RENTON, Wash. -- The Seattle Seahawks will play the second of five games this season that start at 10 a.m. PT on Sunday in the noon CT start against the Houston Texans.
These games have been a problem for Seattle in the past. The Seahawks have gone 20-34 in early starts in the Eastern and Central time zones since 2001. However, the Seahawks are 1-0 this year, winning 12-7 in an early game at Charlotte against the Carolina Panthers in the season opener.
Now Seattle has back-to-back 10 a.m. PT games, including next weekend at Indianapolis.
"We know how we want to get it done,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “We have to be in the right mindset. It’s a very special challenge for us, because we have to do it five times. It’s really important that we get good at it.”
The Seahawks started every training camp practice at 10:15 a.m. PT, but returned to an early afternoon practice schedule for the regular season. However, the Seahawks leave on Friday for every road game this season in the Central or Eastern time zones if the game is an early kickoff.
The other two 10 a.m. PT starts this season come in Atlanta on Nov. 10 and in New Jersey against the New York Giants on Dec. 15.
Carroll praises Schaub -- Texans quarterback Matt Schaub is getting his share of criticism these days, but Carroll sees a lot of good things in the Houston quarterback.
“He’s really accurate, and he has a tremendous group to throw to,” Carroll said. “They can strike you dead with play action. Schaub’s really a pinpoint passer in tight coverage. You can be all over the receiver and he puts the ball where the receiver is the only guy who can get it.”
Emergency QB? -- The Seahawks have only two quarterbacks on the roster -- Russell Wilson and Tarvaris Jackson, so Carroll was asked who is his emergency quarterback?
“I’ve been working out very hard in case they have to put me in,” Carroll said.
OK, but my bet’s on one of two receivers, either Sidney Rice or Doug Baldwin. Strong safety Kam Chancellor passed for more than 2,000 as a quarterback his senior year of high school high in Virginia, but probably doesn’t know enough about the intricacies of the Seahawks offense to step in a take snaps under center.