But an entire team cannot win this award, so how about a single unit? Consideration had been given to the Special Teams unit. Seriously. I'm not kidding. Really!
While they did give up a TD on a punt return, everyone agrees that it should have been called back, if for no other reason than the ticky-tack block in the back call on Seattle that stood, earlier in the game. But apart from this one gaff, the unit made no major mistakes and did not turn the ball over, which is to say it was SUPERB!
Peter Warrick didn't do anything special, except hold on to every punt, which when you're filling in for Jimmy "Jittery" Williams, that in itself is pretty special. The punt team kept pinning the Panthers deep in their own end with good coverage on kicks, even if the refs did put another screw job on us, originally calling one punt out at the 4 yard line, only to come back from commercial break and seeing the Panthers starting at their own 20.
Admittedly, Josh Brown did miss a 47-yard attempt, but he was money on his other tries, was kicking the ball off nice and deep, and the one pooch-punt earlier in thegame was a thing of beauty. On the other side of the kicking game, Josh Scobey once again provided adequate return yardage, and he did break one long return which set up our opening scoring drive in the 3rd quarter, the same drive that was awarded the prestigious "Corney Bronze Race Car."
But the award really needs to go to an idividual players, so let's get down to those who stepped up during the actual game.
The first person who comes to mind is Sean "the anti-Heather" Locklear, who earlier in the week dubiously stepped out of obscurity by being arrested for an altercation outside a nightclub with his live-in girlfriend, and spent the long weekend in jail. Talk about a potentially distracting situation going into the biggest game in the history of the franchise! Thankfully, the media, the organization, and Sean himself handled things well and appropriately, and he turned in an outstanding performance against one of the league's fiercest pass rushers. However, even though all the facts of the case are not public, being an East Coast liberal "hippie", this award cannot go to someone facing a domestic violence charge. Sorry Sean.
On the defensive side of the ball you've got Craig Terrill, one of the Ruskell "high motor" free agents who seemed to be everywhere the ball was when it was his turn to be in the game. Most notably, Craig "the Terrible" (meant in an Ivan wreaking havoc complimentary way) was the one who forced the Jimmy Smith fumble late in the game, which not only put the exclamation point on how thoroughly and completely we shut down the hottest receiver in the playoffs, but it allowed Matt Hasselbeck and the offense to come in and rightfully and proper end this game in the "Victory V" formation.
But while Craig's efforts were appreciated, they were only good to make him a runner-up for the MGA this week.
In terms of someone truely stepping up when called upon, and in terms of stepping out of obscurity, there is only one member of the 2005 Seattle Seahawks deserving of the MGA this week, and it's none other than backup quarterback Seneca Wallace. Never before has a backup quarter back received such accolades and attention in a close game where the starting quarterback remained healthy!
It was just one play, but that one play spoke volumes about the man, the team, and this organization. Statistically, it was a 28-yard completion from the quarterback to a wide receiver for a first down. Upon further review, it was our backup-quarterback lining up opposite one of the leagues' young shutdown cornerbacks, who incidentally left the Seahawks last year in free agency, executing a picture perfect double-move, and then making a spectacular over the should catch. Metaphorically, it was the organization thanking every selfless player on the team for being prepared week after week, understanding the possibilities of getting quality playing time were "slim and none", yet performing at a very high level when their number was called.The list of these players is endless, but it has to start with guys like Marquand Manuel, DD Lewis, Leroy Hill, Jerheme Urban, D.J. Hackett, Jordan Babineaux, Joe Jurevicius, Sean Locklear, Jerramy Stevens, Ryan Hannam, Jimmy Williams, Mo Morris, Isiah Kacyvenski, Niko Koutouvides, as well as Pork Chop Womack and Itula Mili. Sure this seems like the entire team, but the reason why we're playing in the Super Bowl next week is that every guy on that list either stepped up in a big way when called upon, or understood and accepted that some other guy be playing his position for whatever reason.
So when "AVIS" cradled that pass from Matt on his shoulders, he was also shouldering the load for all of the guys on the depth chart, and cradling a bundle of admiration and gratitude from the coaches, the organization and all of the fans, proving that when you are number two, you definitely try harder!
After Shaun fumbled away our best scoring opportunity, and then left the game with a concussion, the rest of the first half became a close-to-the-vest chess match between the two coaches, and an intense battle for field position. Our best weapon throughout this skirmish was none other than punter Tom Rouen, the Divisional Round Playoff MGA winner.
