Well, it's happened. After one season as starting quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks, Matt Hasselbeck has been benched in favor of Trent Dilfer. Surprised? I am!

The news broke today, March 2, 2002. I've been speechless most of the day. Do I feel it's the right decision? Yes. Do I think it's the end for Matt Hasselbeck? NO!!!

Personally I like Matt Hasselbeck. I think he has a lot of talent, a good attitude and the right work ethic. I also think he was put into a no win situation last season. Let's take it as the season unfolds.

The first time I saw Matt Hasselbeck play was in a pre-season game for the Seahawks. One specific play comes to mind -- an all out blitz by the defense. It appeared as though there was no way out for Matt, but at just the right moment he took a step forward, alluded the rush completely (to this day I don't know how) and completed the pass. It was BEAUTIFUL!!! I sat there with my mouth hanging open, wondering HOW he made it look so easy. He stepped away from the rush more than once in that game, and I was convinced the sacking days were over!

We were into the regular season when I wondered where that pre-season Matt Hasselbeck had gone. The answer was clear when we learned he had a groin injury. Ah, understandable. All was forgiven.

Dilfer stepped in for a couple of weeks till the injury was healed and he won some games, then Matt assumed the starting role when he was healthy. Even that early into the season fans were getting itchy feet, wanting Dilfer over Hasselbeck. Both quarterbacks seemed to take it in stride, helping each other, encouraging each other, knowing their respective roles. Holmgren was firm in stating that Matt Hasselbeck was our quarterback.

And then strange things started happening. We gave up our passing game for all practical purposes. On 3rd and 12 we'd throw a 3 yard pass. On 3rd and 22 we'd run up the middle for a couple of yards. No one respected the deep threat because it was non-existent. There was grumbling in Seahawksland from fans and media wondering why we were playing so conservatively. There seemed to be dissention among players, occasionally voicing frustration to the media. Holmgren was losing his fan following rapidly.

Game Six was proof that Holmgren's words, his faith in his chosen QB, didn't hold up. I'm still angry over this play in the Dolphins game so instead of ranting, I'll share what the media had to say:

Seattle Times - This is what Mike Holmgren thought of his offense with less than two minutes left in the Seahawks game with the Miami Dolphins yesterday.

He thought it would be easier to kick a field goal, kick off, stop a Dolphins offense that had generated almost 300 yards, make it punt, get the ball back, move down field and kick another field goal; all within two minutes; than it would be to go four yards.

Matt Hasselbeck, the quarterback who had redeemed himself yesterday, sauntered to the sidelines, his eyes incredulous. Trent Dilfer had to gently push him away from the coaches.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer - "I don't know what their thinking was," he said. "I was surprised." --- Dave Wannstead (after receiving a "gift" from Holmgren)

"The strategy's failure not only cost the last, best chance to win, it pointed out that six games into the season, Holmgren can't trust his Hasselbeck-led offense for a pivotal moment." ---- ART THIEL SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER COLUMNIST

We know now that Matt had suffered a shoulder injury at some point into the season. The short passes, the lack of faith in Matt, weren't what they appeared. Media sources have reported that Holmgren says it shows a sign of toughness to play through injuries. Maybe. But I think it set Hasselbeck up to fail and makes Holmgren look, well, less like the guru that he's supposed to be.

Maybe the Seahawks were successful in hiding Matt's injuries but it didn't exactly win games. Defenses figured out pretty quickly that we weren't going long. We lost games by playing an injured quarterback when we had a reliable back-up waiting on the sidelines. That's unfair to Matt Hasselbeck and to Trent Dilfer. I'll never understand that decision.

The QB controversy peaked when Hasselbeck's injury became sufficient to warrant time off. By then our play-off chances were thin, but under the leadership of Trent Dilfer we remained in contention to the end. Everyone was singing the "if only" song. If only we'd played Dilfer sooner. If only Hass hadn't been playing injured. If only Holmgren had made better decisions.

It's not a grudge against Hasselbeck, it's more a disappointment in Holmgren's decision to play an injured quarterback when so much was on the line.

But that's behind us. As of today, Dilfer is our No. 1 quarterback and Hasselbeck is #2. The papers reported that Trent was signed last night (Friday) and that Matt will be told today (Saturday). I hope they respect Matt Hasselbeck enough to notify him bright and early Saturday before the news hit the stands. I'm not necessarily impressed with the way Holmgren deals with players; I hope this situation was handled better than others have reportedly been in the past.

Most of all, I wish BOTH QBs successful careers. I hope that Dilfer will play to his potential and win games! I hope that Hasselbeck will continue to work on his game and his conditioning, and be in top form when he's asked to step in. I have a lot of respect for both quarterbacks and wish them the best.

Your thoughts?

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