Notebook | Russell has run-in with former team
KIRKLAND - The signing of Brian Russell was a good move by the Seahawks. Not only has Russell provided veteran leadership and knowledge from the safety position, but the guy also can pack a mean wallop.
And Russell put his heart on display Sunday, too. It wasn’t hard to see that Russell, a former Cleveland Brown, wanted to beat his former team badly.
Cases in point: Late in the first quarter, Russell and Browns fullback Lawrence Vickers collided on a pass play on which Russell was credited with the tackle. But Russell got the worst of the contact, wobbling as he struggled to get to his feet near the Seahawks sideline.
Russell was taken out of the game to shake off the cobwebs, and moments later was seen on the bench imploring Seattle trainers to let him go back in. He missed only three plays, and before the first half was over, laid a big hit on Browns receiver Braylon Edwards that forced him to the sideline.
“It’s a physical game, so there was a hit there and they wanted to check me out to make sure I was OK,” Russell said. “I was fine.”
All of that, and Russell also spent some time returning the smack talk from his former teammates, Edwards and tight end Kellen Winslow, among others.
“The jawing was just emotions, and sometimes you’re competing and occasionally words get exchanged,” Russell said. “But the bottom line is we all have a job to do. Talking won’t get it done, so we have to make more plays.”
Sunday for Sims
The game was bittersweet for Cleveland area native Rob Sims, the Seahawks left guard who bought 40 tickets for family and friends and had an even larger contingent that came from Columbus, where he played in college at Ohio State, and Canton, a good hour’s drive south of Cleveland.
Sims said reuniting with his loved ones - about 400 of them - was good, though he was clearly emotional about the Seahawks’ overtime loss.
“I had a pretty nice following,” Sims said. “I believe there was probably that many people there.”
Sims’ father, Mickey, played for the Browns in the late 1970s, and Sims grew up in the Cleveland area. His middle-school coach, Tim Dusek, was Sims’ guest at the game and watched from the sideline.
Tapp’s big play
Linebacker Julian Peterson figured that when the Seahawks force two or more turnovers and sack the opposing quarterback multiple times, they win. Sunday, the Seahawks got only one turnover and no sacks, but the player who created the turnover is turning into a big-play man on the Seattle defense.
Defensive end Darryl Tapp, one game removed from his four-sack performance, picked off a low Derek Anderson pass over the middle despite the protective device he had to wear over his broken right hand. It happened in the first quarter.
“I was floating over the top, kind of, sort of spying the quarterback,” Tapp said. “I saw him throw the pass, got my hands up and made the play. I want to say I caught it with the good hand.”
Notes
• The Seahawks are a not-so-impressive 4-4, the NFL apparently believes. Enough so that they dropped the Seahawks from the Sunday night prime-time game against the Chicago Bears on Nov. 18, originally set for a 5:15 start. Instead, NBC will air the undefeated New England Patriots at the Buffalo Bills; the Seahawks game moved to Fox (Channel 13) at 1:15.
• Injuries to DE Patrick Kerney (oblique) and LB Leroy Hill (hamstring) will likely limit them in practice this week, but it’s possible they will play Monday, coach Mike Holmgren said. Also, WR Deion Branch (foot) and TE Marcus Pollard (knee) have a chance to return from their injuries and play against the 49ers.
José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com