Hawks Notebook | Holmgren gives players a break

KIRKLAND — Monday morning, the Seahawks got the news they had hoped to hear from coach Mike Holmgren.

See you next Monday.

It's a week off for everyone. Most players, Holmgren said, will remain in the area. Injured players are required to be available for treatment at team headquarters. Holmgren said he and his wife are headed to their home in the Phoenix area.

"The responsibility of the players is, and they've handled this pretty well in the past, they must continue to get their workouts in wherever they may be," Holmgren said. "They've been pushing pretty hard for seven weeks, longer than that, and it's OK to get away and kind of refresh, recharge the batteries for players and coaches."

Beating St. Louis 33-6 Sunday certainly helped Holmgren come to his decision. He told the team Saturday night he wanted to give them time off but it depended on how the game went.

"I trust this team. I think it has good leadership. I think it has pretty good maturity," Holmgren said.

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who will stay in town to get treatment on the pulled oblique muscle he suffered Sunday, said the players will do what Holmgren asks in the down time.

Hasselbeck said players were stunned when Holmgren announced the break because they thought he might be kidding.

"It's definitely a sign of the faith that coach Holmgren has in our team," Hasselbeck said, "that we'll be responsible with this time and nobody will get jammed up with any problems and guys will work out on their own and get a chance to get away for a little bit, and hopefully recharge for what's going to be a long season."

Surgery for Pollard

Tight end Marcus Pollard, who missed the game Sunday with a sore right knee, is expected to undergo arthroscopic surgery and will likely miss the Seahawks' next game, Nov. 4 at Cleveland.

"He felt he was almost hurting the team because he could not do the things he was used to doing," Holmgren said. "It may be just arthritis. You know, Marcus has played a long time."

Defensive end Darryl Tapp has a broken right hand and must decide whether to have surgery.

If he does, Holmgren said he believes that will speed the healing process and allow Tapp, who had four sacks Sunday, to wear a lighter, smaller cast to allow at least some use of his hand.

WR Deion Branch is expected to return from a foot injury against Cleveland, as is WR D.J. Hackett from a sprained ankle.

State of the team

Holmgren said the Seahawks have been inconsistent the first seven games.

"You look at the film, any one game, you'll see some really good things [and] some things that you scratch your head on," he said. "There are things that we should do better, and we're not. And then you'll really see some things that have hurt us badly."

In discussing how he feels the Seahawks' 4-3 record should be better, Holmgren recalled a comment from former coaching colleague Bill Parcells.

"You are what you are, and our record is what it is," Holmgren said. "I really believe our best football, particularly on offense, is ahead of us. Our defense is coming, they've shown flashes of being very good."

Assessing the run

Holmgren made some direct statements about running back Shaun Alexander and the Seahawks' problems running the ball this season.

"I am here to tell you there are times there is nothing there," Holmgren said. "We are not blocking very well, so that must improve. He [Alexander] has been a little unfairly criticized, in my opinion.

"I'm not going to talk about names, but we must improve how we're blocking the run. Assignment-wise, edges, technique, everything to give our guys a chance ... I am not very happy with that part of it right now."

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