Good-bye Week

Good-bye, Deion Branch.

Good-bye, Julius Jones.

Hello, Marshawn Lynch.

During the bye week, the team discarded two disappointing players and took a chance on an oft-arrested runner from Buffalo. (Does anyone else miss the days when character was a criterion for being a Seahawk?)

Perhaps the positive influence of college teammate Justin Forsett will help Lynch stay on the straight and narrow in Seattle. Certainly, Lynch represents a potential on-the-field upgrade over Julius Jones, the perennial disappointment who never became comfortable with the zone blocking scheme, and whose utility had become so marginal that he was relegated to the inactive list in some games this season.

One is forced to concede the genius of New England head coach Bill Belichick. When recent Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch held out for a fat contract, he extorted a first-round pick from Seattle. In return, the Seahawks earned the privilege of paying Branch far more than he deserved to underproduce and get injured. Now that Branch has regained his health and shows signs of returning to form, the Patriots take him back. We garnered a fourth-round pick in return--rather good value for a marginal veteran receiver--and Belichick got Branch to accept a salary more in line with his performance.

Meanwhile, the move confirms that Mike Williams & Deion Branch were not, in fact, viable replacements for last year's starters, Nate Burleson (who we let escape through free agency), and TJ Houshmandzadeh (who we cut and continue to pay $6 million to play for Baltimore). Perhaps Deon Butler will prove a better complement for Mike Williams.

Of course, it might be hard to tell this week. The Seahawks face another tough test on the road today with an early game in Chicago.

In the best possible world, the bye week would have given Seattle's battered offensive line an opportunity to heal and develop some cohesion. Perhaps Russell Okung--who looked like a rookie in the half he played in St. Louis--will look more like a first-round pick this week, but trying to stop Julius Peppers is a less-than-ideal assignment for anyone making their second NFL start.

If we can play Chicago tough, it will bode well for the rest of the season.

But my gut says we get blown out again today.