| HeraldNet - Snohomish County's online news source |
 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2009 6:35 am |
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| RECENT POSTS: | |
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• Seahawks vs. Lions game thread November 8 • Today's inactives November 8 • Friday injury report November 6 • Thursday injury report November 5 • Wednesday injury report November 4 |
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• Rankin thrilled to be a Seahawk November 9 • Hawks’ Mare bounces back November 9 • Hasselbeck has record-setting day November 9 • Seahawks’ Hawthorne is ‘lights out’ November 9 • Finish line: Buffalo’s crime fighters November 9 • Seahawks pick off Lions November 8 • Cowboys top Eagles 20-16 November 8 • Saints rally, beat Panthers 30-20 to improve record to 8-0 November 8 • Chargers score with 21 seconds left in game, stun Giants 21-20 November 8 • Titans win 2nd straight, beat 49ers 34-27 November 8 |
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Seahawks vs. Lions game thread Seahawks still have a chance As we all know by now, the Seahawks are 2-0 when they shut out their opponent, and 0-5 when they give up points, so it's fortunate for Seattle that Jason Hanson's 34-yard field attempt clanged off the upright. Or maybe not One play after the miss, Matt Hasselbeck was intercepted, which set up a 7-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to Brandon Pettigrew. Well, if the Seahawks are going to avoid an embarrassing loss, they'd better find a way to come from behind, something they've been unable to do this season. Ladies and gentlemen, meet rock bottom At least that's what this feels like right now as the Seahawks are showered with boos. Two plays from scrimmage, two turnovers for the Seahawks after Justin Griffith fumbled after catching a pass from Hasselbeck. And of course, three plays later, Stafford hit Bryant Johnson in the back of the end zone for a 29-yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead. More boos. A lot more boos And now it's 17-0 Lions after a 41-yard Jason Hanson field goal. The Lions got those points thanks to another short field following a turnover on downs. On the plus side, the Seahawk ran four whole plays without turning the ball over. Unfortunately for Seattle, three of those four plays were runs of -1, -1, and 0 yards. The last run for no gain came on fourth-and-one. Seahawks move ball forward, even manage to score Well, at least we know the Seahawks won't get shut out, which seemed entirely possible the way things were going in the first quarter. Quarter No. 2 has been much kinder to Seattle, which drove 60 yards and scored on a 3-yard run by Julius Jones. Perhaps a good indicator of how things have gone for Seattle today was the way the Seahawks picked up their first first down. T.J. Houshmandzadeh caught a pass, fumbled, and Max Unger fell on it just past the first-down marker. That's right, even in picking up a first down the Seahawks managed to fumble. It's worth noting that the Seahawks started with good field position because of a nice kickoff return by Louis Rankin, who is making his Seahawks debut today. So you're saying there's a chance The Seahawks might just make a game out of this. Super sub David Hawthorne picked off a Matthew Stafford pass, and now the Seahawks are driving. Matt Hasselbeck has completed 12 straight passes, the last of which was the 2,097th of his Seahawks career, moving him past Dave Krieg for the most completions in franchise history. Mare field goal makes it 17-10 With 3:00 left in the first half, the Seahawks have made of game of this. Their last drive stalled out thanks to a run of negative 5 yards followed two plays later by a false start, but considering how this game started, the Seahawks should feel good if they can get to halftime with this being a one-score game. And yes, I did really just say the Seahawks are in a situation where they should feel good about being down seven at home to the Detroit Lions. Sad, I know. Seahawks within four at half Another Mare field goal at the end of the half made it 17-13. Matthew Stafford was picked off by Deon Grant to give the Seahawks the ball back at their own 16-yard line with 1:13 left. And while Seattle did well to get into field goal range, you can't help but wonder if they might have been able to get more had they not kicked the field goal with two timeouts still at their disposal. The Seahawks will start the second half with the ball, meaning they could be in the lead in just a few minutes. That would have been hard to imagine a little while ago given the way this game started. Matt Hasselbeck is 21 of 24 since throwing an interception to start the game, and has 165 yards. The Seahawks seem content to let Hasselbeck carry the load, as they have rushed just eight times for 16 yards, 14 of which came on a Justin Forsett carry. No surprise that David Hawthorne leads the Seahawks with five tackles. Seahawks within one After Seattle and Detroit traded punts to start the half, the Seahawks put together a 72-yard drive that ended with another Olindo Mare field goal, this one from 24 yards out. It's now 17-16 Lions with 9:24 left in the third quarter. Seahawks lead 22-17 The Seahawks have now rattled off 22 unanswered points and have their first lead of the day. Matt Hasselbeck connected with TJ Houshmandzadeh for a 2-yard score to cap the drive. The lead is five and not six points because Jon Ryan bobbled the snap and had to heave a pass into the end zone, which fell incomplete. Heater with another pick The Seahawks are back on offense again after David Hawthorne came up with his second interception of the game. He also has seven tackles through three quarters. And speaking of linebackers, Aaron Curry, who left briefly with an injury, was back on the field for that series, so it appears he is OK. Seahawks now lead 25-17 Apparently the Lions forgot that football games last more than one quarter, because they have been pretty much invisible since taking a 17-0 lead. Olindo Mare is 4-for-4 on field goals today, and hasn't missed a field goal since Jim Mora called him out after he missed two against the Bears in week 3. Lions remember they're still in a football game After taking the middle two quarters off, the Lions decided to start playing again, and are back within five after Jason Hanson and his 39-year-old leg drilled a 50-yard field goal. They then forced Seattle into a three-and-out, and will get the ball back with a chance to take the lead. Josh Wilson pick six seals the victory The Lions had the ball twice in the fourth quarter with a chance to win it, but interceptions by Marcus Trufant and Josh Wilson ended both drives. Wilson's pick, which he returned 61 yards for a touchdown, clinched a 32-20 victory for the Seahawks. Not a pretty win at all for Seattle, but given the 17-0 hole the Seahawks dug themselves, a double-digit victory is a pretty good end result. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment Today's inactives Here are the inactives for today's game: SEAHAWKS WR Mike Hass S Jamar Adams G Mike Gibson G Mansfield Wrott DT Red Bryant WR Ben Obomanu TE Cameron Morrah Mike Teel will serve as the third quarterback That means Sean Locklear is active and could play today. No word yet on whether he or Damion McIntosh will start. Obomanu, who has been limited this week by an oblique injury, won't play. As expected, RB Louis Rankin is active. He'll return kicks and maybe get a few carries too. CB Roy Lewis, who was signed off the practice squad Monday, is active. LIONS S Marvin White CB Jason David FB Jerome Felton LB Vinny Ciurciu T Jon Jansen G Daniel Loper DT Grady Jackson Drew Stanton will seve as the third quarterback Landon Cohen will start at defensive tackle for Jackson, and Terrelle Smith will start at fullback for Jerome Felton ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment
