The 2007 Seattle Seahawks season was the franchise's 32nd season in the National Football League (NFL), sixth season in Qwest Field and the ninth under head coach Mike Holmgren. The team improved on their 9–7 record in 2006 and secured its fourth consecutive NFC West division title and its fifth consecutive playoff appearance. Also, the team set an NFL record for the fewest penalties since the NFL expanded to a 16-game season, with 59. In the playoffs, the Seahawks defeated the Washington Redskins in the wild card round, but fell to Holmgren's former team, the Green Bay Packers, in the divisional round.
Pro Football Reference argued that the 2007 Seahawks gained the easiest schedule of any 21st century NFL team:Pro Football Reference; 2007 Seattle Seahawks they never opposed any team with a better record than 10–6 in any of their sixteen regular season encounters, and played only two opponents with that record. Divisional matchups had the NFC West playing the NFC South and the AFC North, whilst based on common positions from 2006 the Seahawks also opposed the Chicago Bears and the Philadelphia Eagles – both of whom fell to last in stronger divisions.
Punt returner Nate Burleson broke the Seahawks single season punt return yardage record this season with 658 yards.
2007 NFL draft The 2007 NFL draft took place on April 28–29, with the Seahawks picking 55th overall (2nd round), selecting Cornerback Josh Wilson.
2007 Seattle Seahawks draft Round Selection Player Position College Notes 2 55 Josh Wilson Cornerback Maryland 3 85 Brandon Mebane Defensive Tackle California 4 120 Baraka Atkins Defensive End Miami (Florida) 4 124 Mansfield Wrotto Guard Georgia Tech 5 161 Will Herring Linebacker Auburn 6 197 Courtney Taylor Wide Receiver Auburn 6 210 Jordan Kent Wide Receiver Oregon 7 232 Steve Vallos Guard Wake Forest
Coaching staff and roster
Coaching staff Head coach Mike Holmgren entered his ninth year with the Seahawks. It is the second to last year on his existing contract.
The Seahawks hired former Atlanta Falcons head coach Jim L. Mora to be the new defensive backs coach and assistant coach to Mike Holmgren. A former player at the University of Washington, Mora is considered a hometown guy.
The new special teams coach was Bruce DeHaven. His previous position was as the special teams coach for the Dallas Cowboys.
Personnel Staff / Coaches 2007 Seattle Seahawks staff Front Office Chairman – Paul Allen President / Chief Executive Officer (CEO) - Tod Leiweke President of Football Operations – Tim Ruskell Executive Vice President of Football Operations/General Manager – Mike Holmgren Senior Vice President – Mike Reinfeldt Vice President of Football Operations – Ted Thompson General Manager - Bob Ferguson Director of Player Personnel – John Schneider Director of Pro Personnel – Will Lewis Assistant Director of Player Personnel / Pro Scout - Lake Dawson Director of College Scouting (Eastern Region) – Scott Fitterer Director of College Scouting (Western Region) – Mike Phair Scouting Assistant - Chris Culmer Football Operations Coordinator / Team Travel - Bill Nayes Chief Financial Officer - Martha Fuller
Head Coaches Head Coach – Mike Holmgren Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Backs Coach – Jim L. Mora Area Scout - Scott Fitterer Offensive Coaches Offensive Coordinator – Gil Haskell Quarterbacks – Jim Zorn Running Backs – Stump Mitchell Wide Receivers – Nolan Cromwell Tight Ends – Jim Lind Offensive Line - Bill Laveroni Quality Control / Offensive Assistant – Gary Reynolds Assistant Offensive Line - Keith Gilbertson
Defensive Coaches Defensive Coordinator – John Marshall Senior Defensive Assistant / Special Projects Coach - Ray Rhodes Defensive Line – Dwaine Board Defensive Quality Control - Tom Headlee Linebackers – Zerick Rollins Defensive Backs – Jim L. Mora Assistant Defensive Backs / Secondary - Larry Marmie
Special Teams Coaches Special Teams Coordinator – Bruce DeHaven Special Teams Assistant - John Jamison
Strength and Conditioning Strength and Conditioning – Mike Clark Assistant Strength and Conditioning – Darren Krein Summer Intern Athletic Trainer - Jon Boone Intern - Terrell Williams
Final roster
Seattle Seahawks 2007 Roster accessed November 29, 2018.
Team captains For the 2007 season, the NFL has allowed permanent captains for each team to wear a "C" patch on their right shoulder. The patch is in team colors with four stars under the "C". A gold star is placed on a bar below the "C" signaling how many years (with a maximum of four years) that player has been captain. For the Seahawks, the team captains are:
Matt Hasselbeck Lofa Tatupu Mack Strong Deon Grant Josh Brown Niko Koutouvides
Departures Defensive end Grant Wistrom instead of having his contract renegotiated following the 2006 season decided to retire.Wistrom to coach at southwest Missouri high school Wide Receiver Darrell Jackson was traded to the San Francisco 49ers for the 120th pick in the 4th round of the 2007 NFL draft.Seahawks get 4th-round pick for WR Jackson Tight end Jerramy Stevens was released following a DUI arrest in Arizona, later he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tight end Itula Mili was released in January to make room for wide receiver Ben Obomanu.Athlon Fantasy Football 2007 Center Robbie Tobeck retired the day after the loss in the 2006 NFC Divisional Playoff game against the Chicago Bears.
Arrivals Defensive end Patrick Kerney signed with the Seahawks after being with the Atlanta Falcons. Safeties Deon Grant and Brian Russell signed with Seahawks after being with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns.
