Hawks' offensive machine keeps on churning

It wasn't supposed to be this simple. Not after the Seahawks lost starting receivers Darrell Jackson and Bobby Engram, two of the NFL's leading pass catchers who combined for 56 receptions and 692 yards before injuries forced them to the sidelines.

It wasn't supposed to be this efficient, either. Not last week at St. Louis, when Matt Hasselbeck completed passes to eight different players for 316 yards.

And not last night against the Houston Texans, when Hasselbeck completed passes to six different receivers for 168 yards on a night when the Seahawks offense chose the ground route over air.

The new guys were quick to point out that they haven't replaced Jackson or Engram. But the new guys aren't exactly elite NFL receivers, either. They were dumped by Cincinnati (Peter Warrick) and picked out of free agency (Joe Jurevicius) and cut by the Seahawks and brought back (Jerheme Urban).

"It's a testament to who the Seahawks brought in here," Urban said, "and a testament to the system that we run."

Urban's example provides the proof. That the Bill Walsh offense Mike Holmgren refined and brought with him to Seattle can still chew up yards and spit out points. That even receivers as talented as the two the Seahawks lost can be replaced like parts in a machine.

The Seahawks cut Urban after training camp. Then they brought him back. And last night, he caught two passes for 37 yards, matching tight end Jerramy Stevens in receptions, trailing Warrick (three catches, 53 yards), Jurevicius (three catches, 29 yards, one touchdown) and Mack Strong (three catches, 20 yards).

"I look at it like a three-week vacation," Urban said of his release. "I came in fresh, and I feel good."

The same can be said for the rest of his position group. Jurevicius leads the Seahawks with four touchdown grabs, the last of which came in the second quarter on a slant route from 3 yards out.

Warrick, meanwhile, is averaging 20.4 yards per catch. Stevens has been steadier than in years past. And on and on it goes, a broken record that's making the Seahawks offense whole.

"I feel great," Jurevicius said. "I don't think there's any other way to put it

With that, Jurevicius turned and walked out of the locker room with a football tucked underneath his arm. He was on his way outside to give it to his mom.

All around him, the rest of the new guys sat at their lockers, pulling on their street clothes, chatting away. It wasn't supposed to be this easy. Nor was it supposed to be this efficient.

But somehow, they're making it look that way.

"Our philosophy on offense is to wait for opportunity," Strong said. "Those guys have proven they can play when they get that opportunity. Eventually, we'll get Darrell and Bobby back. Until then, hopefully those guys can continue playing well."

Greg Bishop: 206-464-3191 or gbishop@seattletimes.com