Friday injury report Seahawks coach Jim Mora joked that Friday was a special day because everyone--aside from the three players on injured reserve--practiced without limitation today. Sean Locklear, who had been limited to individual drills before Friday, was out there today going through team drills, and he said he's ready to play. Mora said it is possible that Locklear would start, but the more likely scenario seems to be Damion McIntosh getting the start with Locklear serving as the backup tackle. Here's the full injury report: SEATTLE Questionable WR Ben Obomanu (oblique) Probable S Jordan Babineaux (hip) QB Matt Hasselbeck (ribs) LB Will Herring (shoulder) T Sean Locklear (ankle) CB Ken Lucas (neck) DETROIT Questionable FB Jerome Felton (ankle) WR Calvin Johnson (knee) RB Kevin Smith (shoulder) Probable LB Jordon Dizonn (foot) DT Sammie Hill (ankle) DE Jason Hunter (ankle) DT Grady Jackson (knee) QB Matthew Stafford (knee) DE Dewayne White (hamstring) And even though Johnson, the Lions' beast of a wide receiver, is listed as questionable, word from Detroit is that he will be on the field Sunday. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment
Thursday injury report After taking much of yesterday's practice off, Matt Hasselbeck was back at it today, and said he's getting better, though still sore. Asked if he thinks he'll get to the point this season where there is no pain in his ribs, he said, "I would hope so. One of the things, when you come back early from an injury when you really probably, you add on some healing time. You probably create some other nagging things, I think that’s probably the case. But I hope that I can get there. . . I feel a little bit better probably to similar. It’s week to week." Here's the practice report for both teams: SEAHAWKS Did not participate in practice WR Ben Obomanu (oblique) Limited Participation in Practice T Sean Locklear (ankle) CB Ken Lucas (neck) Full Participation in Practice QB Matt Hasselbeck (ribs) LB Will Herring (shoulder) S Jordan Babineaux (hip) LIONS Did Not Participate in Practice DT Grady Jackson (knee) Limited Participation in Practice RB Kevin Smith (shoulder) FB Jerome Felton (ankle) DE Jason Hunter (ankle) WR Calvin Johnson (knee) QB Matthew Stafford (knee) DE Dewayne White (hamstring) Full Participation in Practice LB Jordon Dizon (foot) DT Sammie Hill (ankle) ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment
Wednesday injury report SEAHAWKS Did not participate in practice FB Justin Griffith (not injury related) WR Ben Obomanu (oblique) Limited Participation in Practice QB Matt Hasselbeck (ribs) LB Will Herring (shoulder) T Sean Locklear (ankle) Full Participation in Practice S Jordan Babineaux (hip) Offensive coordinator Greg Knapp indicated that Locklear probably won't be ready to start this week, but that he might be well enough by the end of the week to provide depth at tackle. LIONS Did Not Participate in Practice RB Kevin Smith (shoulder) Limited Participation in Practice FB Jerome Felton (ankle) DE Jason Hunter (ankle) DT Grady Jackson (knee) WR Calvin Johnson (knee) QB Matthew Stafford (knee) DE Dewayne White (hamstring) Full Participation in Practice LB Jordon Dizon (foot) DT Sammie Hill (ankle) ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment Wednesday updates The Seahawks may be a 2-5 team coming off consecutive blowout losses, but hey, at least they're a 2-5 team coming off consecutive blowout losses that is getting healthier. As Jim Mora pointed out in his press conference this morning, the Seahawks might actually start the same five linemen for consecutive weeks for the first time since the first two weeks of the season. And if it's not the same five, that will mean Sean Locklear is back from his ankle injury. Locklear is expected to do limited work today, but it's unknown as of now if he'll be ready to play. Will Herring is the only player not expected to practice today, having received an injection today for his injured shoulder. He should be available for Sunday, however. Ben Obomanu is coming along well from his oblique injury, Mora said, adding there is a "pretty good chance he'll be available." Ken Lucas, Jordan Babineaux and Matt Hasselbeck will all be limited today, Mora said, though it seems all should be fine for Sunday's game. As for all of those roster changes this week, Mora said they were football-related moves, not an attempt to send a message to his team. When asked about cutting Edgerrin James, Mora said that, while James has been a good presence in the locker room, the team isn't getting the production it had hoped when they signed him, and that they are interested in seeing what Louis Rankin has to offer. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment
Edgerrin James released The Seahawks released running back Edgerrin James this week, one of several roster moves to take place in the last two days. The Seahawks also parted ways yesterday with S C.J. Wallace, who has been out with a hamstring injury, and cornerback Travis Fisher. They have added receiver Mike Hass, safety Jamar Adams and cornerback Roy Lewis, all of whom were on the practice squad. James, who the Seahawks signed in August after releasing T.J. Duckett, rushed for 125 yards on 26 carries serving as a backup to Julius Jones this season. James, 31, moved past Marcus Allen into 10th place on the all-time NFL rushing list in the Seahawks loss in Dallas. The addition of Hass may indicate that receiver Ben Obomanu's oblique injury will require him to miss some time. If Hass plays, it would mostly be in a special team's role. James' release could possibly mean carries for Louis Rankin, a former UW running back the Seahawks signed to their practice squad in late Sept. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment
Travis Fisher released The Seahawks parted ways with cornerback Travis Fisher Monday, which isn't a huge surprise given the return of Marcus Trufant. And if you're wondering if this move has anything to do with Jim Mora's "We’re going to find out who the strong people are, and they’re going to be here fighting with us until the end, and we’re going to be finding out who victims are, and they aren’t going to be here fighting with us at the end" speech today, it's safe to say it didn't considering Fisher was inactive for Sunday's loss. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment Mora puts his team on notice Seahawks coach Jim Mora insists he's still optimistic about the Seahawks and their ability to turn things around, but his tone Monday was different than it has been in previous weeks, even after other blowout losses. "Adversity turns weak people into victims and it turns strong people into competitors," Mora said, repeating a quote his junior high coach, Bruce Brown, sent him Friday. "We’re going to find out who the strong people are, and they’re going to be here fighting with us until the end, and we’re going to be finding out who victims are, and they aren’t going to be here fighting with us at the end. And that’s going to be the way it is. I believe there are a lot of men in this room that will continue to fight. We’re up against it a little bit, we’ve hit some rough patches, some of them anticipated, some of them not, but people will reveal themselves in these times. Their true character will reveal itself, and I’ll be looking hard for the truth. If a man’s will to stand here and fight and give his all come to work every day with great resolve and great determination and great toughness and accountability, then I’ll fight with him. But if somebody reveals himself not to have those traits, then by the end of the season there’s a good chance they won’t be members of the Seattle Seahawks." That wasn't just something Mora told reporters Monday; it was also the message he passed on to his team after it's third blowout loss in four games. "After the game, Coach Mora was very blunt about our performance and he basically said, ‘Listen, we’re going to evaluate this organization up and down, and if I feel like I’ve got to make changes, I’m going to make changes. If that means firing people I’m going to fire people,'" quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said. "So we’ve definitely been put on notice that the scrutiny is going to go up and the coaching is going to go up in terms of being critical on us and pushing us to get better." As for injuries, the topic that usually dominates these Monday press conferences, the Seahawks came out of the game seemingly as healthy as they have all year. Ken Lucas, who didn't finish the game, is expected to be OK to play Sunday. Ben Obomanu suffered an oblique injury, and Will Herring a shoulder injury, but Mora said he didn't think either were serious injuries. The Seahawks could get Sean Locklear back in practice this week, but Mora said it was too early to know on that. