Lord have mercy, we cut Percy

I still can't believe we lost to Dallas. At home.

The recipe for a Seattle loss is clear: Fail to feed the Beast, and let the opposing offense hold the ball twice as long as your offense.

I can't believe Darrell Bevell couldn't figure out how to integrate Percy Harvin into the offense. As a coach, I never had the problem of too many weapons, but it seems like it would have been a nice problem to have. For example, when Dallas showed they would swarm Harvin every time he touched the ball, I would have used him as a decoy while feeding the Beast and other playmakers until the defense adjusts.

Of course, the offensive coordinator is not to blame for Harvin's attitude problem. Picking fights with fellow receivers and your quarterback is bad enough, but refusing to enter the game in the 4th quarter was beyond the pale. Pussy Harvin now gets what he deserves: exile to a program of perennial losers, the dysfunctional New York Jets.

Bevell still has his work cut out for him. Future defenses will follow Dallas in modifying their pass rush and deploying a spy to contain Russell Wilson in the pocket. We need an answer for that, and it must involve 1) running the ball well and 2) receivers getting open. Neither task is easy, given the injuries to Pro Bowl center Max Unger and our top two tight ends, Zach Miller and Luke Willson. Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse need to establish that they are credible starting NFL wideouts.

We can't blame Harvin or Bevell for Seattle's defensive struggles. We're giving up too many yards and too many points, generating too few turnovers, and giving opponents too much time of possession.

We have generally stopped the run (except against Dallas), but the pass rush needs to put more pressure and punishment on opposing quarterbacks.

Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas continue to play reasonably well, but otherwise, the secondary has become the Legion of Meh. We've been unlucky with injuries at nickelback and the other cornerback position. At strong safety, Kam Chancellor is playing hurt and it shows. I generally doubt that hurt starters can outperform healthy reserves.

It's gut check time. We're 3-2, just one win above mediocrity, holding third place in a four-team division. We can't afford to drop our first division game. The Rams are having another bad year, but under Jeff Fisher they generally put a good fight, especially at home.

Seattle needs to make a statement to exorcise the demons of last week's loss, get the season back on track, and remind the Rams that we still own them.

Go, Hawks!