Yes, they won the game, 34-17, but Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren was a bit peeved afterward about the first-string defense, which is supposed to be the strength of this football team with all 11 starters returning.

But against a Vikings offense that threw the first 11 plays it ran and never once handed off the ball to star second-year player Adrian Peterson, the defense had difficulties getting stops - and the secondary was particularly ineffective.

The defensive backs, coached by head coach-in-waiting Jim Mora, is supposed to be one of the strengths of this defense, with cornerback Marcus Trufant signing a $50 million contract in the offseason and safeties Deon Grant and Brian Russell the glue to keep everybody together.

But Trufant was especially poor the entire evening. He blew a coverage assignment that allowed one 20-yard gain. He missed a tackle that permitted another 20-yard gain. And then he had a pass interference call go against him in the end zone that placed the ball on the 1 and eventually led to a Minnesota touchdown.

"I have high expectations for our defensive football team," coach Mike Holmgren said. "The bar has been set pretty high. I'm pretty picky with them and they know it. When a player or a group doesn't perform to the level I think he is absolutely capable of performing, in any games, then I'll talk about it, or I'll talk to him about it."

There may have been some clue that this was coming two days prior to the game, when Mora verbally unloaded on second stringer Kevin Hobbs and rookie Jamar Adams.

Mora is a fairly reserved coach who usually gets his points across with positive reinforcement. So it came as something of a shock when Mora stopped practice one day to repeatedly scream at Hobbs and Adams for repeating a mistake that the defensive backs had gone over only that morning in a film session.

Mora may be doing that because Adams has become one of several players who appear as if he may make the 53-man roster out of nowhere.

Last season that player was former University of Washington C.J. Wallace, who earned some notoriety with big hits in preseason games. Wallace is competing with Adams for the roster spot, but Adams is two inches taller, 10 pounds heavier and has made plays that make people take notice, including a number of big hits in an intrasquad scrimmage and a hit on Minnesota running back Maurice Hicks that caused a fumble.

Linebacker David Hawthorne is the other player who could earn a spot, especially now that linebacker Wesly Mallard has been placed on injured reserve with a knee injury and second-year linebacker Will Herring still has not participated since last year, suffering from something that continues to make his joint swell.

The Seahawks usually keep six or seven linebackers for special teams purposes, and Hawthorne has put several big hits on opponents, including one that dislodged a ball in Friday's victory over Minnesota. It was one of five fumbles forced by the defense - though none from the first team.

CAMP CALENDAR: Camp closes Aug. 21. Team moves to its new facility in Renton on Aug. 18.