Smackdown: Revamped Hawks defend their turf with a vengeance

Attitude. Flying. Hard hits. Big plays.

None of the above would have described the Seahawks' patchwork defense last season, the one that could not stop even average running backs. All of those words, however, painted the picture of a Seahawks defense that was just about everything players and coaches said it would be in a 27-10 pounding of the New Orleans Saints yesterday.

The fans were clearly skeptical, as shown in the thousands of empty seats at Seahawks Stadium. Those that were there, however, had a rollicking good time cheering on a defense that isn't what it once was.

It's much better, in large part because of the infusion of new talent the team added. And because it was that much faster, confident and more physical than in so many games before, the Seahawks won a home opener to open the season for the first time since 1986.

"Our attitude is totally different than last year," cornerback Willie Williams said. "It's all about confidence, and right now, the way we won this game, we should have confidence from here on out. So hopefully, everyone has prepared themselves and are ready for a long road."

The long road, dare they say, to the postseason. It had to start with a win yesterday over a high-octane Saints offense. It had to have key contributions from new players right away.

Chike Okeafor, a defensive end signed away from the San Francisco 49ers, came up with his first career interception and forced a fumble.

Rookie free safety Ken Hamlin, in his first pro start, got up in the face of the Saints' veteran receivers, then backed up his talk with what might have been the most ferocious hit in the past few seasons for the Seahawks.

Linebacker Randall Godfrey, acquired when the Tennessee Titans would not re-sign him in June, was every bit the run-stopping specialist the Seahawks wanted for the middle of their defense, making five solo tackles.

And Norman Hand, the 330-pound defensive tackle who was with the Saints last season, did the dirty work on the defensive line and even managed to perform his Big Wiggle dance after tackling Saints running back Deuce McAllister for a short gain.

The seasoned Seahawks defenders also got into the act. Outside linebacker Anthony Simmons recovered a fumble and led the team with 11 total tackles. It was a complete turnaround from last season's opener at Oakland, when Simmons was lost for more than half the season on the eighth play of the game with a high ankle sprain.

Strong safety Reggie Tongue recorded a sack, cornerback Ken Lucas forced a fumble, and linebacker Chad Brown had a sack and fumble recovery.

"I think some of the fellas that have been involved in playing defense here the last few years, they're tired of getting beat up," Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said. "We got some tipped passes, which are athletic and quickness-type things. We recovered some fumbles, we were able to change direction, we were able to contain people. I thought we had good pursuit angles. That's the type of defense we're capable of playing."

The defense earned almost all of the accolades despite 359 yards of total offense for the Saints. Seattle's vaunted offense, the same group that set records last season, finished with just 270. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, he of the multiple 300- and 400-yard games in 2002, was 12 of 23 passing for 137 yards.

But when running back Shaun Alexander runs for more than 100 yards, Seattle is 8-1. Alexander carried 24 times for 108 yards and scored twice.

The Seahawks trailed 3-0 and didn't get a first down until late in the first quarter. A key defensive stand that ended the Saints' first possession of the second quarter, however, set the tone for the game.

Tongue chased down New Orleans quarterback Aaron Brooks for a sack on third-and-7 from the Seattle 34, forcing a punt. Hasselbeck quickly found his groove once the Seahawks took possession, hitting Darrell Jackson for 29 yards and picking up 26 more on a pass interference call.

The offensive line took over from the Saints' 31, as Alexander ran behind left guard Steve Hutchinson and left tackle Walter Jones for 7, 11 and 15 yards to the New Orleans 1. Alexander capped off the 89-yard drive with the Seahawks' first touchdown of the regular season.

The Saints fumbled on their next possession, Lucas stripping the ball from receiver Michael Lewis on a reverse and defensive end Antonio Cochran recovering for Seattle. Two plays later, Hasselbeck found Koren Robinson over the middle, and what happened after the catch was more spectacular.

Robinson took a shot, bounced off it and left two Saints defenders lying on the turf near the 20-yard line, then strutted into the end zone for a touchdown and an eventual 14-3 lead.

The Seahawks added one more touchdown late in the first half, executing their two-minute offense to perfection. Alexander gathered in a short pass and rolled into the end zone behind blocks from Hutchinson and Robbie Tobeck.

Hamlin's hit on the Saints' Donte Stallworth, which separated Stallworth from his helmet on a pass over the middle, highlighted a second half in which Holmgren, by the fourth quarter, was trying to take time off the clock more than anything else.

"I'm not a real big intimidator as far as my body," the 6-foot-2, 209-pound Hamlin said. "But when I go out on the field, I'm serious."

The Seahawks' defense can now be taken as such.

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com