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Life without Shaun Alexander is about to begin for the Seattle Seahawks in what looks to be Mike Holmgren's last season.

Probability to win NFC West

Complete division forecasts

The AccuScore forecast has the NFC West champions projected to win nine games this season, with a 66 percent probability of winning the division again. It will be important for the Seahawks to be healthy and playing their best in the first part of the season because they have home games against their NFC West rivals in the first 11 weeks of the season. If Seattle does not start with at least a 7-3 record they run the risk of losing 5 of their last 6 games and missing out on the playoffs.

Although the Seahawks have a few questions on their offense, quarterback isn't one of them. Matt Hasselbeck is expected to have the best season of his career and is projected to have 4112 yards in the passing. Those numbers would be a season high and work well with his forecasted 27:13 touchdown to interception ratio.

The Seahawks were smart in releasing Shaun Alexander. The combination of new RBs, Julius Jones and TJ Duckett are helping the Seahawks average 15 more rushing yards per game with a total of 3 more rushing touchdowns than the team had in 2007. To demonstrate the upgrade, had Seattle stuck with Shaun Alexander and Maurice Morris, their chances of making the playoffs decline by a staggering 16 percentage points.

Finally, the Seahawks bring back a tough defense that was fourth in the league in sacks last season with 45. Patrick Kerney returns at defensive end, coming off the best year of his career (14.5 sacks, 49 tackles). This year, AccuScore projects Kearney won't lose much of a step, with 13.3 sacks and 50.9 tackles (both solo and assisted). Accompanying Kerney on the defensive line is Julian Peterson, who is projected to finish the season with 10 sacks and 60.9 solo tackles (14.6 assisted tackles).

For more information on AccuScore projections for the Seattle Seahawks, click here to see how the Seahawks will fair as they head across the country for their first game of the season against the Buffalo Bills.