KIRKLAND – While a few of his teammates spent part of Wednesday afternoon jogging and doing drills to prove that they’re ready to return to the field, Seattle Seahawks cornerback Ken Lucas could only watch practice helplessly.
Lucas was with his teammates but unable to participate three days after suffering a bruised lung in the Seahawks’ win over San Francisco. He still hasn’t been cleared for Sunday’s game at St. Louis, which adds to his frustration.
“If it was left up to me, I’d be out there on Sunday,” Lucas said shortly after the early afternoon practice wrapped up. “But I’ve got to go to the doctor (later Wednesday afternoon), and they’re going to let me know if I’ll be able to go this week.
“My body feels great. I feel like there’s nothing wrong with me. I’ve just been praying since it happened, and the way I feel right now I’ll be out on the field Sunday.”
Lucas said he has had no discomfort in his chest, but that might change when he starts doing cardiovascular activity. He had a CT scan Wednesday morning and was scheduled to undergo tests later in the afternoon before doctors were to decide if he’ll be cleared to practice. He is listed as questionable for the game on the Seahawks’ injury report.
“It’s all on how he handles the running around and the exercise,” coach Mike Holmgren said. “That’s what I’ve been told. It’s hard to believe you can take a blow like that to the chest. I’ve got to believe he’s kind of sore. But they’re telling me that the thing that will prevent him from playing – if it does – is his ability to handle the running around, not blows to the chest, necessarily.”
Lucas suffered the injury early in the second quarter of Sunday’s 42-27 win over San Francisco. He laid out for an incomplete pass, crashing to the natural grass as 49ers receiver Brandon Lloyd came down on his back. The force of the landing made it difficult to breathe, and eventually he started coughing up blood.
Lucas had to be taken off the field on a cart and spent Sunday night at a San Francisco hospital for observation.
“I was never nervous or anything,” Lucas said. “Even when I was in the ambulance, I asked if I was going to be able to go back out there and finish the game. I knew the answer was no when they cut my jersey off. I was kind of disappointed.
“… If I was in high school,” he added, “I probably would have gone back out there and played after a couple plays. But we’re playing in the NFL, and they want to take the precautionary procedures and try to make sure everything was OK.”
If Lucas can’t play Sunday, three-year veteran Kris Richard would probably make his first NFL start.
Wistrom doubtful: Although his status could change if he tests out well on some physical exercises this week, defensive end Grant Wistrom is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game against his former team.
Wistrom looks like he could be at least another week away from returning from a fractured bone in his left knee. But the Seahawks are holding out hope that he can play this week.
“He has made great progress and there is a chance that he could play,” Holmgren said.
Wistrom suffered the injury in an Oct. 17 loss to New England and was originally expected be out four to six weeks. But he’s made strides in rehab and is ahead of schedule.
Wistrom has been targeting Sunday’s game because of his ties to the Rams and the city of St. Louis. He spent his first six NFL seasons with the Rams.
“I want to play in this game pretty dang bad,” said Wistrom, who will travel with the team even if he doesn’t play. “But at the same time, you have to be intelligent about it. We have a long season left here, so you don’t want to go out and set yourself back a few weeks just because you want to play in this game.”
Injury report: Also on the injury report are eight other players.
Wide receiver Bobby Engram (ankle), tight end Itula Mili (groin) and defensive end Chike Okeafor (neck) are questionable, meaning they have a 50-50 chance of playing Sunday. None of them practiced Wednesday, although Engram, Mili and Wistrom worked out with trainers while practice was being held.
Linebacker Chad Brown (knee), safety Michael Boulware (ankle), safety Ken Hamlin (knee), wide receiver Darrell Jackson (ankle) and cornerback Bobby Taylor (knee) are probable.
Only Jackson and Taylor were held out of practice, as was linebacker Anthony Simmons (routine day off).
The Rams don’t have any starters who appear in danger of missing the game. Cornerbacks Jerametrius Butler (knee) and Travis Fisher (teeth) are probable.
Quick slants: Running back Shaun Alexander, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and Holmgren did sit-down interviews with ESPN’s Michael Irvin on Wednesday. ESPN will do a segment on the Seahawks during their Sunday morning pre-game show. … Upset with his team’s performance in a loss to New England, St. Louis coach Mike Martz promised to lay down the law this week. ” (The players) don’t really have a choice in the mood,” he said in a Wednesday morning conference call with Seattle media. “I’m going to set the mood for them. … I’m not happy with this team now, but we’re going to fix it.” Later that afternoon, he walked out on a press conference with St. Louis media after only five minutes.
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