Can things get any worse for the Seattle Seahawks?

Nevermind…don’t answer that.  Let’s let Seattle (2-4) keep quarterback Matt Hasselbeck somewhat healthy for a game or two.

This week, the Seahawks put all-pros left tackle Walter Jones and middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu on the Injured Reserve list.

Without two of the team’s most instrumental players, the Seahawks head to Dallas for a Week Eight matchup against Miles Austin and the Cowboys (4-2).

Wait, Miles Austin?

After only five catches through Dallas’ first four games this season, the four-year veteran wide receiver out of Monmouth currently rides a two-game span in which he’s nabbed 16 balls for 421 yards and four scores.

Austin’s emergence couldn’t have come at a better time because the Cowboys’ offense had not been able to consistently produce.

Quarterback Tony Romo had been picked off four times while only throwing for four touchdowns.  Three of those scoring strikes came in Week One when the Cowboys beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 34-21.

So now that Romo has found a reliable receiving target, what can Seattle do to limit the damage?

Double coverage.

You simply cannot play him in man-to-man, whether it’s a press or you play off him five-to-ten yards.  You cannot play him in a zone.  Austin proved at Kansas City in Week Five and against the Falcons in Week Seven that his speed and route running allowed him to exploit matchups and find even the smallest of holes in the defense when a man-to-man or zone scheme was used on him.

Now, I know what you’re thinking…“If you put double coverage on Austin, what about Jason Witten?  That guy can catch!”

That’s a really good point.  Witten is one heck of a tight end and has been Romo’s security blanket for a few years now, but let me ask you a question in return. 

Who would you rather have burn you, a sure-handed tight end that lacks game changing speed or an emerging wide receiver that has turned routine 10- and 15-yard receptions along the sideline and over the middle into 50-plus-yard scoring strikes?

With an extremely physical rookie linebacker in Aaron Curry roaming the middle of the field for the Seahawks, I’ll take my chances with Witten.

Offensively, Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck needs to continue getting the ball to receiver TJ Houshmandzadeh. 

Houshmandzadeh’s been targeted a lot over the past four games (35 times), but in two of those games he totaled 35 receiving yards or less.  That kind of lack of production, while disappointing, should soon be a permanent thing of the past as Hasselbeck continues to recover from fractured ribs.  You have to remember, these two hooked up for 11 pass-and-catches during the preseason and, of those 11 receptions by Houshmandzadeh, two of them went for short-yardage touchdowns.  Houshmandzadeh was brought in to put points on the scoreboard and I don’t think he’ll have much difficulty doing so throughout his stay in Seattle.

While I think both Hasselbeck and Houshmandzadeh should have a good game this weekend, a home Dallas team that is starting to fire on all cylinders is a pretty scary thought.  Dallas just has too many weapons both offensively and defensively. 

Look for Cowboys to continue its streak of rolling through its opponents.

Dallas 24, Seattle 10.