KIRKLAND – With 33 consecutive starts under his belt, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck isn’t exactly nipping at Brett Favre’s heels.
It is, however, the third-longest quarterback streak in team history. And that streak is in jeopardy this Sunday.
Hasselbeck, who is nursing a bruised leg, did not practice Friday and was downgraded to questionable on the team’s injury report. While coach Mike Holmgren said earlier in the week that Hasselbeck would have to practice to have any chance of playing, he amended that Friday by saying the quarterback would be a game-time decision.
“We’ll still wait until Sunday to make the decision,” Holmgren said of Hasselbeck’s ability to play against the Miami Dolphins at Qwest Field. “But if he’s not noticeably better, then Trent (Dilfer) will play.”
Hasselbeck injured his right leg in a collision with teammate Shaun Alexander on Seattle’s first offensive play last Sunday. Although the charley horse was originally expected to go away by mid-week, it lingered long enough to keep Hasselbeck off the practice field.
“He can’t function very well,” Holmgren said. “His ribs (hurt) on the right side, his knee. Everything’s on the right side. When he plants and torques and goes into his throwing motion, everything’s hard for him.”
Hasselbeck was listed as probable on the injury report Wednesday and Thursday, meaning he would have a 75 percent chance of playing. By being downgraded to questionable, he’s now 50-50.
Dilfer, whose last start came on Oct. 27, 2002, is looking forward to the possibility of playing.
“I’m excited, and it would be wrong of me not to be,” said Dilfer, who has thrown just 10 passes since tearing his Achilles tendon in a win over Dallas more than two years ago. “Matt’s one of my best friends on the planet, and I’m sorry to see him hurt like this. But that’s the nature of the position. You get hit, you get hit hard, and you get hurt.
“He’s dealt with this, and he will continue to the rest of his career. My job is to go in there and get us a win.”
Dilfer has had success with Seattle before, winning his first four starts with the team in 2001. He officially took over as the starter the following year, going 2-4 before the season-ending injury.
Holmgren believes that Dilfer, 32, is capable of running the team on Sundays.
“That’s why he’s here,” Holmgren said. “Trent’s a good player. But I had hoped Matt would be feeling better. He hasn’t come along.”
Hasselbeck has not missed a start since taking over after Dilfer’s 2002 injury. He has gone 18-14 during that span and played through a number of injuries.
“Something needs to be said for his mental and physical toughness,” Dilfer said. “He could not bend his leg last week. His eyes were welled up the entire game, and he played his (butt) off.
“… I wouldn’t be surprised if he plays this week.”
Hasselbeck’s availability isn’t the only question mark surrounding the Seahawks. Linebacker Chad Brown, who has a sore left knee, also missed practices all week and will be a game-time decision.
“I would hope that he would be able to play Sunday, but he has not been able to practice either,” Holmgren said. “So we’ll make both of those decisions on Sunday. I had hoped that they’d be able to practice a little bit.”
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