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment Monday reading Jim Mora will have his Monday press conference in a couple of hours, but until then, for anyone wanting to relive yesterday's debacle, I offer up a few links. First, here's our game story from today's paper, looking at the sad state of the Seahawk (again). We also had a sidebar on the team's search for accountability, which seems to be Jim Mora's new favorite word, replacing two weeks of preaching the importance of consistency. Finally, here's a notebook leading off with a look at Marcus Trufan's rough day in his return to the Seahawks. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment
The $1.2-billion Seahawks at Cowboys game thread I'm in Arlington at the new Cowboys Stadium, which is one large and impressive building. That giant high-def video board you've probably heard about and seen pictures of? It's pretty insane. Although I will say I could have lived a happy life having never seen an 80-foot version of Billy Crystal in high-def. We're about 15 minutes from kickoff. After a couple of weeks of heavy rain--the Cowboys had to move practice twice this because their practice field was flooded--it's been a sunny and warm weekend here in Dallas. Game-time temperature is 73 degrees. Here are today's inactives Seahawks DT Craig Terrill TE Cameron Morrah T Sean Locklear G Mike Gibson RB Louis Rankin S C.J. Wallace CB Travis Fisher Mike Teel will serve as the third quarterback Cowboys CB Allen Rossum S Mike Hamlin LB Jason Williams G Montrae Holland C Duke Preston T Pat McQuistan LB Curtis Johnson Stephen McGee will serve as the third quarterback Cowboys won the coin toss and will start the game with the ball. Good news, bad news The good for Seattle? The defense, after giving up 26 yards on Dallas' first two plays, forced a punt (OK, some poor throws by Tony Romo helped). The bad? The questionable decision making on punt returns continues for Justin Forsett. Forsett elected to catch and return a ball at the 4-yard line that was probably headed for the end zone. As a result the Seahawks will start at their own 6. Just what a team wants when it's been having trouble protecting its quarterback and is starting its fourth left tackle of the season. Seahawks take a 3-0 lead Considering that drive started on the Seattle 6-yard line, the Seahawks should be pretty happy getting three points out of it. The drive was moving along nicely, but stalled out at the 25 and ended with a 43-yard Olindo Mare field goal. The most encouraging sign of that drive for the Seahawks has to be the fact that they ran the ball with some success. After losing a yard on his first carry, Jones had runs of 6, 7, 3, and 11 yards before being held to no gain on his last carry. After the drive ended there was a pretty lengthy and animated discussion on the sideline between Matt Hasselbeck and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Houshmandzadeh was upset with where a ball was thrown, wanting it lofted over the defensive back who broke it up. Should be interesting to see how those two work the rest of the game. The two of them getting on the same page has been a work in progress since Houshmandzadeh signed in the offseason, and it appears they weren't on that play. Cowboys answer with a touchdown That Seahawks lead was short-lived, as Dallas needed only 3:41 to find the end zone and a 7-3 lead. Sam Hurd turned a short swing pass into a 35-yard touchdown thanks in part to some bad tackling. But more importantly, I now feel slightly more fulfilled in life. Why you ask (or more likely you don't care)? Because I've now seen animated cans of Dr. Pepper, a Diet Dr. Pepper, and a 7-up race on a giant high-def video board. If that's not excitement, I don't know what is. And for the record, the 7-up can won, though the Peppers can still hold it over 7-ups' head that they both earned their doctorate. Forsett's rough day continues Justin Forsett--you might remember him from such plays as: the guy who inexplicably caught a punt on the 4-yard line--isn't having a great day here in Texas. Facing third-and-3, the Seahawks called Forsett's number, and he picked up the first down and more, but then fumbled thanks to a big hit from Terence Newman. That gave Dallas the ball at the Seahawks' 30-yard line, and Marion Barber just punched the ball in for a 2-yard touchdown to make it 14-3. Yes, Deion Branch is still a Seahawk We haven't seen a ton out of No. 83 this season (his critics would say ever). But Deion Branch just hauled in a 23-yard touchdown pass to make it 14-10. Seahawks finally get to Romo, get a stop Who knew? Apparently pressuring the quarterback can lead to positive things. Having gone a quarter-plus without touching Dallas QB Tony Romo, the Seahawks finally knocked him down a few times, and the result was Dallas having to settle for a 48-yard field goal attempt, which missed wide right. Cory Redding was the first to get to Romo, knocking him down on back-to-back plays before David Hawthorne came up with a sack. Lawrence Jackson also had a QB knockdown on an incomplete third-down pass before the field goal attempt. Dallas adds to lead It's now 21-10 at halftime, and the Seahawks are not happy about that last score. They appeared to have Dallas stopped at the Seattle 43-yard line, but Marcus Trufant was flagged for pass interference. Seattle's gripe--and it seems to be a good one--was that Miles Austin simply ran over Trufant on the play to draw the penalty. Five plays later, the Cowboys added six points to their lead. Some first-half stats Seahawks had 163 yards to 228 for Dallas. Matt Hasselbeck was 9 for 16 for 126 yards and one touchdown. Julius Jones led Seattle with 29 yards on eight carries. Nate Burleson led the Seahawks receivers with 46 yards on two catches. Hasselbeck was sacked only once, which isn't bad considering he was sacked seven times here last year, and five times last week. It appears the return of Rob Sims at left guard and the switch to Damion McIntosh at left tackles is helping. For Dallas, Marion Barber had nine carries for 40 yards, Tony Romo was 12 for 23 155 yards and two scores. Miles Austin has 58 yards on four catches. Dallas lead grows, Ken Lucas hurt After a few punts back and forth between teams, Dallas came up with the first score of the second half, a 3-yard touchdown pass to Miles Austin. Four plays before the touchdown, Ken Lucas suffered an injury tackling Felix Jones after a long catch and run. The injury update we just heard is a shoulder stinger for Lucas and his return is questionable. Though they were just showing on TV trainers checking his eyes, which last I heard wasn't something you do for stingers. Also on that drive, Marcus Trufant was flagged for pass interference for the third time today, though the Seahawks were pretty upset about two of those calls, including the last one in the end zone. This is getting out of hand quickly It's now 35-10 following an 82-yard punt return for a touchdown by Patrick Crayton. The only good news to come out of this half so far for Seattle is that Matt Hasselbeck appears to be OK after taking a big hit and staying down momentarily before jogging off. He came out for Seattle's possession after the touchdown, but was sacked twice in a row and now the Seahawks are about to punt again. . . Yikes, that was an ugly punt. Oh well, at least Crayton didn't get a chance to return it. Seahawks massive deficit a wee bit smaller It's "only" 38-17 now after a 4-yard touchdown pass from Matt Hasselbeck to Justin Griffith. That score was set up by a David Hawthorne fumble-causing sack that gave Seattle the ball at the Dallas 8-yard line. This will be it until after the game. As always, thanks for reading. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment
