By Scott M. Johnson
Herald Writer
KIRKLAND – The hourglass on Matt Hasselbeck’s availability this weekend is close to running out of sand.
Hasselbeck practiced on a very limited basis Thursday, and did not take part in team drills. The Seattle Seahawks’ starting quarterback is resting a sore groin and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Earlier this week, coach Mike Holmgren said Hasselbeck would have to practice in order to play in the game, meaning the deadline for deciding his playing status could be today.
“He hasn’t played enough seasons to miss a whole week of practice and then feel comfortable going into ballgames,” Holmgren said Wednesday. “Some quarterbacks can pull that one off. That would be kind of hard for him, I think.”
Trent Dilfer took all the snaps with the first unit at practice and would start if Hasselbeck cannot go. Dilfer said earlier in the week that he expected Hasselbeck to play, and was not changing his stance as of Thursday.
“He looked fine today,” Dilfer said, “but I don’t make that decision.”
It’s not Hasselbeck’s decision, either, which is why he has been sidelined this week.
“I’m sure my mindset’s different than the people who make the decision,” Hasselbeck said Thursday. “My mindset was to be out here today. I was planning on being out here taking every snap. But that’s how my mindset has to be, regardless.
“It’s up to the people who understand how the human body works to make decisions that are best for the team. I think the fear is that we’re going to make it worse, where it could be a three- or four-week thing when it doesn’t need to be.”
Raider fined for hit: Oakland linebacker Elijah Alexander was fined one week’s game check by the league for a late hit on Dilfer in Sunday’s game.
Alexander’s fine, which amounts to about $26,500, was assessed because of unnecessary roughness and the use of his helmet to hit another player, according to a letter he received from the NFL.
Dilfer completed a 54-yard pass to Darrell Jackson on the play, but was knocked unconscious.
“It doesn’t make a difference to me,” Dilfer said of the fine. “The play happened, and we both moved forward. … I thought the hit the guy had on me was a great hit, but I don’t know if it was within the rules. It’s up to the league’s discretion whether they fine him or not.”
Teammate Robbie Tobeck said the hit was “pretty bad. Obviously, (Alexander) was trying to knock him out of the game. … You take one-seventeenth of a man’s pay for the year, that’s going to leave a mark.”
Alexander said he would appeal the fine.
“They thought I put my head down, left my feet and launched into it,” he said. “If you look at the film, you don’t see any of that.”
Alexander was seen high-fiving fans as he left the stadium after being ejected, but he told Bay Area media Wednesday that he did not know Dilfer was still down.
“I have a family,” Alexander said. “I know how tough it is for them to see me down.”
Game blacked out: About 15,000 tickets remain for Sunday’s game against Jacksonville, meaning television coverage will be blacked out locally.
Only two of the past 10 home games have been televised locally, including the 2001 home opener. That game, a 27-3 loss to Philadelphia, was shown only because the NFL decided to lift the blackout for one week.
Free tickets: The Seahawks will continue to give out free tickets to civil servants, but they have capped the amount of available tickets at 3,000 per game. Only about 500 were still available for Sunday’s game as of Thursday evening.
Local police, fire fighters, emergency medical technicians and military personnel can pick up their tickets at the Seahawks ticket office (310 Westlake Ave. N. in downtown Seattle) by 7 tonight. No free tickets will be available on game day.
About 11,000 free tickets were distributed for the home opener against Philadelphia.
Quick slants: The Jaguars may be without another starter in Sunday’s game, as linebacker Hardy Nickerson was added to the injury list after suffering a pinched nerve in his neck at Wednesday’s practice. Nickerson is listed as doubtful to play in Sunday’s game, meaning Jacksonville now has five starters listed as out or doubtful. … Seahawks cornerback Shawn Springs practiced for the second consecutive day on Thursday, and intercepted a pass to close out practice. If deemed healthy enough to play, Springs would join rookie Ken Lucas in the starting lineup. … Jaguars wide receiver Sean Dawkins, a former Seahawk, was fined $5,000 by the league for taunting opponents in Sunday’s loss to Cleveland.
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