Engram, Branch bring hope to Hawks

BY GAIL WOOD | The Olympian • Published October 04, 2008

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It's amazing how much hope a healthy shoulder and a healthy knee can bring to a football team.

Suddenly, with Bobby Engram's broken shoulder healed and Deion Branch's torn anterior cruciate ligament mended, the Seattle Seahawks have a passing game. And a reason for hope today against the New York Giants, the defending Super Bowl champs.

Finally, Matt Hasselbeck has a pair of experienced receivers to throw to. This is exactly what Hasselbeck needed. Engram — his steady go-to receiver. And Branch — the deep threat.

Obviously, Hasselbeck has missed his two pass-catching buddies, who combined for 143 receptions last season. Engram grabbed a team-record 94 passes last season but has yet to play in a game this season.

Without them, Hasselbeck has been a thermometer without mercury. He's completing just 48 percent of his passes, well below his career mark of 61 percent. With more interceptions (3) than touchdown passes (2), Hasselbeck's quarterback rating is at a career-low 60.1 percent.

"Now how much they play, we'll have to see," Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said.

Holmgren doesn't have a play count for either player.

"I'm going to let them tell me how much they'll play," Holmgren said. "We haven't said, 'Okay, he's going to get 30 snaps.' I'm not going to do that. I might want him in the game on snap 31 for something big."

Engram and Branch have endured the rigors of rehab. Branch had his knee surgery in early February, eight months ago. Typically, rehab from a torn ACL takes nine months.

Engram, who became a Seahawk in 2001, hurt his shoulder in the second game of the preseason. He's confident he's ready to return.

"My body is telling me I'm ready to go. Bottom line," Engram said.

And he's not talking about just going through warm-ups and calling it a day.

"I expect a lot of myself," Engram said. "What I'm really expecting is to go out there and just help this team win. I hope I catch some passes and I hope make some plays. We need to go out there and get a win."

He says he doesn't feel rusty. Because he conditioned in a swimming pool, he also thinks he's physically fit.

"I was able to hold my conditioning pretty good," Engram said.

The best thing Engram and Branch bring is their experience with Hasselbeck and the West Coast offense. It's something both Billy McMullen and Keary Colbert, the Seahawks' emergency fill-ins at receiver, lack.

Precision is a crucial part of this offense. It's cut and catch. And, when Hasselbeck gets in trouble, it's adjust the route and get open. Engram and Branch know the drill.

"Bobby brings experience and calmness to our offense," Hasselbeck said. "He is just a very steady guy and makes plays. Deion is quicker. That is probably his best thing. He is quick and strong, and he has experience."

Experience. That's what makes this offense go.

With the return of Engram and Branch, Holmgren had a warning for their teammates.

"They can't get in the mindset of OK, these guys are back, now we can relax," Holmgren said.

But with a 1-2 record, nobody needs to remind them about the shortfalls of not going hard.

Besides being part of the good-hands committee, Branch and Engram bring something else — leadership. And Engram's desire.

"I just want to win," he said.

Gail Wood can be reached at 360-754-5443 or gwood@theolympian.com.