Friday injury report Here's the week's final injury report. The most interesting thing on here is the inclusion of Cowboys Pro-Bowl nose tackle Jay Ratliff. Ratliff hasn't shown up on the injury report all week, but is not listed as questionable. UPDATE: The Dallas Morning News' Todd Archer is reporting that Ratliff suffered a bruised knee in Thursday's practice, but does not have ligament damage. Also, the Seahawks have added Marcus Trufant to the roster and placed linebacker Lofa Tatupu on injured reserve. No surprise there, but the move just had to be made official at some point before Sunday's game. SEAHAWKS Out S C.J. Wallace (did not practice, hamstring) Doubtful T Sean Locklear (did not practice, ankle) Probable QB Matt Hasselbeck (full participation, rib) G Rib Sims (full participation, ankle) DE Patrick Kerney (full participation, groin) COWBOYS Out CB Allen Rossum (did not practice, hamstring) Questionable NT Jay Ratliff (did not practice, knee) Probable RB Marion Barber (full participation, thumb) S Gerald Sensabaugh (full participation, thumb) LB DeMarcus Ware (full participation, foot) ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment
Tatupu having surgery, out for the season Lofa Tatupu is currently in surgery in Alabama to repair his torn pectoral muscle, meaning his season is over. Tatupu suffered the injury in the Seahawks' loss to Arizona, and after the game the prognosis was that the middle linebacker would need surgery and would miss the rest of the season. Further tests indicated that may not be the case, and that he may be able to return at some point this season. Any hopes of getting Tatupu back are over now, however, as he will join Walter Jones as the second Seahawk Pro Bowler to go on injured reserve this week. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment
Walter Jones: "I still want to play" Walter Jones may be out for the season, but the veteran left tackle doesn't view today as the beginning of his retirement. "My next step is to continue to keep working and try to get back," he said. "I still want to play this game, I like the competition, I still want to go out there and compete with the guys. So that’s my No. 1 goal right now is to continue to keep doing what I’ve got to do to get back on the field next year." And for those who wonder why a nine-time Pro Bowler would bother trying to play next season when he has accomplished so much, Jones has a simple answer. "Because this is what I love," he said. "It’s a game that I have put so much pride in and wanted to be the best at. So I still want to come out and do my job and play this game." Jones said the pain in his knee simply never went away, and after trying to play though it for a while earlier this season, he finally had to shut it down. "A lot of times I was just being quiet about the pain because your No. 1 focus is trying to get back on the football field, and that’s where I should have said something, but I figured, ‘Well it’s going to get better, I can fight this. I’ve played with pain before, I can get through this,’" he said. "But the pain never did subside, so I decided to say something and say that something still is not right." Jones last played on Thanksgiving Day in Dallas last season, and played below his usual level while trying to play through his knee injury. He said the memory of that game carried over into his attempt at coming back this season. "I never did feel comfortable enough to put myself out there on the football field," he said. "After last year’s game, that was a tough situation for me, so I never did want to go out there feeling uncomfortable about something. So I said I’m not going to step on that football field until I feel comfortable about this knee." That won't happen this year, but Jones isn't ready to give up on his football career yet. "I still want to play, and hopefully next year will be a strong year for me, and that’s my approach," he said. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment Seahawks Wednesday Practice Report OUT LB Lofa Tatupu (pectoral) Did Not Participate QB Matt Hasselbeck (rib) T Sean Locklear (ankle) S C.J. Wallace (hamstring) Limited Participation in Practice RB Julius Jones (not injury related) DE Patrick Kerney (groin) Full Participation in Practice G Rob Sims (ankle) Dallas Did Not Participate in Practice FB Deon Anderson (illness) CB Allen Rossum (hamstring) Full Participation in Practice RB Marion Barber (thumb) S Gerald Sensabaugh (thumb) LB DeMarcus Ware (foot) ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment Walter Jones done for the season Seahawks coach Jim Mora said today that left tackle Walter Jones will be placed on the injured reserve list, meaning his season is over. Jones, who had two knee surgeries in an eight-month span, has not played this year, but the team had hoped earlier that he may be able to play after the bye week. Instead, Jones will sit out the season then be re-evaluated after the season. "After much deliberation and evaluation and soul searching between the team, the medical staff and Walter Jones, it has been determined that the best thing to do for Walter, for this football team and for his future is to put him on injured reserve," Mora said. "So we’re going to do that today, we’re going to shut him down, we’re going to let him heal up, have whatever procedures our medical staff feels is necessary and then re-evaluate early next year." Mora said that Jones has been diligent in his rehabilitation, "But it’s just not happening." The question now is whether the nine-time Pro Bowler, who is 35, will ever play again. Mora said it was too early for a career eulogy, but also admitted he didn't know if Jones would be back next season. "I think it’s really too early to indicate one way or another, but we just need to shut him down and then re-evaluate at the start of next year," Mora said. Linebacker Lofa Tatupu, who is out with a pectoral muscle, is in Alabama meeting with Dr. James Andrews to determine a course of action for his injury. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has some soreness in his ribs, and will not practice today, Mora said, but he should be back practicing tomorrow and be fine for Sunday's game. "He's in no jeopardy of missing this game," Mora said. In more positive news, Mora said both Marcus Trufant and Leroy Hill will play Sunday. The most likely scenario is that Trufant won't start, but play in passing situations, and that Hill will start, but will mostly play on first and second downs. Defensive end Patrick Kerney isn't going to practice today, but will play Sunday, Mora said. The Seahawks also made a roster move, signing a yet-to-be named linebacker to the practice squad, and moving RB Louis Ranking off of the practice squad to the 53-man roster. Rankin, a former Husky, likely won't be active for Sunday's game, however. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment
