1999 record: 9-7, first in the AFC West.

Last five years: 40-40.

Coach: Mike Holmgren (9-7 entering second year with Seattle, 84-44 in eight seasons overall as an NFL head coach).

Playoff past: The Seahawks are 3-5 in their playoff history, and last year's 20-17 loss to Miami was their first postseason appearance since the 1988 season, when they lost to the Cincinnati Bengals. The furthest they have advanced is the 1983 season, when they blew out the Denver Broncos, then traveled to Miami and upset the Dolphins 27-20 in Miami before losing to the Raiders at Los Angeles 30-14 in the AFC Championship Game.

Outlook

If the Seahawks get off to a start like last season, they'll be in great shape. But it couldn't be more unlikely considering the circumstances.

They exploded to an 8-2 start last season, having the look of a contender in the first season of the eight-year contract signed by new coach/general manager Mike Holmgren, who took over the football operations and coaching following a brilliant seven years in Green Bay. Add to that the unlikely great start from first-year starting quarterback Jon Kitna, and the Seahawks were one of the early surprises in the NFL.

Then reality set in for Kitna and the poorly coached defense. Veteran defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur was overcome with cancer before training camp and retired before his sudden death a few months later. Consequently, the defensive leadership on the coaching staff was terrible, and only the erratic play of Kitna during the 1-5 finish masked what were continuous defensive coaching blunders. The inability to make adjustments or change sets from game to game, let alone during a game, was stunning not only to opponents and the media, but often to the Seahawks' defenders. That was never more apparent than in their 3-point loss to the Dolphins in the playoffs in the final game played in the Kingdome.

Ricky Watters has been one of the NFL's most consistent runners for several years but could use a strong backup.(AP)

"I think the players know me and know what I expect, and I know them much better," Holmgren said. "We can build on what we did offensively last year, and defensively we're putting in some new things. It's a lot easier for me the second time around, and I think it is for the players as well."

The hiring of Sidwell should, if nothing else, assure the Seahawks of a more consistent defense and certainly one that was better than the one that finished 23rd overall and 25th against the run. All-Pro linebacker Chad Brown was surprisingly vocal about the inability of the coaching staff to maximize their defensive talent -- comments he apologized for in training camp this summer -- so the onus will be back on the players to get back to the sack-happy bunch that led the AFC in 1998 and consistently made big plays to turn around games.

"You know what my management style with the defense is and that I don't mess with them a whole lot," Holmgren said. "I didn't last year because I have good coaches and they know what to do. Steve has been a coach for such a long time, and he has a good presence I would say. He can be critical of a player and the player has to know that it is not personal. He has a wonderful ability to keep them smiling while yelling at them."

Nonetheless, all eyes will be on Kitna, the local product who came to the Seahawks by way of NFL Europe and Central Washington University.

Initially, he had great rhythm and accuracy when Holmgren handed him the job last season. With the playbook toned down from the start, the margin for error was small, and he took advantage of it. But once the defenses wised up to the lack of overall speed (magnified by the absence of disgruntled holdout Joey Galloway) and the ineffective offensive line -- decimated by injuries -- he was poorly equipped to handle what was happening. Now it's up to Kitna to adjust, considering his reputation as someone who could improvise well just didn't pan out last season.

"Last season was unsatisfying for me, unsatisfying for the team, but unless you are St. Louis, what do you have to be satisfied for?" Kitna said. "But there were a lot of positives, and I will never let anyone make me feel bad about last season because we won the AFC West for the first time since 1988.

"There were a lot of firsts. A lot of things to build on, and looking back you can say we should have won the Miami game, but then again you can say that about any game. The fact of the matter is that there was not one game that we lost that we were not in, and I think that we are going to be better this year."

Schedule preview: Having won the division, the Seahawks face the daunting task of having eight new starters for a first-place schedule. They are on the road in the opener at Miami, with defending champion St. Louis coming to town the second week followed by a visit from New Orleans. Games 4-6 are on the road at San Diego, Kansas City and Carolina. It only gets worse in their temporary home -- the University of Washington's Husky Stadium for two seasons while the new stadium is getting built -- with Indianapolis, Kansas City and San Diego providing three home games in the next four, wrapping around a game at Jacksonville. The 13th game is at Atlanta, perhaps the only breather (if only the Falcons are more like last season than the NFC championship team of the year before), and this schedule with a team on the rebuilding cycle could be Holmgren's greatest test as a coach.

1999 offensive ranking: No. 23 overall, No. 25 rushing, No. 16 passing.

1999 defensive ranking: No. 23 overall, No. 25 rushing, No. 17 passing.

Key players lost: C Kevin Glover (retired), G Brian Habib (retired), LB Darrin Smith (to New Orleans), WR Joey Galloway (to Dallas), DE Phillip Daniels (to Chicago), SS Darryl Williams (to Cincinnati), DT Sam Adams (to Baltimore), OT Grant Williams (to New England), Ahman Green (to Green Bay), Mike Pritchard (released).

