Fans see glimpse of vintage Seahawks in exhibition

Want something especially positive, something comforting and reassuring to take away from Saturday night's 30-13 exhibition win over Minnesota?

Want a memory that chases away your worst fears and makes you feel all warm and ready going into another hope-filled regular season?

Remember the nine-play, 74-yard drive late in the first half, because it had all the ingredients of 2005.

The drive was textbook West Coast offense.

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was on target. Tight end Marcus Pollard made tough catches in the middle of the field. And Shaun Alexander got the gritty yards.

Remember that drive, because the Vikings had just turned a Hasselbeck interception into a touchdown. And the Seahawks answered right back, the way they did so many times in their Super Bowl run two seasons ago.

Hasselbeck was 5 for 5 on the drive. Pollard caught passes of 24, 3 and 11 yards. Alexander broke an 11-yard run down to the Minnesota 22. Deion Branch caught another Hasselbeck pass on the goal line. And Alexander, healthy again, scored from inside the 1.

It was vintage Hawks. The kind of drives Seattle has been spoiled by since the move to Qwest Field.

That drive was the best news in a typical late-August, good-news/bad-news night.

When we last convened here, Tony Romo was inviting us into his personal nightmare, turning a game-winning, chip-shot field-goal attempt into a Harlem Globetrotters routine and extending the Seahawks' season by a week.

Late in that wild-card playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys, holder Romo bobbled the snap, then made a desperation dash for the goal line and was pulled down from behind by Seahawks defensive back Jordan Babineaux. The Seahawks won 21-20.

A new season is two weeks away, and on Saturday the Hawks staged their last serious dress rehearsal before the opener against Tampa Bay.

Now, more than seven months removed from that win over Dallas, the Hawks brought a bundle of questions into Qwest.

The answers and the reviews were mostly positive.

Sure, Hasselbeck threw into traffic and behind Bobby Engram in the second quarter, and he was intercepted by Antoine Winfield. The turnover led to Minnesota's only touchdown.

Speaking of that touchdown, remember last year when the safeties gave up too many big plays and were sucked in on trick plays?

This offseason the Hawks spent millions on safeties Deon Grant and Brian Russell, expecting to eliminate that problem. But the Vikings scored on a reverse to wide receiver Bobby Wade, who then threw a 6-yard pass to Visanthe Shiancoe, running alone in the corner of the end zone.

Coach Mike Holmgren fumed on sideline as if he were still haunted by those memories of last season.

The offensive line still is an enigma. It can't afford any injuries among its starters. And fullback Leonard Weaver, whose stock has dropped, lost a fumble.

Still, the night was more optimistic than haunting, especially coming off last week's 48-13 debacle of a loss to Green Bay.

Nate Burleson, ready for a bounceback season, returned the first punt 59 yards. Josh Brown converted field-goal attempts of 28, 22 and 46 yards and had two touchbacks on his first two kickoffs. Rookie Josh Wilson returned a second-half kick 38 yards.

Camp sensation Ben Obomanu practically locked up a roster spot at wide receiver, catching a 57-yard go-route from Seneca Wallace for a TD. And backup corner Kevin Hobbs had a moment to remember, intercepting Brooks Bollinger's telegraphed pass and taking it 37 yards for a score.

Defensive tackle Marcus Tubbs played his first game since hurting his knee last October. Rocky Bernard looked sharp at defensive end, recovering a fumble on the first play from scrimmage. Defensive tackle Chuck Darby and defensive end Patrick Kerney were hyperactive and ready for the real thing to begin.

The defense got stops on third-and-long. Late in the game, the backups made a goal-line stand that featured a combined forced fumble by Niko Koutouvides and Russell Davis on third down and a Will Herring interception on fourth down.

And except for the interception, Hasselbeck was in sync — 12 for 17 for 129 yards. Engram had three catches for 47 yards. And Pollard, who has caught everything thrown at him since he signed in March, caught three for 38 yards, begging the question, Jerramy who?

This is supposed to be another dream season. Another season that stretches deep into January.

Will the Hawks be true to these dreams? Can they make it all the way to Glendale? Are they better than Chicago? Philadelphia? Dallas?

Mercifully, summer's forced march is almost over. Soon the answers will be coming fast. And the expectations are every bit as great this year as they were in 2005.

Steve Kelley: 206-464-2176 or skelley@seattletimes.com