Seahawks look to solve bye-week blues

Today's Seahawks-New York Giants game at the Meadowlands will answer at least one question:

Which will be the better post-bye week team?

The Seahawks are 2-7 in the Mike Holmgren era after a bye week but have won two of the past three. The Giants are 2-2 under coach Tom Coughlin, but 4-15 overall.

Whether the Seahawks can get a rare East Coast road victory will be determined, in part, by the following matchups:

Giants QB Manning vs. Seahawks pass rush

Eli Manning said this week that Seattle's pass rush is one thing he has to be concerned about. Rookie Lawrence Jackson has shown an ability to get to the quarterback and Patrick Kerney has always been a sack machine.

But this will be the best offensive line the Seahawks have played, a tested and cohesive group that has helped Manning mature into one of the NFL's best.

The Giants get the edge, in part because they are at home and not in Seattle, where they became known for false starts. Manning has the benefit of a balanced and productive offense, so he will be more of a threat if the Giants establish a ground game.

Giants WRs vs. Seahawks DBs

True, the Giants are without suspended Plaxico Burress, their leading receiver. But they have a solid trio in Amani Toomer, Steve Smith and Domenik Hixon. Manning spreads the ball around to those receivers and up-and-coming tight end Kevin Boss, but the Seahawks, as much as they've struggled in pass defense this season, will be thrilled to not have to cover Burress.

Seattle is 25th in the league in pass defense, allowing 226.3 yards per game.

Giants defensive line vs. Seahawks offensive line

A lot of people thought the Giants wouldn't be the same after defensive end Michael Strahan retired following the Super Bowl win last season and his star teammate Osi Umenyiora, a two-time Pro Bowler, was lost for the season with a knee injury in August.

But New York has found productivity from fourth-year pro Justin Tuck and third-year man Mathias Kiwanuka, who moved back to his true position, defensive end, from linebacker this year. The two have four sacks between them. The Giants' sack leader is defensive tackle Fred Robbins, who has four.

Seattle's offensive line has played well the past two games, which is somewhat of a surprise and a credit to new line coaches Mike Solari and Mike DeBord.

The Seahawks get Sean Locklear back at right tackle today, his first game of the season as a starter and have been blocking well for the running game.

The edge goes to New York, though, because the Giants seem to find a way to get to the quarterback and have the seventh-best run defense in the NFL, allowing 84.7 yards per game.

Seahawks QB Hasselbeck vs. Giants DBs

Hasselbeck hasn't had the greatest of success against the Giants, but he isn't exactly throwing against an all-star pair of cornerbacks. Corey Webster and Aaron Ross are sound, and Hasselbeck will be looking for veterans Deion Branch and Bobby Engram to do some damage downfield. If not for those two, the Giants would have a distinct advantage.

But the Seahawks and Hasselbeck finally have some established targets to throw to, and the emergence of tight end John Carlson and a good running game can only help the Seahawks, if they can protect Hasselbeck and give him time to throw.

Giants running backs vs. Seahawks running backs

No flashy stars here, just a bunch of solid runners. For the Seahawks, it's Julius Jones and his back-to-back 100-yard games and T.J. Duckett and his short-yardage skills as the top names. For the Giants, 6-foot-4, 254-pound behemoth Brandon Jacobs is their punisher and Derrick Ward is the smaller counterpunch who is averaging 6.8 yards a carry.

Sprinkle in some Ahmad Bradshaw, and it's a running back-by committee that has "worked pretty well," coach Tom Coughlin said.

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