Published: Saturday, November 1, 2008
Seahawks notebook: Tatupu, Weaver are 'game-time' decisions
RENTON -- Already without their starting quarterback, the Seattle Seahawks might go into Sunday's game against Philadelphia without two Pro Bowlers and last week's star.
Coach Mike Holmgren said Friday that defensive end Patrick Kerney will not play and that middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu and fullback Leonard Weaver will be "game-day" decisions.
None of them has practiced this week.
Kerney is one of four Seahawks who have been ruled out of Sunday's game -- quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, wide receiver Deion Branch and tight end Will Heller are the others -- while Tatupu and Weaver are listed as "questionable."
Holmgren said Friday that Kerney will be in Alabama this weekend to visit with Dr. James Andrews. Kerney injured his left shoulder in last Sunday's win over San Francisco. It's the same shoulder upon which Andrews performed surgery earlier this year to repair a torn labrum.
"We'll have some answers -- more than we have now -- next Tuesday or Wednesday," Holmgren said.
Kerney has played all 16 games in eight of his first nine NFL seasons. The only time he has missed time came in 2006, when a torn pectoral muscle sidelined him for the final seven games of the Atlanta Falcons' season.
Kerney played in all 16 games for the Sehawks last season, registering an NFC-high 14.5 sacks. He hurt his shoulder in the playoff game at Green Bay and underwent the surgical procedure shortly thereafter.
With Kerney sidelined Sunday, rookie Lawrence Jackson will join third-year player Darryl Tapp in the starting lineup.
Second-year player Baraka Atkins, who has yet to play in a game this season, will also figure into the rotation.
"Kerney was definitely a bright star on this defense," Atkins said Friday. "The three of us -- together -- will try to hold it down for him."
Defensive coordinator John Marshall said that the week of preparation didn't change, but he added that not having Kerney could make for some on-the-job adjustments.
"During the game, if we feel we need to do something else, then we'll make adjustments," Marshall said of the lineup that won't include Kerney. "Will we be ready to do that? Yeah. But L.J. and Tapp and B.A., they'll get it done."
As for middle linebacker, Holmgren said he was optimistic that Tatupu will play despite missing practices all week. The Pro Bowl linebacker strained his groin in the first quarter of last Sunday's game and did not return to the field.
Veteran D.D. Lewis filled in for Tatupu last week and would be the likely starter in the event that Tatupu can't play Sunday.
Weaver hurt his foot during the early stages of last Sunday's game, Holmgren said, but the fullback stayed on the field and scored on two long pass receptions to help spark a win over San Francisco.
"You get your adrenaline going in the ball game," Holmgren said, "and then you take the tape off and sit on an airplane and it starts to hurt. That's pretty much what happened."
Holmgren added that rookie fullback Owen Schmitt is likely to see extended action Sunday, even if Weaver can play. Weaver did some running drills with trainers on Friday but has not practiced all week.
The Seahawks have already had 11 starters miss a game due to injury this season, including six wide receivers.
"This has been a little bit of a roller coaster thing with the injury thing," Holmgren said of the Seahawks' season.
Weaver review: It could be said that Weaver's two long touchdowns last Sunday were a long time in the making.
"Those two plays, when I got to Green Bay in 1992, were the first two plays we put in," said Seahawks offensive coordinator Gil Haskell, who was on Holmgren's original Packers staff 16 years ago. "… Every quarterback who's ever been here, and every fullback who's ever been here, has run it."
Rarely have the plays worked as perfectly as last Sunday, when Weaver turned a short pass over the middle into a 43-yard touchdown and then caught a pass on the sideline and rambled 62 yards for another score.
"I've always felt he's a talented man once he gets his hands on the ball," Holmgren said. "It's just that now, with what we're asking him to do, he doesn't get his hands on the ball all that much. He's become a very good blocker. We need him to do that. And when the ball is thrown to him, I expect him to catch it."
Not that the plays were originally designed to get points.
"They're first-down-getting plays," Holmgren said. "I would guess that's the best way to call it."
Rain check: Due to the conditions, Friday's practice was moved indoors. It was the first time the Seahawks held a practice on their indoor field since training camp.
"We may have to deal with the elements on Sunday, and we realize that," Holmgren said. "But it's good to be able to have a good practice and to have them focus on the practice rather than the weather."
New monikers needed: After Weaver and cornerback Josh Wilson turned in long touchdowns in Sunday's win over San Francisco, an obvious nickname surfaced.
But "Big Play" is already taken.
"They'll have to find a new one," said defensive back Jordan Babineaux, who earned the nickname Big Play Babs earlier in his career.
Asked when he was going to live up to his nickname, Babineaux smiled and said: "They're coming."
Quick slants: Game balls from last Sunday's win were given out after Friday's practice. They went to Weaver (offense), Wilson (defense) and safety C.J. Wallace (special teams). … Defensive backs coach Jim Mora reiterated to several media outlets that he plans to coach the Seahawks next season, not the University of Washington.
