By Mike KahnSeahawks Insider
Sometimes it can be real tough to figure out D.J. Hackett, even during what has been perhaps the most exciting week of his life.
Just four days after his wife Alexandra gave birth to their first child – Andre James – he was the standout of the Seahawks annual intrasquad scrimmage Saturday evening before a sun-splashed crowd of more than 10,000 in Memorial Stadium at the Seattle Center.
Most of the time the scrimmage was controlled, and the quarterbacks could not be hit, but Hackett was clearly the primary receiver with five receptions for 65 yards and a 39-yard touchdown catch. Although he downplays it, every little bit helps as he tries to fend off Nate Burleson for the starting split end position.
"This is a great week for me personally and it's always fun at the beginning of the season when everybody's fresh," Hackett said. "We're just throwing the ball around, making some good tosses and catches … getting the kinks out. I'm trying to catch up on sleep and it's tough, but we got to sleep in a little bit today.
"For me personally, I'm not trying to prove anything. I'm just trying to produce. The coaches look at it and that's for them to determine after that. No, I don't look at it as a battle. I just go out there to do the best I can and it's up to them to decide."
There were some players banged up a bit, but coach Mike Holmgren remained optimistic about tight end Ben Joppru (hip), and wide receivers Ben Obomanu (neck) and Courtney Taylor (knee). But all in all coach Mike Holmgren was pleased with the effort.
All three quarterbacks – Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace and David Greene – were effective and mounted good drives, while the running game was solid for a number of backs, beginning with Shaun Alexander, Mo Morris and Leonard Weaver making plays.
Burleson returned a kickoff that looked like it would have been a touchdown, but the play of the day came when cornerback Kelly Jennings made a diving interception at the goal line in front of second-year free agent Chris Jones. He then quickly popped to his feet, raced up the sidelines, then cut across the field to outrace the speedy Wallace for the 99-yard touchdown.
"(Jennings) had the advantage because everyone stopped, but it was good," Holmgren said. "It was a good effort by the quarterback trying to chase him down. They're so used to having that play blown dead in practice that it's hard to stop them and Kelly kept running just like he was supposed to. That's good. It was exciting for everybody. I liked it.
"A scrimmage is a scrimmage and there are some things we know we have to correct, but all in all I think it was a good day. It was a good day for the fans and we had to bang around a little bit before our first game.
"We have a couple of injuries. We don't have a lot of details on them yet. Joppru hurt his hip; Ben hurt his neck a little bit. Courtney tweaked his knee and a couple of hamstrings. But the ones we have to watch for are Obomanu and Joppru."
Holmgren said he decided to rest Walter Jones and his sore shoulder, while Marcus Tubbs, Jordan Babineaux and Floyd Womack did not dress.
Middle linebacker Niko Koutouvides led the defense with six tackles and a forced fumble that defensive end Darryl Tapp recovered, while top draft choice Josh Wilson had two pass defenses and nearly intercepted a ball that he made a perfect break on. The line pressured the quarterbacks, although it was difficult to judge because they could not hit them.
Still, it was a great way for defensive end Patrick Kerney to get his feet wet with the Seahawks and prove he is all the way back from a torn right pectoral muscle suffered last season in Atlanta.
"Yeah, it felt good to be back out there playing football again in a live situation.," Kerney said. "I got in one pile of a tackle, and obviously can't hit the quarterback. Throwing real punches and what not felt great.
"Fans out here are unbelievable – I witnessed that when I was an opponent (from Atlanta) here," Kerney said. "They're just raucous and it's great. The surgeons and my therapists are just as confident as before. I've tested it in the weight room doing every kind of lift possible and it's getting stronger and stronger."
It was particularly fun for Greene, too, who had the same sharpness that opened some eyes in the final preseason game last year against Oakland. Saturday he was 8-of-9 for 65 yards, and the one incompletion came when his hand hit Morris in the helmet and the ball fell harmlessly to the ground on a third down play.
"It felt good to get out there and get into a good rhythm," Greene said. "I got a bunch plays – I probably ran 15-16 plays at least. We got a good driving right away, and on third down I was hot (with a blitz), and I dropped back to throw the ball and my hand hit Mo's helmet and we fumbled. We had a good thing going and then we ruined it. But it was fun and we moved the ball. Anytime you get out there in a game atmosphere with the fans it was fun."
Generally speaking – save the unknown status of the injuries – it was the kind of Saturday afternoon that fans love – as a first glance at their 2007 Seahawks. And considering SeaFair, the Mariners, the Storm and the Sounders all were in play Saturday, it showed how the popularity of the Seahawks – even in a scrimmage – are the big draw.
And on this day, it was Hackett making the most noise.
"He caught the ball well today – moved well – and we need that from him," Holmgren said. "Absolutely he made the plays,. Matt went to him and like I said, he moved pretty well.
"It's really something (here). These folks were great today and we appreciate them very, very much. Now we go back to the rigors of training camp."
from him," Holmgren said. "Absolutely he made the plays,. Matt went to him and like I said, he moved pretty well.
"It's really something (here). These folks were great today and we appreciate them very, very much. Now we go back to the rigors of training camp."
