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NEW ORLEANS -- Sitting at his locker, quiet and laid back, it's hard to believe this is the man who ignites the Seattle Seahawks defense, playing a reckless, loud and brash style that his opponents player-hating and his teammates yearning for more.
Can this really be that guy?
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| Ken Hamlin's style fires up teammates like cornerback Ken Lucas (21).(Getty Images) |
Hamlin is a ball of fury on the field, yapping at anyone who will listen, bringing big hits -- some even a little close to being after the whistle (OK, they are late) -- and helping ignite a group of young players that now suddenly seems to a have a cocky attitude.
"They have a little swagger over there now," said Seattle receiver Darrell Jackson. "They like to fly around, they like to hit and they like to talk. That's the way a defense is supposed to be. Ken does that. That's what you want from your strong safety. I've been here four years, and that's something that's been missing. People were too quiet. That guy brings a lot to the defense."
"I just go out and play football," Hamlin said. "I play hard, and sometimes I talk a lot, too. It's how I get things going. It's no big deal."
A defense that finished ranked 19th in the league last season, including 27th against the pass, needed something. Sunday's dominating performance against the Saints is a big first step. Seattle is a trendy Super Bowl pick by many, but if the defense doesn't make the strides to help even things out with its high-scoring offense, that won't happen.
We know the Seattle offense will score, and its showing against the Saints is proof this is a unit that will again put up big numbers. Seattle rolled up 415 yards of offense, including 246 passing yards for Matt Hasselbeck and 135 rushing for Shaun Alexander, who scored all three touchdowns.
Hasselbeck, who has grown into the perfect Mike Holmgren quarterback by getting the ball out on time and spreading it around, hit seven different receivers. He was 19-of-29, but he had three drops, so his numbers could have been even better.
Alexander got stronger as the game went on, gaining 52 of his yards in the fourth quarter before leaving late with a knee injury. Alexander will have an MRI Monday, but he walked off the field and said later he didn't think it was serious.
"It's sore, but the doctors checked it out and said it was OK," Alexander said.
The way the Seattle line played Sunday, it wouldn't have mattered who was carrying the ball. It dominated the Saints defensive front, opening holes and giving Hasselbeck time. When he didn't have the time, he slipped away from the pressure to make throws down the field, showing why Holmgren believes in him so much.