Schedule
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site Recap 1 August 12 at San Diego Chargers W 24–16 1–0 Qualcomm Stadium Recap 2 at Green Bay Packers L 13–48 1–1 Lambeau Field Recap 3 Minnesota Vikings W 30–13 2–1 Qwest Field Recap 4 Oakland Raiders W 19–14 3–1 Qwest Field Recap
Regular season Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site Recap 1 September 9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 20–6 1–0 Qwest Field Recap 2 September 16 at Arizona Cardinals L 20–23 1–1 University of Phoenix Stadium Recap 3 September 23 Cincinnati Bengals W 24–21 2–1 Qwest Field Recap 4 September 30 at San Francisco 49ers W 23–3 3–1 Candlestick Park Recap 5 October 7 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 0–21 3–2 Heinz Field Recap 6 October 14 New Orleans Saints L 17–28 3–3 Qwest Field Recap 7 October 21 St. Louis Rams W 33–6 4–3 Qwest Field Recap 8Bye 9 November 4 at Cleveland Browns L 30–33 4–4 Cleveland Browns Stadium Recap 10 San Francisco 49ers W 24–0 5–4 Qwest Field Recap 11 November 18 Chicago Bears W 30–23 6–4 Qwest Field Recap 12 November 25 at St. Louis Rams W 24–19 7–4 Edward Jones Dome Recap 13 December 2 at Philadelphia Eagles W 28–24 8–4 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 14 December 9 Arizona Cardinals W 42–21 9–4 Qwest Field Recap 15 December 16 at Carolina Panthers L 10–13 9–5 Bank of America Stadium Recap 16 December 23 Baltimore Ravens W 27–6 10–5 Qwest Field Recap 17 December 30 at Atlanta Falcons L 41–44 10–6 Georgia Dome Recap
Bold indicates division opponents. Source: 2007 NFL season results2007 NFL season results, NFL.com, accessed February 14, 2015.
Postseason
Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Game site Recap Wild Card January 5, 2008 Washington Redskins (6) W 35–14 1–0 Qwest Field Recap Divisional January 12, 2008 at Green Bay Packers (2) L 20–42 1–1 Lambeau Field Recap
Standings
Game summaries
Preseason
Week P1: at San Diego Chargers
Week P2: at Green Bay Packers
Week P3: vs. Minnesota Vikings
Week P4: vs. Oakland Raiders
Regular season
Week 1: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Seahawks began the 2007 campaign at home against its 1976 expansion mate, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In the first quarter, Seattle trailed early as Buccaneers kicker Matt Bryant kicked 38-yard and 32-yard field goals. In the second quarter, Seahawks kicker Josh Brown nailed a 28-yard field goal, then the Seahawks took the lead when running back Shaun Alexander powered in for a 1-yard touchdown run. After a scoreless third quarter, Seattle sealed the victory with Brown's 46-yard field goal and a 34-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Matt Hasselbeck to running back Maurice Morris.
With the win, the Seahawks began a season at 1–0 for the fourth time in the past five years.
Week 2: at Arizona Cardinals
Hoping to build off of their home win over the Buccaneers, the Seahawks flew to the University of Phoenix Stadium for a Week 2 divisional duel with the Arizona Cardinals. Running back Shaun Alexander sported a cast on his left wrist, the result of a reported sprain suffered in the opening week. In the first quarter, Seattle trailed early as kicker Neil Rackers booted a 28-yard field goal for the only score of the period. In the second quarter, the Seahawks continued to trail as Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart threw a 30-yard touchdown pass to tight end Leonard Pope, along with running back Edgerrin James getting a 17-yard touchdown run. Down 17–0, the Seahawks would respond just before halftime with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck completing a 24-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Nate Burleson. Arizona quickly moved into field goal range after the Seahawks touchdown, but Rackers hit the upright from 53 yards as time expired.
In the third quarter, Seattle would come all the way back to tie the game after running back Shaun Alexander finally broke loose for a 16-yard touchdown run and kicker Josh Brown booted a 28-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, the Seahawks took the lead with Brown kicking another 28-yard field goal. However, Arizona rallied to tie the game on a Rackers 52-yard field goal. The Seahawks appeared to be driving for the go-ahead score when, inside field goal range in the final 2 minutes, an exchange from Hasselbeck to Alexander was fumbled and recovered by the Cardinals. Arizona then drove to the Seahawks' 25-yard line, where Rackers kicked a game-winning 42-yard field goal with 11 seconds left.
With the loss, the Seahawks fell to 1–1 on the young season, and had lost four straight divisional games.
Week 3: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Things got off to a quick start for the Seahawks as rookie Josh Wilson returned the opening kickoff 72 yards to the Bengals 24-yard line. Three plays later, Matt Hasselbeck hit wide receiver Bobby Engram for an 18-yard touchdown and a 7–0 Seahawks lead. The Bengals were quick to respond, as Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer hit six of his first seven pass attempts for 90 yards, culminating with an 18-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver T. J. Houshmandzadeh and evening the score at 7–7. After turnovers by each team, Cincinnati kicker Shayne Graham converted a 43-yard field goal attempt to give the Bengals a 10–7 lead 80 seconds into the second quarter. With 3:06 left in the first half, Seahawks defensive lineman Chartric Darby's heavy pressure on Palmer led to a Deon Grant interception at the Seattle 31-yard line. A few plays later, Hasselbeck hit Deion Branch with a 42-yard touchdown pass and a 14–10 Seahawks lead at halftime.