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The Spokesman Review was there.
Everything Counts in the NFL
Every play, every pass, every punt, every penalty. And yes, Jack Patera, every touchdown, too.
Sunday signals Seattle's longawaited entry into the big time, big money, pressure-packed world of the National Football League when the expansion Seahawks meet the St. Louis Cardinals in the regular season opener for both clubs. An expected near sellout crowd of 65,000 is expected for the 1 p.m. PDT game in the Kingdome.
Although competitive in four of six preseason games, the Seahawks, under first-year coach Patera, finished 1-5, the lone victory a last minute 17-16 triumph over San Diego. The Cardinals, the defending National Football Conference Eastern Division champions led by all-purpose back Terry Metcalf and quarterback Jim Hart, were 4-2, including a 31-14 victory over Kansas City last week.
Patera, who has stressed that Seattle will build for the future with its young players, had downplayed the fact the Seahawks are a first-year team.
"We can't go out and play with the feeling that we're an expansion team," he explains. "We never think we won't win because this is our first season. Instead, we're beautiful dreamers.
"In this league, there are good players and great ones. I think we have a lot of good players, and I don't know how many great ones. If you start with people with a right attitude, you will wind up with a winner. Whether that's in two years, two weeks or whatever, it will come."
Patera said at midweek he would name the 43 players he can suit up for the St Louis game "as late as the rules allow."
The game will be a homecoming of sorts for St. Louis Coach Don Coryell and Metcalf, who made more total yards by rushing, pass receiving and kick returning last year than any other back in NFL history.
Coryell is a Seattle native and graduate of the University of Washington. Metcalf starred at Franklin High School and nearby Everett Community College before continuing his collegiate career at Long Beach State.
"We were pleased with the whole preseason," Coryell said. "I think we determined what we set out to do -- to determine who were the best football players, to get them ready for the season, and to get by with the minimum amount of injuries.
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