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Transcript: Seahawks Coach Mike Holmgren

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It feels good.  Early on when I saw the schedule I was not real excited about having a bye so early in the season, but as it turns out it was the best thing that could have happened to us because we were able to [get them healthy], not only the receivers, but our running back and our right tackle and a couple of other guys, so it was a very unusual start to the season for us.  Now it is good to have them back so we have our full team and we can kind of put the thing together again.

Bobby Engram and Deion Branch both did everything that there was to do in practice all of last week?

Yeah, they did.  It was kind of players only, they ran the practices last week, but the reports I got were that they did everything.  We had a real practice on Monday and they did everything.  I will have to see by the end of the week how they feel.  You know they haven't played football for a while, but as far as practicing and their abilities to do stuff it appears that they are healed up.

What do you expect from Brandon Jacobs?

He is an impressive guy.  Anybody that big and that fast and plays the game as hard as he plays the game and also their offensive line is really impressing me.  It is a challenge for our defensive team.  You allow him to get into your secondary and get going, he is a load and they have good depth there.  They play a couple guys so it is a challenge.  Our guys are working on it.  There are not many backs his size that can do what he does, so that is the challenge of it.

Did you find yourself calling more running plays with the receiver injuries?  The numbers seem to be 50/50 run/pass for the three games.

Well, I called more running plays certainly in the last game because it was 50/50 pretty much against San Francisco.  Against the Rams we actually ran 46 times and only threw 21 passes, so it was really lopsided that way and in Buffalo in the first game it was lopsided the other way.  I would strive for balance in a perfect world, but I am always going to do what I think I have to do to move the football, but I think we are better offensively if I can mix it up and stay somewhat balanced.

Do you have to see Engram and Branch go through the whole week before you can know how much you will use them?

Yeah, yeah that is the plan right now.

Do you find yourself getting nostalgic at all since this is your last year?

Well, not yet.  I had a long talk with myself when we made the decision and then prior to the start of the season at training camp that I was going to try to handle the season as though this were not the last one.  I wanted it to be business as usual, that is one of the reasons that we let everyone know, so it wouldn't be the story.  At the end of the year I am an emotional guy and I am an emotional coach and at the end of the year, whenever that is, I will absolutely have some feelings about it, but while we are going through it and on a week to week basis, I would trust that if you asked the players about it or my staff that they would tell you that it is business as usual.

Are you getting any kind of urge that this maybe shouldn't be the last year?

Well you know what?  My good friend Bill Parcells, who you guys know very, very well, he changed his mind on occasion, but right now I am looking at it as kind of a sabbatical leave.  I am going to take some time, I am going to take some time right now, that is how I am thinking and then after that who knows?

Do you change your approach to the Giants with Plaxico Burress out?

Do you guys know for sure he is not playing?  Can you tell me that?

He is suspended.

I know that, but you know these things... they are suspended and then everyone makes up and hugs and off you go.  I will say this:  he is a wonderful player and really a weapon and gives you with that size and speed something that a lot of teams don't have.  If you don't have to deal with him... if he is not playing, I have to be honest, I say that helps us, but having said that the other receivers they have...  Their offensive team has been very efficient, in my opinion.  I think Eli is making great decisions, he is playing with a lot of confidence. Their offensive line, as I mentioned earlier, is really sound and tough, and he is throwing the ball to a lot of people, including the tight end.  We are going to go in with the idea of the same approach we always have.  Here are the starting guys on offense; this is what we have to deal with.  I think our defensive coaches would even tell you they are even talking that if Plaxico plays this is what we are going to do.  Not much has changed there, but he is a good player and I think last year was very, very impressive down the stretch.

Are you still not entirely convinced he is not going to play?

Well you know I love you guys and I trust you, I really do, but if I set my mind that way then when I see him on the de-active list then it gives me a little uplift before the game you know?

He is actually not on the roster right now; they replaced him on the roster.

Okay, alright.  I can't see you; do you have your fingers crossed?

The players running practice during the bye. Is that something you have always done?

No.  No, in fact I have handled the bye week a number of different ways.  Last year I just gave them off.  The guys that were injured, of course, had to come in and take care of business, but really I gave them the week off.  This year, because of the bye and because of our injury situation, I wanted to allow us to freshen up just a little bit, but I wasn't prepared to give them the entire week off.  We have some young receivers that needed to be out there, so I got my players committee together and we kind of talked about how we wanted to do this.  I wanted to give them some time to allow us to refresh themselves after the start we've had.  At the same time it was important that they throw and catch a little bit.  With Hasselbeck and some of the veteran leaders, Tatupu on defense, they gathered the troops up and we had almost 100 percent participation in the practices.  We practiced a little bit on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and then gave them a long weekend off.

This was not like a seven on seven?

No, no it was seven on seven and then we ran a little team and they did a few drills.  If the coaches were out of town, the coaches had off, but if they were in town and were around and wanted to go out there and see how their guys were doing, they were okay to do that, but it was really the players kind of ran it.

Do you have any theory why your team has trouble coming to the East Coast recently?

I just talked to my own guys about that.  I don't subscribe to the idea.  I think the challenge is just the travel, that is the challenge, and the fact that you are playing a road game in a loud stadium, those are the real challenges.  We have not played as well at times, but we lost a game two weeks ago at home because we didn't play good football and really when I am talking to the team that is what I am talking about.  When we lose a game anywhere it is not because of our sleep patterns, I don't subscribe to that.  It is because we threw interceptions, we fumbled the ball, we didn't kick it properly, we missed tackles, those are the reasons that you lose football games.  Typically if you have a very good, strong veteran team and you can travel anywhere and win.  The Giants proved that last year.  They were just the opposite, they had a little tougher time at home and I am sure they spent the whole time trying to explain that one.  The fact is I believe that football games are decided home, away, anywhere by the same things all the time.  If you are sloppy, you lose. If you are not and you play hard, you have a chance to win if your team is good enough against your opponent.

Have any good Jim Fassel stories?

Nothing I could tell you.  I hope Jimmy if you asked him about stories, I hope he would tell you exactly the same thing.  We were in college, we were young, foolish, immature, but he is a good guy.