Defense rules Hawks' picks for Pro Bowl

In recent years, the Seahawks have become more known for their offense in NFL circles. But this season, the Seattle defense will be better represented at the annual Pro Bowl.

Six Seahawks, four on defense, were announced Tuesday as members of the NFC Pro Bowl squad. All four on defense will start the NFL all-star game when it is played Feb. 10 in Hawaii.

Linebacker Lofa Tatupu, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, defensive end Patrick Kerney, left tackle Walter Jones, linebacker Julian Peterson and a first-time selection, cornerback Marcus Trufant, are the Seahawks' representatives.

Jones, an eight-time selection and 11-year pro, was chosen for the seventh straight year and will start the game. His eight Pro Bowl nods tied him with Cortez Kennedy for most in Seahawks history.

Hasselbeck is a Pro Bowler for the third time in his career, named in 2003 and 2005. He has completed 62.5 percent of his passes and thrown 25 touchdowns to 10 interceptions in 2007. He is eighth in the league in passing yards with 3,620. He has thrown the second-fewest interceptions (New England's Tom Brady has the least) among NFL quarterbacks who have started all 14 games this season.

Hasselbeck has set the team's season record for completions (319) this year and is on pace to set the mark for most attempts and yards. He needs 23 attempts to pass Dave Krieg's 532 in 1985, and 222 yards to break is own record of 3,841 in 2003.

Tatupu is also a three-time selection, having made the Pro Bowl in all three seasons of his career. He has 101 tackles to lead Seattle, plus four interceptions, three forced fumbles and a sack. Tatupu has 100 or more tackles every year of his career and had a three-interception game at Philadelphia this season.

Kerney, the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for November, is a two-time Pro Bowler. He was chosen in 2004 while with the Atlanta Falcons and this season has 13 ½ sacks to lead the NFL.

Kerney was signed in the offseason during free agency and has paid immediate dividends. He has 10 sacks in the past six games.

Peterson has spent two seasons with the Seahawks and gone to the Pro Bowl in each. The eighth-year pro will make his fourth career Pro Bowl appearance. He has 68 tackles, nine sacks, two interceptions and four forced fumbles.

Trufant, who celebrates his 27th birthday on Christmas Day, is a Pro Bowler for the first time in his five NFL seasons. The Tacoma native and former Washington State star has seven interceptions, tied for second-most in the league, and his 70 solo tackles are second on the Seahawks.

Trufant, always a solid tackler and run defender, has had his best season in receiver coverage since being drafted in the first round in 2003.

Wide receiver Nate Burleson was selected as an NFC Pro Bowl alternate as a kickoff and punt return specialist. Burleson has a punt and kickoff return touchdown this season.

Bobby Engram, who has had his finest NFL season in his 12th year with 1,013 receiving yards on 85 receptions, was left off the all-star roster. Engram needs four catches for a career high in a season. The six players for the Seahawks are third-most among NFC teams with Pro Bowl selections, as Dallas had 11 and Minnesota seven.

This is the first season since 1999 that Seattle will send more defensive players than offensive players to the Pro Bowl. That year, linebacker Chad Brown, Kennedy and Jones were selected. Four defensive players are the most since 1998 when Brown, Kennedy, defensive end Michael Sinclair and cornerback Shawn Springs were selected.

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