Back to work The Seahawks got back to work after taking four days off. Who they'll have playing on their offensive line in Dallas this weekend is still in question, however. The Seahawks' hope for a while has been than tackles Walter Jones and Sean Locklear could return after the bye, but the status on both is still up in the air. "Well, we’ll see as we go along," Seahawks coach Jim Mora said of Jones. "He’s still iffy. So we’ll see where he is Wednesday." Asked if there was a chance Jones will practice this week, Mora said, "There’s always the hope, but we’ll see. I don’t know for sure yet. I just don’t know for sure yet." And Locklear? "Same thing," Mora said. "I’m not sure yet. We’ll see where he is Wednesday. Today was kind of a bonus day, so neither of those guys got much work." Mora called it a bonus day because the team normally doesn't practice on Mondays, but did today coming off a bye. A bonus day also meant a light day for Matt Hasselbeck. "He didn’t do a lot," Mora said. "Matt’s fine, Matt had a good week last week and he’s doing good." The Seahawks will likely have linebacker Leroy Hill and Marcus Trufant back Sunday. "Leroy and Tru both practiced and they’re both doing very well," Mora said. The Seahawks coach is also hopeful that Patrick Kerney can return from a groin injury. As for Lofa Tatupu, who tore his pectoral muscle and may or may not need season-ending surgery, Mora said a decision has not yet been made on the linebacker. "No update right now on Lofa, still in holding pattern," Mora said. "We’ll see. Still evaluating what the best decision is for Lofa, so we’ll see. As soon as we can tell you something we’ll let you know." ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment
Seahawks add guard to roster I mistakenly said earlier that the Seahawks signed Mike Gibson, a second-year guard from Cal, to the practice squad. He was in fact added to the active roster, filling the spot vacated by Kyle Williams, who was released yesterday. Williams was re-signed to the practice squad, and guard Mark Lewis was let go from the practice squad. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment Seahawks season over? "That's ridiculous," says Hasselbeck The Seahawks just wrapped up their final practice before taking four days off for the bye week. As much as they'll use the time off to rest physically, the next week and a half will also be big for a team trying to stay in the right frame of mind mentally after a home beat down at the hands of Arizona last weekend. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck says the Seahawks are still confident they can turn things around. "I know that there's times in a season where a team can pull apart or pull together, and after a performance like we had, at home, I think people have definitely counted us out, I think there's a lot of negativity around our team," he said. "I've heard people say that the season is over, we've got no chance. That's ridiculous. For us as a team, this is an opportunity for us to pull together and prove people wrong, but it's also an opportunity where you've seen teams in the past, point the finger at each other, maybe whisper and doubt the plan that the coaches have put forth. Mentally we've got to rise above all that stuff. It would be easy for us to make excuses about whatever, but what's important is that we just block that stuff out and just continue to work hard and just stay together." As for today's practice, it was another quick practice like yesterday's with the highlight coming from the coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Greg Knapp lined up for a play at receiver, and beat defensive coordinator Gus Bradley for a touchdown, getting huge cheers from the offense, including Hasselbeck, who threw the pass. Marcus Trufant and Leroy Hill were both on the field again, Trufant even came away with an interception. G Rob Sims worked out on the side, but did not practice. Lofa Tatupu (pectoral), Patrick Kerney (groin), Kelly Jennings (ribs, hip) and C.J. Wallace (hamstring) did not practice. The Seahawks added guard Mike Gibson to the practice squad. Gibson was a sixth-round draft pick last season by the Eagles and played his college ball at Cal. A quick programming note. I'm using the bye week to take a little time off too, so unless news happens, this blog will be pretty quiet until Monday. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment
Seahawks cut Kyle Williams Kyle Williams, who started at left tackle in Sunday's loss to Arizona, has been waived by the Seahawks. Williams, a third-year player who was undrafted out of USC, has gone back and forth between Seattle's active roster and practice squad, and also started two games last season when Walter Jones got hurt. The Seahawks have Damion McIntosh, a veteran tackle they signed last week, and could also get Sean Locklear back from an ankle injury after the bye, though his status is still unknown, as is the status of Walter Jones. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment Trufant and Hill back on the field The Seahawks finished practice a little while ago on a sunny fall afternoon, and Marcus Trufant and Leroy Hill were back on the field for the first time in a while. Trufant, who suffered a back injury in July, has been on the physically unable to perform list since the start of training camp. By being on the PUP list, Trufant was ineligible to play in the Seahawks first six games or practice with the team. He said he felt good in his first practice since summer minicamps, and is hopeful that he will return for the Seahawks' next game on Nov. 1. Hill, who suffered a groin injury in the season opener, also hopes to be back on the field for the game in Dallas. He said he felt "perfect" testing out his surgically repaired groin during practice. UPDATE Forgot to mention this when I posted earlier, but running back Edgerrin James was not at practice today. He was excused from practice for personal reasons, presumably to head home to Florida to spend time with his children. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment
Tatupu maybe not done after all The Seahawks could certainly use some good news after yesterday's debacle, and they just might have received some good news this morning. After getting back some test results, the Seahawks now believe Lofa Tatupu's injury may not in fact be season ending, Seahawks coach Jim Mora said in his Monday press conference He does still have a torn pectoral muscle, but it appears the muscle is not torn all the way off the bone, and therefore may not require surgery. More tests need to be done--Mora said they'll look at an MRI of his healthy pectoral muscle to compare the two--and there's no guarantee the news will be good, but Tatupu could return this season. Mora said it is not known how long Tatupu will be out if he does not need surgery. The Seahawks will practice Tuesday and Wednesday before taking the rest of the week off for their bye. Linebacker Leroy Hill and cornerback Marcus Trufant are both expected to return to practice this week on a limited basis. "We'll work them in there slowly," Mora said. Mora reported that Matt Hasselbeck, who was sacked five times, is sore, but said, "I don't think he's any worse for the wear." Defensive end Patrick Kerney and cornerback Kelly Jennings, who were both injured yesterday, should be back for the Seahawks next game at Dallas. Guard Rob Sims, who has an ankle injury, will return to practice this week. Tackles Sean Locklear (ankle) and Walter Jones (knee) will continue to be out this week, and the long-term prognosis on both is still unknown. Jones might return to practice next week after the bye, which would be the first step towards determining his future. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment
