Bodog Beat

Seattle Seahawks need to keep key players healthy. (AP Images)

Mike Holmgren didn't expect to go out like that!

Holmgren announced before the 2008 season that he wouldn't be back to coach the Seahawks in 2009, but Seattle was favored to win its fifth NFC West title in a row last year and send Holmgren out in style.

Instead, Seattle plummeted to 4-12 as injuries devastated the team, especially at receiver. QB Matt Hasselbeck also succumbed to injuries and was terrible when he did play, leading to thoughts the team would grab Mark Sanchez in the 2009 draft. Instead Seattle opted for Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry to help fix a defense that was nearly as bad as the 30th-ranked offense.

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The good news for Hasselbeck and that offense is that the QB has reached the Pro Bowl in the past three odd-numbered years. And if that back problem is healed, maybe he'll make it four if helped by the additions of WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Edgerrin James, who will spell Julius Jones. Maybe if WRs Deion Branch and Nate Burleson stay healthy this year, the offense will return to a top-10 unit.

But already the offensive line, which was awful last year, is having injury issues. Center Chris Spencer will miss at least a month with a torn thigh muscle, meaning he's out for the first two regular-season games minimum. Perhaps of greater concern is tackle Walter Jones, a nine-time Pro Bowler.  The 35-year-old had his second knee surgery in eight months recently and is likely out at least six weeks – with some reports speculating it could be a season-ending injury. And finally, starting left guard Mike Wahle was released at the start of training camp after the two-time Pro Bowler failed a physical after shoulder surgery.

Does this all sound like déjà vu?

The strength of the defense will definitely be at linebacker despite the trade of Julian Peterson, the team's only Pro Bowler in 2008, to Detroit for defensive end Cory Redding. The starters will be Lofa Tatupu, Leroy Hill and the rookie Curry. It's a nice place to start.

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Here is the Seahawks' 2009 schedule, and we'll break it down after:
Sept. 13 vs. St. Louis Rams, 4:15 p.m.
Sept. 20 at San Francisco 49ers, 4:05 p.m.
Sept. 27 vs. Chicago Bears, 4:05 p.m.
Oct. 4 at Indianapolis Colts, 1 p.m.
Oct. 11 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars, 4:15 p.m.
Oct. 18 vs. Arizona Cardinals, 4:05 p.m.
Week 7: Bye
Nov. 1 at Dallas Cowboys, 1 p.m.
Nov. 8 vs. Detroit Lions, 4:05 p.m.
Nov. 15 at Arizona Cardinals, 4:15 p.m.
Nov. 22 at Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m.
Nov. 29 at St. Louis Rams, 1 p.m.
Dec. 6 vs. San Francisco 49ers, 4:15 p.m.
Dec. 13 at Houston Texans, 1 p.m.
Dec. 20 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 4:15 p.m.
Dec. 27 at Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m.
Jan. 3 vs. Tennessee Titans, 4:15 p.m.

Strength of schedule: 24th (opponents combined to go 117-139, .457, in 2008)
Projected record: 7-9
Bodog over/under total: 8
Bodog odds to win NFC West: 7/4
Bodog odds to win NFC: 18/1
Bodog odds to win Super Bowl XLIV: 40/1

So will this team return to the top of the division? Doubt it. Losing Jones and Spencer almost assures a 1-2 start in September. An opening-week road loss in Buffalo seemed to wreck Seattle's karma last year, but the Seahawks get a layup this time with a home game against the awful Rams. In fact, the Seahawks have the benefit of two games against St. Louis and one against 0-16 Detroit. That better be three wins. Don't rule out a win at San Francisco in Week 2, as Seattle has won five of six there, including last year.

Frankly, we might really know if this team is back in that Oct. 18 game against defending division champ Arizona. The Cards swept this series in 2008, but a Seattle win there heading into the bye could do wonders.

Seattle needs to be over .500 come that bye week, because the second half of the schedule is much tougher, starting with four of the team's first five games coming on the road following the off week. The Dec. 13 visit to Houston is Seattle's first to that city since 1994. And it might be a little chilly for that late December game at Lambeau Field.

Overall, the Seahawks are scheduled for six games at 10 a.m. Pacific time, which you know has to affect the players. On the bright side, the team doesn't have to travel all the way to the East Coast this year. And the franchise won't have to worry about any prime-time games for the first time since 1983 – unless the late-season flexible-scheduling changes that. It’s only the sixth time overall that Seattle didn't get a prime-time game.

New Seattle coach Jim Mora turned a 5-11 Falcons team into a division winner in his first season there. That won't happen in the Pacific Northwest.

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