Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
The mailbag is bulging at the seams. I've had a chance to go through several submissions off the top. Responses below. More to come. A reminder: We do accept mailbag submissions pertaining to the
St. Louis Rams. Haven't had one in quite some time.
John from parts unknown writes: Please answer honestly. ... Is everyone just trying to find a reason to trash the cardinals? Historically, that's the game cards lose. Especially on monday night. What the hell is the problem with a close win?!?! Has any other team in the NFL been so closely microscoped because of a close win? How many times have the cardinals been on the opposing end of that win?
Just last week it seemed like everyone was on the band-wagon. They finally had a running game, now all of a sudden because it wasnt a blow out there trash again? Forget buffalo, miami dallas and two road division wins.....
Please....can at least someone give them credit? Yeah its a crap division...what kind of excuse is that....what about the three other wins.
Mike Sando: Thanks for joining us today, Coach Whisenhunt. Seriously, you raise valid points. I led my postgame report by pointing out how the Cardinals should not panic just because they were sloppy during key stretches of a narrow home victory over a struggling team. But if you ask Ryan from parts unknown, I was way too hard on Arizona.
Ryan from parts unknown writes: Your a tool Sando. Give the Cards some credit. MNF was sloppy, but that was the 9ers super bowl and the officiating was as sloppy as the play. This team can make some noise in the postseason, they can play with anyone.
Mike Sando: I do think Arizona can win a playoff game at home. And I do think winning the game Monday night trumped the manner in which the Cardinals won. Still, it's fair to point out imperfections in the NFL's most-penalized team.
Mike B. from Los Angeles writes: Why are the Seahawks starting Matt Hasselbeck? The season is over. They should be shutting him down for the year instead of risking a major injury that could put his 2009 in jeopardy. There's nothing to be gained, and they could also use this time to give Charlie Frye an extended look. Also, do you see any scenario where Jim Mora takes over for Mike Holmgren once the Seahawks are eliminated from the playoffs?
Mike Sando: I would see no scenario whereby Mike Holmgren would give up on the season early. That just doesn't seem to be his style. I guess anything is possible, but that would be a shocker.
As for the decision to play Hasselbeck, which generated discussion in our recent Hot Topic item, the Seahawks are figuring he gives them their best shot when healthy. They know Seneca Wallace is hurting. They also know crazy things can happen. If Seattle somehow rallies to an 8-8 finish and something unexpected happens to the Cardinals, you never know. That would be the thinking, I'm pretty sure.
Toby from Granada Hills, Calif., writes: Mike, In your view, how do his teammates seem to react to
Vernon Davis? Are they tired of his act and lack of production like most fans?
Mike Sando: I can't separate what players say from what they feel, but I haven't detected resentment toward Davis. The big play he made against the Cardinals was a good sign, even if his post-play penalty showed he has a lot of maturing to do. At least he had something to celebrate.
Danny from Tacoma, Wash., writes: I haven't seen anyone really talking about this so I was curious what you think. Isn't it kind of a blessing in disguise that the Seahawks poor season happened under Holmgren instead of next year under Mora?
I feel like if we had been fine this year and then Mora had a terrible record his first season, then the fans and even the players would be more inclined to blame it entirely on him. Possibly putting Mora on the hot seat a little early and placing a little panic into the organization.
While a season like this under Holmgren who has the track record of success allows more blame to go on the actual culprits, bad play and injuries. This poor season may set more realistic expectations for the team in the future, allow for change, and may lead to more effectiveness for Mora in the long term. Thoughts?
Mike Sando: Yes, I agree with your general premise. Going 11-5 this season and 4-12 next season would severely undermine Mora in his first season. Going 4-12 this season and 8-8 or 10-6 or 12-4 next season would look good on Mora's resume and help him in the future.
Of course, we can't assume that a bad season in 2008 means the team won't suffer through a bad season in 2009. Two bad ones in a row would not be a good thing.
John from New York writes: Is it just me, or did
Shaun Hill's 5 and 7-step drops look awful the other night? It reminded me of those awkward tall kids trying to backpedal during DB drills at 7th grade football tryouts (most of whom switched to volleyball). I seriously thought he was going to fall over backwards. Is it too much to ask for our 2nd rate QB's to have some semblance of mechanics?
Mike Sando: John, you have a better eye than I do (or perhaps I simply wasn't looking at it closely enough). Overall, I thought Hill was effective until the late mistakes. He put a few balls on the money, including one that Josh Morgan dropped for a potential big gain down the middle. He really threaded it in there. I'll watch the mechanics more closely in the future.
James from Lincoln, England, writes: Hi Mike, regarding the 49ers MNF loss at Arizona, I thought that the game showed up the teams biggest issue as it goes forward. There are no established playmakers on either side of the ball. A caretaker QB (who admittedly looked okay most of the game), a power back, a receiving group that can't be relied on (youngsters, a has been, a fool at TE) and neither a pass rush nor a ball hawk on D. As Denver's defense shows every season, bad personnel decisions set a team back years and the 2008 49ers are a direct result of being constructed by the clueless decision making of a coach who had done nothing to deserve that power. With that said, although it is early, how do you see them addressing those problems when the season ends?
Mike Sando: The first step is marrying personnel with scheme. Are the 49ers a 3-4 team or a 4-3 team? On offense, they need to be a power team. If there's any way to build on that Vernon Davis touchdown grab, that would help too. If I'm the 49ers, I continue to draft for the lines on both sides of the ball, with an emphasis on helping the pass rush.
And if I make a head coaching change, I make sure the next head coach calls the offensive plays. That protects the team against coordinator turnover that has hurt the 49ers in recent years. I then make sure my defensive coordinator is my second-best coach on staff, just to make sure that side of the ball is in the best possible hands, figuring the head coach would be focusing on offense.
Sando joined ESPN.com in 2007 after nine seasons covering the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma (Wash.) News Tribune. He lives in the Seattle-Tacoma area with his wife and two sons.
