Benumb their wills

For a franchise reeling after losing four of their last five, hosting the worst team in the league could be just what the doctor ordered for Seattle.

Of course, at this point, the Seahawks can't take anyone lightly. Last week looked winnable, as Kansas City came to town riding a four-game road losing streak. Instead of piling on and extending that streak, we let them get healthy against us and humiliate us in our own house.

At 1-10, the Panthers might seem like patsies, but they're not. Sure, they've lost more games than Seattle, and have yet to win on the road, but Carolina has stayed competitive in every away game. (They have suffered two recent home blowouts, just like the Seahawks.)

The Panthers are not toothless. Like the great cat in Rilke's poem, they represent caged power yearning for freedom. Our challenge is to keep them imprisoned behind bars of futility, their wills benumbed.

Carolina's defense is not bad.

That is fortunate, because our offense can't match up against a good defense right now.

Without Mike Williams in the lineup last week, we couldn't throw the ball effectively. (Anyone miss Housh or Burleson, yet?) Williams is questionable today, but if there is any opponent we should be able to handle without him, it's Carolina.

And passing is the strength of our offense, compared to our snaillike ground game. Seattle has the league's lamest rushing "attack."

The problem, of course, is our offensive line: oft-injured, ever-changing, never-gelling, frequently smelling up the joint with their poor run blocking. Everyone had hoped that Russell Okung's return to the lineup two weeks ago would revive the unit's fortunes, but our ground game has remained stubbornly anemic.

Perhaps offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates, who too often lapses into stultifying predictability, can find an effective play-calling groove against the Panthers.

Despite horrendous quarterback play, Carolina's offense still moves the ball on the ground very effectively.

Unfortunately, run defense has emerged as Achilles' heel of our team. Early in the season, Seattle allowed among the fewest rushing yards in the league. Everything changed when Red Bryant and Colin Cole succumbed to injury against Oakland. To put it delicately, their substitutes have not risen to the occasion. In recent weeks, we have fielded the league's feeblest run defense.

Today's game gives our defense a chance to focus on remedying a fatal weakness in a relatively forgiving context. We should be able to stack the box, stuff the run, and pressure a rookie quarterback unaccustomed to the sonic hell that is Seahawks Stadium. There has never been a better week to dare an opponent to test our secondary. If Jimmy Clausen tries to beat us through the air, our corners and safeties should feast on interceptions.

But only if we put together a complete game.

At this point, every game is a must-win if we intend to make the playoffs.

The consequence for our failure against Kansas City last week was falling into a first place tie with St. Louis.

Meanwhile, San Francisco lurks just one game back. As I write this, the 49ers are hanging tough in Green Bay against a very good Packers team.

Seattle needs a confidence-building victory in a big way. The season is on the line.