Coach Mike Holmgren said Friday that defensive end Patrick Kerney will not play and that middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu and fullback Leonard Weaver will be "game-day" decisions.
None of them has practiced this week.
Kerney is one of four Seahawks who have been ruled out of Sunday's game -- quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, wide receiver Deion Branch and tight end Will Heller are the others -- while Tatupu and Weaver are listed as "questionable."
Holmgren said Friday that Kerney will be in Alabama this weekend to visit with Dr. James Andrews. Kerney injured his left shoulder in last Sunday's win over San Francisco. It's the same shoulder upon which Andrews performed surgery earlier this year to repair a torn labrum.
"We'll have some answers -- more than we have now -- next Tuesday or Wednesday," Holmgren said.
Kerney has played all 16 games in eight of his first nine NFL seasons. The only time he has missed time came in 2006, when a torn pectoral muscle sidelined him for the final seven games of the Atlanta Falcons' season.
Kerney played in all 16 games for the Sehawks last season, registering an NFC-high 14.5 sacks. He hurt his shoulder in the playoff game at Green Bay and underwent the surgical procedure shortly thereafter.
With Kerney sidelined Sunday, rookie Lawrence Jackson will join third-year player Darryl Tapp in the starting lineup.
Second-year player Baraka Atkins, who has yet to play in a game this season, will also figure into the rotation.
"Kerney was definitely a bright star on this defense," Atkins said Friday. "The three of us -- together -- will try to hold it down for him."
Defensive coordinator John Marshall said that the week of preparation didn't change, but he added that not having Kerney could make for some on-the-job adjustments.
"During the game, if we feel we need to do something else, then we'll make adjustments," Marshall said of the lineup that won't include Kerney. "Will we be ready to do that? Yeah. But L.J. and Tapp and B.A., they'll get it done."
As for middle linebacker, Holmgren said he was optimistic that Tatupu will play despite missing practices all week. The Pro Bowl linebacker strained his groin in the first quarter of last Sunday's game and did not return to the field.
Veteran D.D. Lewis filled in for Tatupu last week and would be the likely starter in the event that Tatupu can't play Sunday.
Weaver hurt his foot during the early stages of last Sunday's game, Holmgren said, but the fullback stayed on the field and scored on two long pass receptions to help spark a win over San Francisco.
"You get your adrenaline going in the ball game," Holmgren said, "and then you take the tape off and sit on an airplane and it starts to hurt. That's pretty much what happened."
Holmgren added that rookie fullback Owen Schmitt is likely to see extended action Sunday, even if Weaver can play. Weaver did some running drills with trainers on Friday but has not practiced all week.
The Seahawks have already had 11 starters miss a game due to injury this season, including six wide receivers.
"This has been a little bit of a roller coaster thing with the injury thing," Holmgren said of the Seahawks' season.
Weaver review: It could be said that Weaver's two long touchdowns last Sunday were a long time in the making.
"Those two plays, when I got to Green Bay in 1992, were the first two plays we put in," said Seahawks offensive coordinator Gil Haskell, who was on Holmgren's original Packers staff 16 years ago. "… Every quarterback who's ever been here, and every fullback who's ever been here, has run it."
Rarely have the plays worked as perfectly as last Sunday, when Weaver turned a short pass over the middle into a 43-yard touchdown and then caught a pass on the sideline and rambled 62 yards for another score.
"I've always felt he's a talented man once he gets his hands on the ball," Holmgren said. "It's just that now, with what we're asking him to do, he doesn't get his hands on the ball all that much. He's become a very good blocker. We need him to do that. And when the ball is thrown to him, I expect him to catch it."
Not that the plays were originally designed to get points.
"They're first-down-getting plays," Holmgren said. "I would guess that's the best way to call it."
Rain check: Due to the conditions, Friday's practice was moved indoors. It was the first time the Seahawks held a practice on their indoor field since training camp.
"We may have to deal with the elements on Sunday, and we realize that," Holmgren said. "But it's good to be able to have a good practice and to have them focus on the practice rather than the weather."
New monikers needed: After Weaver and cornerback Josh Wilson turned in long touchdowns in Sunday's win over San Francisco, an obvious nickname surfaced.
But "Big Play" is already taken.
"They'll have to find a new one," said defensive back Jordan Babineaux, who earned the nickname Big Play Babs earlier in his career.
Asked when he was going to live up to his nickname, Babineaux smiled and said: "They're coming."
Quick slants: Game balls from last Sunday's win were given out after Friday's practice. They went to Weaver (offense), Wilson (defense) and safety C.J. Wallace (special teams). … Defensive backs coach Jim Mora reiterated to several media outlets that he plans to coach the Seahawks next season, not the University of Washington.
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