Holmgren, Seahawks Miss Joey
Mike Holmgren admits it: The Seattle Seahawks' sluggish offense could use the services of Joey Galloway.
Despite intercepting Erik Kramer four times in the second half Sunday, the Seahawks lost 13-10 in San Diego, where Junior Seau and company mostly stuffed Seattle running back Ricky Watters at the line of scrimmage. Watters' longest run was 7 yards.
Without the deep threat of Galloway, Seattle's holdout wide receiver, the Chargers were able to stack their defense up close. They held Watters to 54 yards on 21 rushes.
"You know what, he's not here," Holmgren, the Seahawks' first-year coach said Monday when asked if he missed Galloway against the Chargers. "It's over. I've said it and this is the last time I'll say it. I've missed him from day one. I think I've made that clear. But what are you going to do? He's not here."
Galloway was the difference for the Seahawks in two victories over San Diego last season. In those games, he caught 11 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns. He had an 81-yard touchdown catch and a 74-yard punt return for a touchdown in San Diego.
Without Galloway, the Seahawks are struggling offensively. Their offense is ranked 26th out of 31 teams in the NFL. They're ranked 29th in rushing with only Arizona and San Diego behind them in terms of offensive production.
Watters is averaging a career-worst 3.1 yards on 110 carries. In San Diego, he didn't have much running room. And in posting a 3-2 record, the Seahawks haven't rushed for a touchdown this season.
Holmgren, who also is general manager, made it clear that Galloway won't by traded by the NFL's trading deadline Tuesday at 1 p.m. PDT. He has said that all along.
"There won't be one of those six-for-six swaps," Holmgren said when asked if the Seahawks were going to make a major trade. "That I promise you."
The Seahawks broke off contract negotiations with Galloway three weeks ago. They told him they will pay him his $1.58 million salary under the terms of his original five-year contract if he wants to rejoin them.
He's being fined $5,000 a day and $93,000 for each game he misses.
If the Seahawks don't trade him, they won't be able to do it until Feb. 11.
The sides were split on two issues: money and length of contract.
Galloway wanted a five-year contract worth $25 million, plus a $10 million signing bonus. The Seahawks offered a seven-year deal worth $35 million, plus a $7 million signing bonus.
Holmgren indicated he wasn't going to use the money the team had gotten bck from Galloway under the NFL's salary cap $558,000 for six missed checks for five missed games and a bye week to sign a free agent. The Seahawks hope to get Galloway back at some point during the season.
"I have the money up to a point, but the rest of that money I'm saving in hopes that I can use it properly," Holmgren said. "A third-year player is $350,000, a fourth-year player is $400,000. Pretty soon there's your money."
The Seahawks came out of the San Diego game with two new injuries. Strong safety Darryl Williams strained his right hamstring in the fourth quarter and didn't return. Wide receiver Mike Pritchard sprained his left knee in the second period, but did come back.
Holmgren said Williams probably will be questionable, which means he would have a 50 percent chance of playing Sunday against Buffalo.
©1999 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed