Deon Butler's Rookie Diary

Deon Butler had the best game of his rookie season in last Sunday's 31-20 loss to Arizona. The wide receiver caught three passes, two of which resulted in first downs for the Seahawks. It was another modestly impressive effort as Butler matures in the pro game.

In this week's installment of his rookie diary, Butler details his best NFL performance to date, explains his television-watching habits and delves into another of his passions — forensic science.

'Oh, the team is gonna call the screen for the rookie!'

"I had a clue that I might be able to do some things during last week's game. I knew during the week that we had practiced a lot more four-wide receiver sets. So I started thinking that, maybe, I'd have a chance to get open and get some passes thrown my way. It was definitely exciting leading up to the game. It was good motivation.

"On the first pass I caught (an 11-yard reception for a first down), I had a good idea it was coming to me. The Cardinals were in press coverage. I knew the guy defending me (Cardinals cornerback Bryant McFadden) was going to really pick his feet up and start running hard because he didn't want me to go past him. But I was running almost like a little curl route, and I knew if I ran it correctly I would be open and the ball would come my way. It felt good to catch it and take that first hit and hold on. I take pride in my route running. I don't want to just be a fast guy. I don't just want to be the one that people think can only go long and is only capable of catching bombs.

"The play I remember most, or that I was really happy about, was the designed screen pass that Matt (Hasselbeck) threw to me. It felt good. It was like, 'Oh, the team is gonna call the screen for the rookie!' So I did some good things in the game. I would've traded it in for a win, but getting more opportunities is keeping me going. It lets me know what can be done."

'I could've had a touchdown'

"Of course, with playing, there are learning experiences. I had one against Arizona. There was a play in that game, a fade route in the end zone. I had the guy good, but if you remember, the ball looked like it was overthrown. Well, actually, it wasn't overthrown. Matt said that, in those situations, with that small of space in the red zone, he takes a one-step drop and then lets it go. I was still thinking about three-step timing, so I was a step behind. You hate to take learning lumps in the game, but I don't remember that one ever coming up in practice for me. In the red zone, quarterbacks like to change up the rhythm. The veteran receivers know because they know the system. But I didn't know about the one-step drop. If I had known that and been a step quicker, I could've had a touchdown. So that was tough for me."

'I sit there and watch marathons of these shows for three or four hours'

"We've got two more away games in this road swing, so I don't have anybody coming up to Seattle for the games. I don't have anybody to host. So that can make me a little bit lonely. Right now, what's getting me by is watching television and A&E's 'The First 48.' I also watch this show on the National Geographic Channel, 'Locked Up Abroad.' It's about these people with amazingly bad travel experiences. I sit there and watch marathons of these shows for three or four hours at night, and then I'll get on the computer or make a few calls. That's kind of how I spend my free time most nights now that the weather has gotten bad, and it's dark outside so early. I'm also trying to get a good start on some Christmas shopping. Christmas will be here before you know it. I can't be running around at the last minute and trying to prepare to play the next football game, too. I have to spend my time — and my money — wisely.

'I'm going to be on a homicide unit one day'

"I'm really into forensic science, which is like I like the show 'The First 48.' One day, I want to work on a homicide unit. I was a law and justice major at Penn State, and I did an internship with the Philadelphia homicide unit before my last year at Penn State. I got to go to crime scenes with them and everything. I'm serious about wanting to do this. It started back in high school when the teachers and counselors were giving us 1,000 different ways to choose a college major. One question I got was, 'What do you like to watch on TV?' Back then, I always liked the 'CSI' shows and 'Unsolved Mysteries.' Then, when I went to college and started learning about forensics, I was really intrigued.

"After the season is done, I want to go back to Penn State, back to the professor who taught me all about forensics, and help out his classes and also brush up on everything. I don't want forensic science to be something that I was into, but I got away from. You know that show 'Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?' I don't want to be like those people on there who forget everything they learned. I'm going to be on a homicide unit one day. Just wait. I really want to do this.'

Jerry Brewer: 206-464-2277 or jbrewer@seattletimes.com, Twitter: @Jerry_Brewer