Twelve games later, it has been shredded on a weekly basis by opponents who often seem to know what it the defense will do before the players do.

On Thursday, after the Seahawks succumbed to the Dallas Cowboys , 34-9, several players said their defense has not been given the chance to be successful because it has been used improperly.

"I think with our defense this year, we knew what we had coming back and we didn't know how to play to our strengths," safety Deon Grant said. "And we are still figuring out what is our strength. Some of the players know what the strength is. Some of the coaches know what the strength is. We just haven't put it together."

Asked to describe the defense's strength, Grant declined to be specific.

"I can't say it," Grant said, "but of course I know."

Linebacker Julian Peterson said the team's strength is using its speed to pressure the quarterback consistently, something that has been sporadic this season.

"Bringing pressure, bringing heat," Peterson said. "Pressure busts pipes; that is anybody. I don't care what kind of quarterback you got back there. If you bring heat, obviously it is a 50-50 chance that they pick it up and they got one-on-ones and they got the opportunity to make the big play. But if they don't pick it up, it is big plays for us. So it is hit or miss. That is one of my strengths. We got good team speed, so we can do that."

Neither Grant nor Peterson called out defensive coordinator John Marshall by name, but they were obviously frustrated that Marshall had them playing zone against Dallas early in the game, which may have played into the hands of Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who completed 11 of his first 13 passes.

Romo moved the Cowboys up and down the field with ease, staking Dallas to a 21-3 lead. Only after Romo threw his second touchdown of the game to Jason Witten in the second quarter did the Seahawks blitz Romo and disrupt Dallas' offense.

It was curious that the Seahawks came out in a zone defense, because they did the same thing against Arizona two weeks ago, and Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner had similar success. The Seahawks went to man-to-man coverage in the second half of that game, pressured Warner and got close enough to have a chance to win.

"The times that (Romo) was sliding in and getting an open throw, we were in a zone," Grant said. "When we had him man to man, we were in a lockdown. But when we were in a zone, he was finding openings and making it happen."

Asked whether the Seahawks should have gone to a different defensive scheme earlier, Grant said, "That does not need to be said, but you know what we are talking about."

Last week, Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said he did not want to comment on the team's future personnel moves. But on Thursday, after watching the defense surrender 447 yards, he changed that stance.

"It's a little puzzling," Holmgren said. "We haven't generated turnovers and we haven't seemed to get the pass rush going like we have in the past. I think we have to take a hard look at that side of the ball. And maybe changes are necessary next year."

Grant said he didn't think Holmgren's statement was fair because he thinks the defenders haven't been given a fair chance to show what they can do.

"I will let them upstairs handle that ball," Grant said. "But I know if we play to our strength we will kill any offense out there."

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