Holmgren wants to take long look

Saturday, August 14, 1999

By CLARE FARNSWORTH
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

CHENEY -- Jon Kitna will start tonight's game against the Buffalo Bills at the Kingdome, as expected. But the Seahawks' third-year quarterback will play longer than most starters do in a preseason opener.

That's because Kitna is a first-year starter in the new offense of first-year coach Mike Holmgren.

"Typically, I've never played the first quarterback for more than a quarter in the preseason," Holmgren said yesterday before the team flew from Spokane to Seattle for tonight's game. "But I have to see him do some things."

Holmgren plans to play Kitna in the first half, backup Glenn Foley in the third quarter and rookie Brock Huard in the fourth quarter. That could change, depending on how much the Seahawks have the ball in the first half, and how well Kitna moves the team.

"Jon won't play more than a half, and he might not play a full half," Holmgren said.

The Bills plan to start Doug Flutie at quarterback. He will be followed by Rob Johnson and Alex Van Pelt.

REPLAY, REDEUX: The Seahawks will get their first taste of the new instant replay system tonight. Holmgren said he might challenge a call even if it's not that crucial just to go through the process.

"I'd be anxious to see how it works," said Holmgren, who favored the system that allows coaches to challenge two plays per game. "You're not going to have all the game stoppages, all the things that used to bother people. I think it has a chance to work and really help the game."

Coaches can challenge a call, but lose a timeout if the play is not reversed. Only the replay official can call for a replay in the final two minutes of each half. All plays are reviewed by the referee on the field and he has 90 seconds to make his decision.

QUITE A CATCH: The Sports Illustrated pro football preview issue matched up players who transcended their positions in the 20th century with those who might do it in the 21st century. The choices at wide receiver were Seahawks Hall of Famer Steve Largent and the Bills' Eric Moulds.

"Growing up, Steve Largent was one of the big superstars in the NFL," Moulds said. "It's just amazing to be mentioned in the same sentence as him."

GAME ON HDTV: The Seahawks will broadcast today's game in high definition television (HDTV), the first live local telecast of a sporting event using the new technology.

The game will be simulcast in Seattle on KING-TV's channel 5 and its high definition UHF channel 48. The public can view the broadcast at any Puget Sound location of The Good Guys stores, which will be tuning in the game on HDTV sets.

HDTV presents images and sounds with dramatically improved clarity and quality, since it is sent with a signal with five times more resolution than regular television. It is shown on a horizontal screen TV set, providing a panoramic view similar to movie theaters.

In March, the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, like the Seahawks owned by Paul Allen, broadcast two games in HDTV.

HAWK TALK: FB Mack Strong and RB Ahman Green are among a dozen injured players who did not make the trip to Seattle yesterday. They will remain at training camp to rehab their injuries. . . . With Strong and Green out, Reggie Brown will start at FB and also be the No. 2 RB behind Ricky Watters. . . . Holmgren said it is unlikely that first-round draft choice Lamar King and WR Michael Jackson will play. Each signed this week and practiced for only two days. . . . Fans can ride Metro shuttle buses free from six park-and-ride locations by showing their game tickets -- Shoreline, Northgate, south Kirkland, Eastgate, Kent and Federal Way.

P-I reporter Clare Farnsworth can be reached at 206-448-8016 or clarefarnsworth@seattle-pi.com