Key additions: SS Reggie Tongue (Chiefs), LB George Koonce (Packers), WR Justin Armour (Ravens)

Rookies to watch: The Seahawks were surprised and thrilled when Alabama running back Shaun Alexander was available with the 19th selection overall, and he'll take a lot of the burden off aging Ricky Watters. Offensive tackle Chris McIntosh, their second first round pick, has been a holdout and has a lot to learn about pass blocking. Ike Charlton is a good young cornerback who will develop in nickel and dime packages, and they're hoping speedy young wide receivers James Williams and Darrell Jackson develop sooner than later.

Offensive line: A lot of the erratic offense last season was attributed to an offensive line that was generally speaking too old, too young and too injured. Left tackle Walter Jones is the leader and last season became the first Seahawks offensive lineman to be voted to the Pro Bowl. Todd Weiner returns at right tackle with more experience and, they hope, injury free. Chris Gray is the center, with Floyd Wedderburn replacing Brian Habib. Pete Kendall has been hurt during camp and Holmgren has had problems with his outspoken personality. Frank Breede is there if they do something with Kendall to purge more salaries. There were high hopes for McIntosh to contribute, but his holdout has Holmgren seething, particularly since the Wisconsin star had little pass blocking experience because he was usually opening holes for Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne.

Wide receivers/tight ends: The good news is they got used to playing without Galloway last season. The bad news is they still don't have much speed. Sean Dawkins and Derrick Mayes are essentially possession receivers, and they're hoping second-year man Karsten Bailey will provide the breakaway ability to open some things up for everybody else. Lanky Justin Armour is another possession receiver who has impressed in camp. Rookies James Williams and Darrell Jackson have talent and speed. Christian Fauria is the incumbent starting TE who made his share of big catches last season, with Deems May and the improving Itula Mili providing size and experience for depth.

Running back: Watters has been one of the most consistent 1,000-yard backs in the NFL, and the only player to rush for 1,000 for three different teams (San Francisco, Philadelphia and Seattle). Mack Strong and Reggie Brown are the fullbacks, with top draft choice Alexander expected to both spell Watters and play with him. Speedy and diminutive Charlie Rogers might add the breakaway dimension on odd downs.

Quarterback: Kitna completed his first full season as a starter with mixed reviews. He has strengthened his arm and has emerged as more of a leader throughout training camp, but this is his year to prove he's the quarterback or Holmgren will undoubtedly look elsewhere. The hopes were that second-year southpaw Brock Huard, who like Kitna is a local product, would make a run at the starting job, but that hasn't panned out. Veteran backup Glenn Foley is available as insurance. If Huard proves to be good enough, Foley could be another salary casualty in favor of rookie free agent Kevin Feterik.

Defensive line: All-Decade selection Cortez Kennedy still anchors the heart of the defensive line, though Sidwell has been unimpressed with the veteran's physical conditioning, or lack of it. Mike Sinclair will attempt to regain Pro Bowl status after a sub-par season. Replacing departed starters Phillip Daniels and Sam Adams are two 1999 draft choices -- top pick Lamar King, who will get a full shot at Daniels' defensive end slot, and fourth-round pick Antonio Cochran, battling it out with fourth-year veteran Riddick Parker to replace Adams. Matt LaBounty remains a veteran capable of making an impact as a situational player.

Linebackers: All-Pro Brown will have an expanded role in Sidwell's system. Anthony Simmons, the 1998 top draft choice, will move over to the outside and replace Darrin Smith, who was released as the purge of veterans toward youth continues. That takes us to middle linebacker, where DeShone Myles was knocked out with knee problems again and will be replaced by one of Holmgren's steady but aging players from Green Bay, George Koonce. Veterans James Logan and Jeff Kopp will also play, and there are hopes rookies Isaiah Kacyvenski and Marcus Bell blossom as impact players.

Secondary: The defensive backfield is led by All-Pro corner Shawn Springs, along with free-agent strong safety Reggie Tongue to replace departed Darryl Williams. Willie Williams, after a shaky 1999 season, is hanging on to the other corner spot, with Chris Canty and rookie Ike Charlton waiting for him to blink. Fred Vinson, acquired from Green Bay on the eve of the draft, would have been in the mix had he not blown out his knee in a minicamp and been lost for the season. Veterans Jay Bellamy and Kerry Joseph will battle it out at free safety.

Special teams: Pete Rodriguez's bunch is continuously making an impact, as Charlie Rogers set eight team records and led the NFL in punt returns last season. Todd Peterson set a team record in '99 with 134 points as the kicker, but he had his moments of lost confidence, and has limited range, which caused some antsy times last season. Jeff Feagles, who doubles as the holder, set a franchise record with 34 punts inside the 20-yard line and led the NFL with better than 40 percent of his punts being downed inside the 20.