Cardinals 27, Seahawks 3, the aftermath As would be expected, not a lot of happy faces in the Seahawks locker room after this one. Seattle is now 2-4 and facing a long uphill battle to get back in the playoff race, and Lofa Tatupu is done for the year with a torn pectoral muscle. But hey, at least the punter had a good game. And also. . . well. . . yeah, I've got nothing else. Just a bad, bad day for the Seahawks. It may just be me, but doesn't it seem like a bad thing when both the head coach and one of the players sum up the team's chances for the rest of the season by basically saying, "Hey, crazy things happen in the NFL." After the game, Jim Mora said, "I've seen crazy things happen in this league, we all have, and so we're going to keep fighting, we're going to keep battling, we're going to keep searching for consistency, searching to get better, and we'll see where this thing ends up. We'll see indeed. Nate Burleson had a similar thought. "We don’t have any quitters, nobody is going to pack it in right now. If you’re familiar with the NFL, crazy things can happen," he said. "We’re not the only team that’s going to deal with injuries, we’re not the only team that’s going to shoot themselves in the foot and throw some games away. All we’ve got to do is start playing well, and if you can play well late, in this league that’s very important." So yeah, crazy things could happen, but with both Arizona and San Francisco sitting at 3-2, the sane outlook isn't a good one for the Seahawks. No, the season isn't over. Ten games is still a lot of football, but avoiding another losing season looks a heck of a lot harder now than it did seven hours ago. The Seahawks could get Leroy Hill and Marcus Trufant back after the bye, as well as a couple of offensive linemen, so the news isn't all bad, but it is certainly hard to be too optimistic about Seattle's chances right now. We'll have the usual Monday press conference tomorrow, so check back tomorrow afternoon for the latest news. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment Tatupu out for the season A brutal 27-3 home loss to Arizona might not have been the worst part of the day for the Seahawks. Middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu, a three-time Pro Bowler, is out for the year with a torn peck, which will require surgery, Seahawks coach Jim Mora said. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment Seahawks vs. Cardinals game thread Just a couple minutes until kickoff here at Qwest Field, and it appears we've now seen how the Seahawks plan to stop the high-powered Arizona passing attack: 15 defenders. The defense was introduced before the game instead of the offense (apparently they didn't want to see Owen Schmitt get bloodied again) and 15 players were introduced. Six linemen, three linebackers and six defensive backs. Not sure if they can pull this off (you know, the officials might notice and all) but if they get away with it that would be a pretty genius plan. Arizona won the coin toss and will start with the ball. Cardinals take an early lead Arizona marched 80 yards on the opening drive to take a 7-0 lead. Kurt Warner was 9 for 9 on the drive for 64 yards and a 2-yard touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald. The Cardinals were 4 for 4 on third down on the drive. Yikes And now it's 14-0 Cardinals with 3:07 left, and the Seahawks offense still hasn't taken the field. After their first touchdown, the Cardinals kicked a nigh short kickoff into no-man's land (OK, not quite no-man's land, John Owens was in the area but inexplicably let the ball bounce) and recovered the loose ball. Three plays later Tim Hightower was in the end zone after a 2-yard run. From bad to worse The Seahawks' terrible start got worse when, on only their third play on offense, Matt Hasselbeck was sacked, causing a fumble that Arizona recovered. The defense did hold Arizona to a field goal, however, so it's 17-0 with 13:38 left in the half. Arizona had 128 yards in the first quarter to the Seahawks' three. They also held the ball for 14:17 of the 15 minutes in the quarter. Warner had his first incompletion of the game on that last series, which was in part because the Seahawks were able to pressure him for the first time all day. On the next play Patrick Kerney sacked Warner, forcing the field goal. Perhaps the Seahawks can get back into the game if they can keep getting that kind of pressure (and, you know, hold onto the ball for a few minutes). Jon Ryan for MVP Until a moment ago, the best play of the game might have been Jon Ryan's punt that pinned Arizona deep. After picking up one first down, Arizona had to do something that, up until that point, had been foreign to the Cardinals: punt. When Seattle's drive had apparently stalled out, Ryan struck again, hitting a wide-open John Carlson on a fake punt. The play went for 42 yards to the Arizona 20. Unfortunately for Seattle it only netted three-points, as Matt Hasselbeck was sacked on third-and-goal from the three. The patch-work O-line has held up pretty well so far this season when it comes to pass protection, but not today. That was sack No. 3 already (and remember, the Seahawks offense hasn't been on the field much this half). Tatupu leaves with a shoulder injury If the score isn't bad enough, now the Seahawks have a key player injured. Middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu is in the locker room with a shoulder injury. His return is questionable. The Seahawks did get a stop out of their defense when Patrick Kerney sacked Kurt Warner for the second time today, causing a fumble. That didn't lead to anything, however, as the Seahawks went three-and-out and had to punt. It's 17-3 at the half. They're not saying "Hooosh" this time T.J. Houshmandzadeh just caught a pass, but the noise that followed was definitely boooing, not Hoooshing. The already frustrated fans weren't happy with the play calling on the opening drive of the second half, which netted runs of negative three and negative one yard, then a short pass for 3 yards on third-and-14. So much for building momentum at the start of the half. Oh, and Lofa Tatupu didn't come back out with the team for the second half, so his day may be over. Kerney out with a groin injury Patrick Kerney, who had two sacks and a forced fumble in the first half, left the game with a groin injury (he missed last week's game with a groin injury, though we haven't been told yet if it's the same injury) and he will not return to the game. Hey, would you look at that? An Arizona three-and-out. That's the first today. Jon Ryan continues to be the best player on the field for Seattle Add a touchdown-saving tackle to punter Jon Ryan's resume. It's amazing that this is the same team that scored 41 points a week ago. Just how bad is Jacksonville? We're late in the third quarter and the Seahawks have 82 yards of total offense, and 42 of those came on the fake-punt pass play from Ryan. Arizona makes it a three-touchdown lead Kurt Warner connected with Steve Breaston for a 16-yard touchdown to make it 24-3 late in the third quarter, and that's still the score as we head to the fourth. Kelly Jennings looked to be hurt on the play, but he's back on the field for this Arizona drive. Through three quarters, Warner is 28 for 33 for 249 yards and two scores. blah, blah, blah. Seahawks still losing. blah, blah, blah Not much left to say about this one. Still 24-3, fans have mostly all left, Seahawks can't move the ball, etc. We did get a nice bit of comic relief when a Hasselbeck pass hit an unsuspecting John Carlson right in the helmet. Good times. Oh wait, now it's 27-3. The Cardinals just added a field goal following an interception. Can I follow the fans out and head home now? No? Darn. Time to put the game thread to bed. Thanks for reading. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment Today's inactives Pretty much as expected for the Seahawks. CJ Wallace, Leroy Hill, Rob Sims, Walter Jones, Sean Locklear, Red Bryant and Cameron Morrah are inactive for today's game against Arizona. That means all the other injured players (Patrick Kerney, Nate Burleson, etc) will be playing today. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment
