Seattle Seahawks Experiencing Injury Deja Vu of 2008 Already?

QB Matt Hasselbeck, LT Walter Jones, RT Sean Locklear, C Chris Spencer, LG Mike Wahle, CB Marcus Trufant, CB Josh Wilson, LB Lofa Tatupu, LB Leroy Hill, DT Brandon Mebane, WR Deion Branch.

When training camp started, all were unquestioned starters. If my math is correct, that's 11 players, or 50 percent of a team's offense and defense.

The Seahawks left the game without any of these 11 able to play. In Wahle's case, he had to retire because of his injury problems—double whammy.

Much like last season, when the Seahawks tallied seven wide receiver injuries early, the Seahawks now find themselves without four starters on the offensive line from what they projected to have. The O-line was already suspect with the exception of the future Hall of Fame LT Jones. 

Much like last season, the Seahawks found themselves plugging in a guy they picked up in the week coming up to the game in former Miami Dolphin tackle Brandon Frye, who had no starting experience prior to today's game.

All too eerie and ironic compared to the circumstances at wide receiver in 2008, which forced them to sign Billy McMullen, former Seahawk Koren Robinson, and pull off an ill-advised trade of a fifth-round pick for the seven catches Keary Colbert provided. 

The Seahawks also find themselves thin at what was the strength of this roster with All-Pro linebacker Tatupu knocked out of today's game and Hill out for another five weeks.

That leaves dynamic rookie linebacker Aaron Curry to headline the unit. Not to say he isn't talented, but he is a rookie, and he has a ways to go. He was supposed to be the nice complement, not the centerpiece.

Also taking a hit was last season's 32nd-ranked secondary, giving up 259.3 YPG through the air.

Already out for at least another month are Pro Bowl cornerback Marcus Trufant and starting cornerback Josh Wilson—half of what was a mediocre at best pass defense trying to work its way up to 2007 status, when they allowed the league's fewest passing TDs (15).

If this was not already bad enough, throw in the fact quarterback Matt Hasselbeck got drilled in his bad back and collapsed on the sideline right before halftime.

Now the Seahawks face the dilemma of potentially missing 45 percent of their defensive starters and 54 percent (including Branch) of their offensive starters by week three. 

Whereas last year's failures at first came from having no one to throw to, the Seahawks now face the problems of having 80 percent of their offensive line out and not able to block for backup quarterback Seneca Wallace

They now face issues on defense with 57 percent of their 'backers sidelined.

The word "issue" seems appropriate, as they could not stop running back Frank Gore. He gashed the defense for 207 rushing yards and two TDs. 

Contrast this to when the Seahawks had Tatupu, Mebane, Wilson, and Hill in last week's game and held All-Pro running back Steven Jackson to 67 yards in a 28-0 shutout of the St. Louis Rams.

Still, with 11 starters out, the Seahawks find themselves at 1-1. If they can get back three or four of the aforementioned players (still leaving them without 35 percent of their starters), they could scrape together a win against a Chicago Bears team missing Future Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher, cornerbacks Nathan Vasher and Trumaine McBride, and linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa.

Factor in that we're playing against a quarterback with more INTs than TDs and some stone-handed receivers, and a patchwork defense could hold up if we manage to get our offense rolling.

I wouldn't quite abandon hope yet, but if Hasselbeck and Tatupu are out any length of time, we could be in for a long season.