TAMPA, Fla. – While he did not play in Sunday’s game, veteran offensive lineman Robbie Tobeck was dressed and ready for action for the first time in eight weeks.
Tobeck, who has been out because of an abscess on his hip, heard 90 minutes before Friday’s scheduled bus departure to the airport that he had finally been cleared to play.
“I called my wife and told her to pack some stuff and head over,” said Tobeck, who was working out at the Seahawks’ Kirkland practice facility when trainer Sam Ramsden informed him of the medical clearance. “It’s fun, just being back with the guys.”
Tobeck, who grew up near Tampa, said that he was relieved that the abscess was caught when it was. After suffering flu-like symptoms in early November – he now believes they were a direct result of the infected hip – Tobeck knew something was definitely wrong.
“It was bad,” he said. “I’d go home from practice and go to bed at 7 – and I didn’t even practice. I’ve never been like that.”
Tobeck, normally Seattle’s starting center, said he lost 25 pounds during the ordeal, but he’s since gained 15 or so back. He said he could have played Sunday, if needed, but added that he wouldn’t have been able to make it through the entire game.
Chris Spencer started at center for the eighth week in a row, and it’s still unclear who will be the starter in the postseason. Seattle coach Mike Holmgren has been non-committal on the issue, while Tobeck was in no mood to start a controversy Sunday.
“That’s coach’s decision,” he said. “… Spencer’s done a good job, and I thought he played a great game (against the Buccaneers).”
Remember me? Ex-Seahawk Joey Galloway was a thorn in the side of his former team, catching a game-high eight passes for 118 yards and a touchdown.
Working mostly against rookie cornerback Kelly Jennings, Galloway had six receptions for 94 yards in the first half alone. Along the way, he recorded his fifth 1,000-yard season, the first three of which came with the Seahawks.
After Sunday’s performance, Galloway was concerned less about his personal statistics than his team’s 4-12 record.
“Right now, that doesn’t mean a whole lot to me,” he said of the 1,000 yards. “The season is over, and everyone is a little disappointed right now because we feel like we had the talent to win more games.”
Jennings, who was making his first start, said he felt like he just played “OK” against Galloway.
“There were some plays I could do better,” the Seahawks’ rookie said, “so I’ve got some things I can work on in practice.”
Making amends: Three Seahawks who have been maligned in recent weeks were on their best behavior during Sunday’s win.
Safety Michael Boulware had four tackles, returned a fumble 33 yards, and didn’t get beat on any long passes.
Wide receiver Deion Branch, who dropped four passes last week, caught three passes and did not drop a pass that wasn’t tipped by a defender. And tight end Jerramy Stevens tied D.J. Hackett with a team-high four receptions while catching everything thrown his way.
Big leg: Kicker Josh Brown might not have gotten many opportunities to show off his leg strength – his three field goals were all from 35 yards or closer – but he did put on quite a show during kickoffs.
Brown forced touchbacks on each of his first three kickoffs, and five of his six kickoffs went into the Tampa Bay end zone. A sixth came down at the Bucs’ 1-yard line.
Brown also pooch-punted a ball inside the Tampa 10-yard line out of field-goal formation.
Off on the right foot: For just the fifth time this season, and the first time since Week 9, the Seahawks scored on their opening drive.
Seattle had back-to-back passes of 18 and 16 yards to open the game, then eventually stalled at the Tampa Bay 17-yard line and had to settle for a field goal.
The Seahawks added a 10-play, 66-yard touchdown drive on their next possession, marking the third time this season that they’ve scored on their first two drives.
Quick slants: Guard Chris Gray (thigh bruise), wide receiver Darrell Jackson (turf toe), cornerback Marcus Trufant (high ankle sprain) and tight end Itula Mili (not on injury report) were among the Seahawks’ inactives. Floyd Womack started for Gray at right guard, while rookie Rob Sims made his third consecutive start at left guard. … Sunday’s lineup marked the seventh different combination the Seahawks have had on their offensive line at the beginning of a game. … Linebacker Marquis Cooper, a former Buccaneer and University of Washington Husky, was active for the first time since signing with the Seahawks on Dec. 12. He made one special-teams tackle Sunday. … Game-time temperature was a sweat-inducing 78 degrees, but none of the Seattle-based Seahawks was complaining. “We haven’t had a day like that,” Holmgren said, “in three years.”
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