Friday injury report As Jim Mora said today, the Seahawks injury situation is slowly improving, as is evident on today's injury report, which has "only" four starters listed as out. Everyone else who is on the report is listed as probable for Sunday's game. Also, Mora said Ken Lucas will fly back tomorrow from Mississippi, where he has been all week for his father's funeral. It hasn't been decided yet whether Lucas will start. Kyle Williams will start at left tackle, Mora said, and newly-signed Damion McIntosh will be the backup at both tackle positions. Either Steve Vallos or Mansfield Wrotto will start at left tackle, though both could play, Mora said. SEATTLE Out T Walter Jones (knee) T Sean Locklear (ankle) G Rob Sims (ankle) LB Leroy Hill (groin) S CJ Wallace (hamstring) Probable WR Nate Burleson (back) QB Matt Hasselbeck (rib) DE Lawrence Jackson (rib) DE Cory Redding (shoulder) G Mansfield Wrotto (ankle) DE Patrick Kerney (groing) CB Travis Fisher (pelvis) ARIZONA Out TE Stephen Spach (ankle) Questionable WR Steve Breaston (knee) CB Bryant McFadden (ankle) DE Kenny Iwebema (ankle) RB Jason Wright (back) LB Ali Highsmith (thigh) Probable DT Darnell Dockett (ankle) CB D. Rogers-Cromartie (finger) G Reggie Wells (thumb) ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment
Thursday injury report SEATTLE Out T Walter Jones (knee) T Sean Locklear (ankle) G Rob Sims (ankle) LB Leroy Hill (groin) S CJ Wallace (hamstring) Did not participate in practice CB Ken Lucas (non injury related) Limited participation in practice WR Nate Burleson (back) Full participation in practice QB Matt Hasselbeck (rib) DE Lawrence Jackson (rib) DE Cory Redding (shoulder) G Mansfield Wrotto (ankle) DE Patrick Kerney (groing) CB Travis Fisher (pelvis) Also of note, CB Marcus Trufant was out again doing some work on the side, and appeared to be moving around very well. It's looking more and more like he will indeed be back after the bye week. ARIZONA Did not participate in practice TE Stephen Spach (ankle) Limited participation in practice WR Steve Breaston (knee) CB Bryant McFadden (ankle) DE Kenny Iwebema (ankle) RB Jason Wright (back) LB Ali Highsmith (thigh) Full participation in practice DT Darnell Dockett (ankle) CB D. Rogers-Cromartie (finger) G Reggie Wells (thumb) ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment Tatupu wants you to know about Hasselbeck's generosity So a decent amount of publicity went to Lofa Tatupu last weekend, and rightly so, when the Seahawks linebacker decided to match $10,000 worth of donations collected at Sunday's game for tsunami relief in the Pacific Rim. A couple of us were talking to Tatupu today when Hasselbeck came up, and Tatupu wanted to make sure people knew he wasn't the only one reaching into his pockets to help out. "I know I got a lot of credit last week for the donation, but he has matched my donation and I don’t think anybody has given him credit for that," Tatupu said. "So if you can put that out there, I’d really appreciate it." Consider it out there, Lofa. Or at least as out there as anything gets on this blog. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment
Wednesday's injury report Here's the participation list from today's practice: SEATTLE Out T Walter Jones (knee) T Sean Locklear (ankle) G Rob Sims (ankle) LB Leroy Hill (groin) S CJ Wallace (hamstring) Limited participation in practice WR Nate Burleson (back) DE Patrick Kerney (groin) CB Travis Fisher (pelvis) Full participation in practice QB Matt Hasselbeck (rib) DE Lawrence Jackson (rib) DE Cory Redding (shoulder) G Mansfield Wrotto (ankle) ARIZONA Did not participate in practice TE Stephen Spach (ankle) Limited participation in practice WR Steve Breaston (knee) CB Bryant McFadden (ankle) DE Kenny Iwebema (ankle) RB Jason Wright (back) Full participation in practice DT Darnell Dockett (ankle) CB D. Rogers-Cromartie (finger) G Reggie Wells (thumb) ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment Wednesday press conference highlights We know for sure that the Seahawks will start their third different left tackle this week, and it sounds like that job will probably fall to Kyle Williams, not Damion McIntosh, who was signed yesterday. Williams, a recent call up from the practice squad, is the likely starter for Sunday's game, Jim Mora said in his press conference today. Williams, in his third year out of USC, played in four games last year, starting two. DE Patrick Kerney, who missed last week's game with a groin sprain, is expected to be back at practice in a limited role today, and Mora said he was hopeful Kerney would play. Cornerback Travis Fisher (hamstring) is also expected to be at practice. C.J. Wallace, a backup safety and special teams regular, will miss this week's game with a hamstring injury and be re-evaluated after the bye. As for Brandon Frye, who was place on injured reserve, Mora said the tackle's neck injury was more serious than a stinger, noting that Frye lost some feeling when he went to the ground, but did not get into the specifics of the injury. Ken Lucas, whose father passed away last week, is back home with family and won't practice, but is expected to be back for Sunday's game. Justin Griffith is expected to return as the starting fullback. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment
Seahawks sign veteran tackle, place Brandon Frye on injured reserve Tackle Brandon Frye, who left Sunday's win over Jacksonville with a neck/shoulder stinger, has been placed on injured reserve, meaning he is out for the season. To take his place, the Seahawks signed tackle Damion McIntosh, a 10-year veteran who has played for San Diego, Miami and Kansas City. McIntosh, 32, has started 111 games in his career, including 93 games at left tackle, and most recently spent the last two seasons in Kansas City, but was released in September. Current Seahawks offensive line coach Mike Solari was the Chiefs' offensive coordinator in 2007, McIntosh's first year with KC. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment
Monday Mora presser Jim Mora held his usual Monday press conference just a little while ago, and for the first time, the talk wasn't dominated by injuries. Sure there were still injuries to update: QB Matt Hasselbeck came out of the game fine, Mora said. T Brandon Frye's status is still unknown. He suffered a neck/shoulder injury in yesterday's game, and Mora said they still need to do more tests before they know when Frye will be back. S C.J. Wallace has a hamstring strain and could miss some time, Mora said. Some of the other injuries from Sunday didn't turn out too bad. Mora said CB Travis Fisher (hamstring), G Mansfield Wrotto (ankle) and T Kyle Williams (knee) should all be OK to practice this week. Mora also anticipates getting defensive end Patrick Kerney back, as well as fullback Justin Griffith. Linebacker Leroy Hill may even return to practice on a limited basis this week, but even if he can practice, Hill won't play this weekend against Arizona. With the injuries at tackle, Mora was asked again if a move might be made, and he said it's something they will consider, but that a decision won't be made until they know Frye's status. Williams may not have to make his usual trip back to the practice squad, because rookie defensive tackle Michael Bennett, who was released to make room on the roster for Williams, was claimed by Tampa Bay. Also a bit of sad news: we found out today that cornerback Ken Lucas was playing with a heavy heart Sunday, as his father passed away Friday. Condolences to the Lucas family. Otherwise a lot of the talk Monday was about building off of Sunday's win and keeping a good thing going with Arizona coming to town. In light of the 49ers blowout loss at home, the division now looks a bit more wide open for Seattle, especially if the Seahawks can win Sunday to get to 3-3. "It's only one game, but the clouds lifted a little bit for us," Mora said. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment
