RENTON — Mike Williams didn’t practice Wednesday, trading cleats for a plastic boot to protect his sprained foot, but Seahawks coach Pete Carroll remained optimistic the team’s leading receiver could return for Sunday’s home game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
“There’s an optimism about the injury itself that it might be able to come back,” Carroll said. “This is one that we haven’t seen. It’s a new thing that he’s got so we have to kind of see how it goes and go day-by-day with it.
“I don’t know until he’s able to get out and run around. … He was banged up a couple weeks ago, barely got some work and was able to contribute some. So we’ll be hopeful that if that is this week’s story, maybe by Friday he gets some work and we’ll see where he fits in.”
Then again, when isn’t Carroll optimistic about, well, anything? The fact remains, optimism or not, the Seahawks have to prepare this week as if they won’t have Williams, who has been one of the biggest reasons for the Seahawks offensive resurgence over the past two weeks.
“Well, right now I’m treating it like he can’t go,” quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said. “That’s really how I’m going into it, that’s how I’m studying film, that’s how I think this game plan is set up — as if he’s not playing. So if he can play that would just be an added bonus.”
Williams has been an added bonus to Hasselbeck and the offense for most of the season. Signed as a reclamation project who seemed like a long shot to make the team at the time, Williams has blossomed into the Hasselbeck’s top target. Williams has over 100 receiving yards in three games, and has three games with 10 or more catches. Not coincidentally, Williams had 254 yards in the last two weeks as the Seahawks put up their biggest two yardage totals of the season.
Hasselbeck and the offense have enjoyed the rare luxury of having a 6-foot-5, sure-handed receiver this season. This week, however, they may have to find a way to survive without that big-bodied crutch.
“I’m not sure we’ve ever been so dependent on one guy just winning one-on-one matchups,” Hasselbeck said. “I think we’ve been more dependent on guys knowing what to do and doing it with the right timing and that kind of thing. And then the system just sort of works that way. But Mike is a guy that if you get him one-on-one, you take advantage, you go for it. You hear the announcers sometimes on the TV copy of our games say, ‘Oh, it’s obvious that they are picking on this corner.’ Not even close to true. We just throw to Mike. That’s a product of what he has done this year so far. We’ll see. The opportunity is there for someone to step up and hopefully they do.”
Williams has 52 catches for 654 yards this season, both numbers accounting for more than half of his career totals. If he can’t play, that will put more pressure on the likes of Ben Obomanu, who has worked his way into the starting lineup the last two weeks, Deon Butler and Brandon Stokley. Seattle should also get Golden Tate back after the rookie missed the past three games with an ankle injury. He practiced fully Wednesday and is expected to play.
“This is an opportunity for guys to step up,” Hasselbeck said. “Golden Tate is coming back. Ben Obomanu had a nice week last week, maybe he can keep that going, Deon Butler is a guy that’s been here and started for us — he brings some stuff to the table — and I think that they’ll give Brandon some more opportunities.”
Williams’ injury comes at a particularly tough time, because the offense finally seemed to have a good thing going. At times this season the offense has been almost nonexistent, scoring just three points against both St. Louis and Oakland, and gaining less than 200 yards twice. But after being held to just 326 yards in losses to the Raiders and Giants, the Seahawks offense started finding its groove, gaining 914 yards over the next eight quarters against Arizona and New Orleans. And make no mistake, Williams was a big reason for that turnaround.
“(Hasselbeck) feels so secure going to Mike,” Carroll said. “They’ve hooked up and had three or four games where he’s catching 10 balls-plus.”
Other injuries
Cornerback Marcus Trufant, who suffered a concussion in Sunday’s loss to New Orleans, didn’t practice Wednesday, and Carroll said his status should become clearer on Thursday.
“He’s going through the process of evaluations,” Carroll said. “He has a significant test tomorrow that he has to get through and that will kind of start telling the story for the weekend. We’ll know much more tomorrow.”
Guard Mike Gibson (ankle), fullback Michael Robinson (hamstring) and Tate all returned to practice. With Robinson out, the Seahawks have played without a fullback in three straight games. Gibson’s return comes at a good time given the ankle injury suffered by starting left guard Chester Pitts Sunday. If Gibson can’t make it back for Sunday’s game, backup tackle Tyler Polumbus will likely play left guard.
Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com. For more Seahawks coverage, check out the Seahawks blog at heraldnet.com/seahawksblog
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
