KIRKLAND – As the days flutter away and the Seattle Seahawks’ next game approaches, the opportunities are dwindling for running back Shaun Alexander and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.
The Seahawks’ two stars endured some expected soreness while taking part in Thursday’s practice, and their performances didn’t answer any questions about whether they’ll play Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.
Alexander, who has missed six games with a cracked bone in his foot, worked with the first-team offense for the first half of Thursday’s practice before Maurice Morris took all the snaps in the final two drills.
Hasselbeck was off target for most of the afternoon, throwing three interceptions, but found his rhythm during the final 30 minutes of the session. He has been out three weeks because of a sprained ligament in his right knee.
“They’re getting better,” offensive coordinator Gil Haskell said after Thursday’s practice. “Are they all the way there? No. It’s still a game-day decision. But at least they’re going the right direction.”
At least one of the Seahawks players has a gut feeling on whether the Pro Bowlers will play against the 49ers.
“I don’t think they’ll go Sunday,” wide receiver Darrell Jackson said. “I think they’ll sit it out, rest up.
“There’s no reason for them to come back right now. We’ve got a couple games (separating the Seahawks from anyone else in the NFC West) and everything’s going pretty cool right now, so we’re not in a rush to get them back right now. We need them to get totally healthy if we’re going to reach our eventual goal.”
Neither Hasselbeck nor Alexander was made available to the media on Thursday, but earlier this week both players expressed guarded optimism about playing.
Alexander has worked primarily with the No. 1 offense, while Hasselbeck has only seen action on the scout team. Quarterback Seneca Wallace has taken every snap with the first team in the event that he does have to start Sunday.
While Wallace had one of his better practices of the entire season Thursday, Hasselbeck struggled.
Jimmy Williams, Michael Boulware and Jordan Babineaux all intercepted Hasselbeck passes, and another off-target throw hit Babineaux in the lower back. But Hasselbeck eventually found his rhythm and threw better balls near the end of the session.
Alexander didn’t look as sharp as he did in the previous day’s practice. He eventually went to the sideline while the team worked on passing drills with Morris in the backfield.
Haskell said that nothing should be read into either player’s performance, just that the injuries have left them both rusty.
“You’re not the guy you were before you got hurt,” Haskell said. “It takes time. Guys have played and practiced so much that you’re not as fast as you think they are. They’ll get back and they’ll make us a better team. All of a sudden, it will be leaps and bounds.”
Asked whether three more days would be enough time, Haskell said: “Sure, sure.”
Wallace and Morris have shown in recent weeks that they’re capable of filling in. But that doesn’t mean that the coaches are looking forward to the possibility of another week without their Pro Bowl duo.
“There’s a huge difference between Matt and (Wallace), just like there’s a huge difference between Shaun Alexander and (Morris),” Haskell said. “You need those guys healthy, especially down the stretch. We’ll be cooking when they get back healthy.”
Notes: Contrary to what was written in a pro football column last week, quarterback Seneca Wallace is under contract with the Seahawks for one more year after this season. Wallace signed a one-year extension in August and will get a base salary of $800,000 in 2007. … Holmgren told Bay Area reporters that he plans to visit former 49ers coach Bill Walsh sometime this weekend. Walsh, who was San Francisco’s coach when Holmgren was an offensive assistant with the 49ers, recently disclosed that he’s been battling leukemia since 2004. … Backup cornerback Kelly Jennings hurt his left knee early in Thursday’s practice and did not return to action. The injury is not believed to be serious, but if Jennings can’t practice today, he’ll be added to the injury report. … Center Robbie Tobeck (flu) attended practice but did not participate.
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