Football Hasselbeck, Jones expected to be out

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The Seattle Seahawks are planning to be without quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and best blocker Walter Jones again on Sunday.

Coach Jim Mora said Wednesday he does not expect his three-time Pro Bowl passer or his nine-time Pro Bowl left tackle to play at the undefeated Indianapolis Colts.

The 34-year-old Hasselbeck, who broke a rib 10 days ago, still can't run and still has pain when he takes a deep breath. So Seneca Wallace is expected to make his second consecutive start. Wallace set career highs of 26 completions, 44 attempts and 261 yards passing last weekend in a last-minute loss to the Chicago Bears.

Mora said he doesn't know for sure if Jones, who has yet to play this season, will play at all in 2009.

The team will back off pushing the 35-year-old Jones through practice this week, because his left knee has pained him during practices in each of the last two weeks. Jones had his second knee surgery in nine months in August. The first one was a microfracture surgery that drilled holes into bone to regenerate cartilage.

"We have to give him some time. I think he's earned that," Mora said. "He's had a distinguished career. He's exhibited toughness his entire career. No one can question his commitment to this game -- it's really beyond reproach. So we just have to be patient and let him work through this and then make the best decision for the team when we feel it's necessary."

Jones has refused interview requests recently, saying through team spokesmen that he wants to play first before commenting.

Mora met with his star on Monday. Was Jones discouraged?

"About how he felt physically? Maybe a little, but not where he was just in tank," Mora said. "More concerned like, 'I want to get right, because I want to be on the field with my teammates helping them win.'"

Seattle does expect to have linebacker Lofa Tatupu back from a hamstring injury against the Colts.

 

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Hasselbeck 'very doubtful' for Seahawks-Colts

The wounded Seahawks' date with Peyton Manning and the undefeated Indianapolis Colts is one of the most daunting challenges in Jim Mora's four seasons as an NFL head man.

At the most fundamental level is simply having enough quality players available.

Matt Hasselbeck's broken rib still isn't healthy enough, so Mora said Friday his three-time Pro Bowl quarterback is "very doubtful" to return on Sunday. Hasselbeck has been out since he was hurt on a dive for the goal line in San Francisco on Sept. 20.

At least he is making the team flight to Indiana on Saturday morning. That's more than Mora could say about Walter Jones.

The nine-time Pro Bowl left tackle will not make his season debut Sunday. The team ruled him out on its injury report. Jones has slowed his attempt to get back from two knee surgeries since last winter.

This week, Mora said the thought has crossed his mind that the 35-year-old anchor of Seattle's offensive line for the last decade may not play at all this season.

The Seahawks will have recent Dolphins castoff Brandon Frye at left tackle protecting backup quarterback Seneca Wallace's blind side for the second consecutive game. Frye is battling through a sore groin, leaving Mora to say it is possible the team will add a left tackle to the active roster before Saturday afternoon.

On defense, the secondary will likely be without two starting cornerbacks.

Marcus Trufant is out until at least Nov. 1 with a disk issue in his back. Mora said fill-in starter Josh Wilson will be a game-time decision. Wilson is one week removed from a high ankle sprain and watched much of Friday's practice.


The other starting cornerback, Ken Lucas, will play through a groin injury.

Safety Jordan Babineaux is probable with a sore shoulder. That's had summer pickup Travis Fisher playing more on passing downs.

The Seahawks do have some good news: Lofa Tatupu will return Sunday. The three-time Pro Bowl pick and leader of the defense missed the loss to the Bears with a hamstring injury sustained the week before.

"We've still got guys who we're looking forward to getting back, but we're starting to fill up again, which is nice," Mora said, referring to the 13 starters who have been banged up the last two weeks.

Tatupu's return is timely. The middle linebacker and defensive play caller must match wits with Manning, who wins many of his plays before they begin by outsmarting a defense.

"He understands defenses almost as well as his offense. That's dangerous," Tatupu said.

Mora has the Seahawks ditching their usual system against a no-huddle offense, which calls for Tatupu to receive hand signals from the sideline and then relay the call by voice to the rest of the defense before the snap.

Mora knows Manning is capable of deciphering Tatupu's calls and adjusting his play call to beat Seattle's alignment.

So it's hand signals and head nods among Seahawks defenders on Sunday. Mora said he's never used that system as much as he will in Indianapolis.

"Peyton Manning presents unique problems, in that he is so intelligent. He accumulates so much knowledge throughout the game," Mora said. "The less we communicate verbally throughout a game, the fewer cues we will give him to what we are doing."