Seahawks 41, Jacksonville 0. A few postgame thoughts and quotes Well, the Seahawks talked all week about this game being a must-win. And win they did. Big time. A lot of the credit goes to Matt Hasselbeck, who was impressive in his return, but there are more heroes than just the quarterback. The defense, which plays a heck of a lot better at home than on the road, turned in its second shutout in three home games, thanks in large part to the ability to pressure Jags qb David Garrard. The offensive line, a unit for which the word patchwork seems to have been invented, was far from spectacular, but kept Hasselbeck upright for the most part. And the end result was a win in a game the Seahawks absolutely had to have. "This was the biggest game for our season," receiver Deion Branch said. "You always say that, that the next game is the biggest game. But this was by far our biggest game. We knew we needed this game. It was a must." The next step, obviously, is to keep it going. The Seahawks still need another win next week to get to 3-3 at the bye, and after San Francisco lost tonight, doing that would make for a pretty tight race in the NFC West. "It depends if you follow it up," Jim Mora said when asked about the significance of the win. "It only changes if you validate it. So our job is to go out and validate this thing, and that's what we have to set our minds on doing." As for injuries, the Seahawks lost another offensive lineman Sunday, as tackle Brandon Frye left with what Mora called a neck/shoulder injury. His replacement, Kyle Williams, suffered a knee sprain but played through it. Guard Mansfield Wrotto also left the game with an ankle injury, though Mora said the injury does not appear to be serious. Safety C.J. Wallace left the game hamstring injury, and cornerback Travis Fisher went down with a hamstring or groin injury. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment Seahawks vs. Jaguars game thread Seahawks catch a break before the game starts We're not quite underway here at Qwest Field, but already the Seahawks have had something go in their favor. Mike Sims-Walker, the Jaguars' leading receiver, is not going to play today for violating a team rule. He'll be replaced in the lineup by rookie Mike Thomas. Some football fans around here may remember Thomas from his days at Arizona, including a 66-yard touchdown catch in Husky Stadium two years ago. Seahawks, Jags trade punts to start the game The Seahawks had a nice drive going, but elected to punt on fourth-and-one at the Jacksonville 43. Let's just say the 12th-man didn't approve of that decision. Seattle did get the ball back, however they gave up a lot of field position in the exchange of punts, and will start their second possession with the ball at the 17-yard line. Meet Kyle Williams, your new left tackle Brandon Frye, who started at left tackle in place of the injured Sean Locklear, who was starting in place of the injured Walter Jones, is now out of the game with a shoulder stinger. His return is questionable, we're being told. That means Kyle Williams, who was signed off the practice squad yesterday, is now in the game protecting the blindside of a quarterback with fractured rib. Good times. Speaking of that injured quarterback, Hasselbeck no doubt gave the entire stadium a scare when he scrambled for a nine-yard run, but he did get out of bounds without taking a shot. Seahawks lead 3-0 And perhaps more important that the 47-yard Olindo Mare field goal is the fact that Hasselbeck took his first hit of the game and popped right back up, seemingly no worse for it. Defense preserves 3-0 lead The first quarter just ended, and the Seahawks are up 3-0 thanks in large part to a goal-line stand by the defense. Facing fourth-and-one from the 2-yard line, Jacksonville went for it instead of kicking a field goal, and pressure by Lofa Tatupu and Aaron Curry forced David Garrard to throw the ball away. More punting. So exciting Since I last checked in, reporting on Seattle's big stop, we've seen. . . let's see here. . . a Seahawks punt, a Jacksonville punt, another Seahawks punt, and would you look at that, here comes Jacksonville's punting unit. That three-point lead is looking better and better as the game goes on. Even with Hasselbeck in the game, the Seahawks offense is a bit limited. It lookes like they're doing everything they can to keep him from getting hit both in terms of protection and calling quick throws. Seahawks extend lead, end zone still safe from football-carrying invaders Perhaps we'll see a touchdown at some point today, but for now the Seahawks have a 6-0 lead thanks to another Olindo Mare field goal, this one from 27 yards out. Hasselbeck scrambled again on the drive, this time for 12 yards, again scaring 67,000 people until he slid to safety after getting to the first-down marker. Hasselbeck to Housh makes it 13-0 T.J. Houshmandzadeh has made no secret of the fact that he wants the ball more, and he's getting his wish so far today. He has four catches for 64 yards, including his first touchdown, a 34-yarder that gave the Seahawks a 13-0 lead. Another long touchdown pass makes it 20-0 Following that last touchdown, the Seahawks defense forced its fourth three-and-out of the half, giving Hasselbeck and the offense a short field. Three plays later, Hasselbeck found Nate Burleson over the middle, and Burleson shed a tackler and raced to the end zone for a 44-yard score. Hasselbeck is now 14 for 23 for 192 yards in his return from injury. Some halftime stats After a slow start offensively, the Seahawks picked things up in a big way in the first half. They finished with 256 yards, including 192 yards from Hasselbeck. Nate Burleson had five catches for 93 yards, including a 44-yard scored, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh had 64 yards on four catches, including a 34-yard touchdown. Jacksonville has just 92 yards and four first downs. Turnover leads to another Seahawks touchdown Jacksonville was moving the ball on its first possession of the first half, but that drive ended when Aaron Curry hit Jags quarterback David Garrard, forcing a fumble that Cory Redding returned from midfield to the 32. Four plays later, Hasselbeck hit Houshmandzadeh for a 13-yard touchdown, the second time today those two have connected for a score. It's now 27-0 Seahawks. Seahawks now lead 34-0 Hasselbeck now has four touchdown passes, the most recent one coming on a 5-yard pass to Nate Burleson. Hasselbeck is now 18 of 30 for 241 yards. I wouldn't be shocked to see him get the rest of the day off, because as good as he has looked today, he's still one bad shot to the ribs away from missing a few more games. Barring injury or a spectacular comeback, this will do it for the game thread today. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment Today's inactives Patrick Kerney, who was out this week with a groin injury, is among the Seahawks players on the inactive list, so we won't be seeing him today. Fullback Justin Griffith is also out, which is a bit of a surprise given that he practiced this week and was listed as probable on the Friday injury report. Here's the full list: FB Justin Griffith LB Leroy Hill G Rob Sims T Walter Jones T Sean Locklear TE Cameron Morrah DE Patrick Kerney Mike Teel will serve as the No. 3 quarterback, and Darryl Tapp will start at end in place of Kerney. ... [Read More] E-mail | Print | Comment |
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