened today.”

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