Seahawks WR Golden Tate (ankle) missed practice Wednesday and has been ruled out for week 9. Tate is coming off a season high 7 target game, but caught only 2 passes for 36 yards. Deion Branch and Brandon Stokely will see a few more looks with Tate out. Neither is a good play against the Giants.

One aspect that stands out from the Patriots' five-game winning streak is that different players are stepping up to get the job done each week. One of the prime examples Sunday was receiver Brandon Tate.

Here is a look at the snap counts for the top three receivers since the Deion Branch/Randy Moss trades:

Welker: 62/45/44
Branch: 54/43/24
B. Tate: 35/24/38

By looking at the numbers vertically, it shows how Tate was playing mostly behind Wes Welker and Branch in wins over the Ravens and Chargers. He wasn't a big part of the attack in those wins.

But with Branch slowed by a hamstring injury Sunday, Tate delivered with the extended opportunity.

He's still bothered by the hamstring and Tate was a bigger factor this past week as a result. Tate's biggest play came on a bit of a broken play, too, but it still showed off his skills. Much like their running backs, you just don't know who is going to get the targets at WR now.

Patriots WR Deion Branch (hamstring questionable) was limited at practice Friday. The Friday downgrade is never a good sign. If Branch can't go, Wes Welker, Brandon Tate, and TE Aaron Hernandez would see more balls.

Patriots WR Deion Branch was a full participant at Patriots practice on Friday after being limited on Thursday.

Patriots WR Deion Branch (hamstring) was limited Thursday. We'll check back Friday, but a hamstring issue is never good news for a WR.

Size is inevitably woven into any description of Mike X. Williams.

That's understandable, considering he's a 6-foot-5 receiver.

He gave a fittingly statuesque performance in Chicago on Sunday, catching 10 passes for 123 yards.

Not only was it a career high in receptions for Williams, who had never caught more than six passes in any NFL game, but it was the most by any Seahawk in any since Bobby Engram caught 14 passes against Cleveland in November 2007.

"Mike was the guy we were trying to feature," quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said after the game.

That could be telling, as it was Seattle's first game after trading Deion Branch, the starting flanker through the first four games.

Williams wasn't an afterthought earlier this season. He caught 11 passes for 138 yards while playing through injuries to his thigh and shoulder. He said earlier in the week that this was the best he had felt, physically, since the season began.

Williams now looks like a guy to pick up and consider playing after the departure of Dieon Branch in Seattle. Williams could very well be the WR1 now - considering he was targeted as a big part of the game plan this past week.

Seattle has failed to score a point in the first quarter this season and now QB Matt Hasselbeck will have a new slot receiver in Brandon Stokley after the trade of veteran Deion Branch to New England. To help the passing game, the Seahawks will start Marshawn Lynch and see if they can pound the Bears’ fifth-ranked run defense. If Lance Briggs doesn’t start, Brian Iwuh will be Chicago’s weak-side linebacker. LB Brian Urlacher is the Bears’ leading tackler with 35.

Seeking No. 1 receiver
Offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates acknowledged that the revolving door at receiver -- with Deion Branch now gone -- leaves the team looking for someone to step up.

"We'll give them all a shot," Bates said. "We've got to see what they can do. We look forward to Deon (Butler) stepping up, Golden (Tate) stepping up, Mike (Williams) continuing his progress. We're just looking for someone to take it over."

Lynch it up
As for the biggest challenge for new running back Marshawn Lynch?

"I think just the learning curve," Bates said. "Usually you have 15-17 OTAs (organized training activities) and two-a-days. When you bring guys in three days ago, it makes it challenging. Knowledge is power, so you've got to be on it mentally before you get the physical game down."

But Lynch figures to get tossed in immediately and the 24-year-old says he's ready to roll.

"It's still football. Nothing has changed but the play-calling," he said. "As far as conditioning and the mindset of getting up and going out there and putting in work, it's all the same. I'm just learning some new plays and wearing some new colors."

While Deion Branch has been back with the Patriots for just two days after a four-year-plus absence, Tom Brady said their on-field chemistry remains strong.

“It will always be there,’’ Brady said. “I’ve thrown him thousands and thousands of footballs. I think you could pull Troy Brown out of the announcer booth, or whatever he’s doing these days in the media, and he could come in here, put some pads on, and I’d be able to throw him the ball pretty consistently.

“The relationship I have with Deion on the field has always been a great one. There’s always been a natural chemistry. I hope that we’ll be able to rely back on that a little bit.’’

Coach Bill Belichick is also happy to have Branch back.

“I think he’ll help our football team,’’ said Belichick. “He’s a quality player, a good person, good individual, hard-working guy who is a good, instinctive football player.’’

We're curious to see how Branch gets used in the Pats offense. Brandon Tate was a hot pickup and this could have some affect on his production. It'll probably take a week or two to get an idea, but in the meantime, if you have the roster room, Tate and Branch could be worth shots, but with tighter rosters it's probably best to pass for now.

Somewhat lost behind the story of Deion Branch being traded on Monday was coach Pete Carroll saying Marshawn Lynch is adjusting quickly to the Seahawks' schemes and should be ready for a large role this week in Chicago.

That's interesting news both for Seahawks fans and for fantasy football players who haven't had a lot of luck with Seattle offensive players thus far in the season.

Justin Forsett, who has started the first four games at tailback, is 26th in the NFL in rushing at 53.8 yards per game and has yet to score a touchdown. In fact, the only Seahawk to run for a TD so far is quarterback Matt Hasselbeck

If the Seahawks running game improves, so will its passing game (i.e. M. Williams, G. Tate, D. Butler, B. Stokley).