Seahawks fly, but Hasselbeck stays home

Seahawks fly, but Hasselbeck stays home
FRANK HUGHES; frank.hughes@thenewstribune.com
Published: August 25th, 2008 01:00 AM | Updated: August 25th, 2008 05:55 AM
SAN DIEGO – Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck will kick back and relax when his teammates face the San Diego Chargers tonight.
On his living room couch.

Like everyone else, Hasselbeck will watch the nationally televised game on his flat screen because the 10-year veteran did not even make the trip for the team’s penultimate exhibition.

Suffering from a sore back, coach Mike Holmgren did not want Hasselbeck to undergo the rigors of a plane flight – even with a first-class seat – when he knew Hasselbeck was not going to suit up anyway.

So for the second consecutive week, Charlie Frye will start for the Seahawks, hoping to improve on what can only be termed an uneven performance against Chicago last week, when he threw three interceptions and logged a 38.9 passer rating.

Frye originally was not going to get the opportunity to redeem himself because the third preseason game is usually when the starter plays the most minutes.

But perhaps because this is Holmgren’s last season, he adopted a cautious approach with Hasselbeck and decided to shelve him for the remainder of the preseason, virtually guaranteeing he will be healthy for the season opener in Buffalo on Sept. 7.

Frye said he thought he had a decent game once the jitters subsided and the rust wore off from a competitive layoff of almost a full year. He completed 20 of 35 passes and said he hopes to build on the positives.

“There are a lot of things I’d like to work on,” Frye said. “Situational football, red zone, no turnovers, getting the ball out of bounds and getting into the tempo after having not played for a year. Even just getting the formations out of my mouth. As the game went on, it got a lot smoother for me. And those were just a few things that I learned.”

Holmgren said second-string quarterback Seneca Wallace also should get some playing time, though a sore groin limited him in practice last week and Holmgren is likely to be careful with Wallace, as well.

One thing Frye has been steadfastly instructed to do tonight is throw the ball to starting flanker Courtney Taylor, who is stepping in for the injured Bobby Engram with only five career NFL receptions.

After Frye and Taylor just missed on a deep pass to open the game last week, Taylor never saw another ball thrown his way.

If he is going to start against the Bills opposite teammate Nate Burleson, Holmgren said he would like to see Taylor get some touches, if for no other reason than to build confidence in the youngster.

It doesn’t seem, though, that Taylor is lacking any. When he was asked if Frye did not throw him the ball last week because he was not getting open, the Auburn product virtually scoffed at the idea.

“Well, one thing with me as a receiver, I always feel like I’m open,” Taylor said. “So, I’m never covered. Ever. There are different things that go on. You have a play that the quarterback has to do his progressions and all that stuff, but I feel like I was getting open, yeah.”

This game also could reinforce the idea that the Seahawks will keep running back Justin Forsett if the rookie can parlay last week’s success into another dazzling performance.

If Forsett can follow up his 261 total yards against the Bears with another solid outing, it would be almost impossible for the coaches to keep him off the roster once final cuts are made – especially since he appears to be a very solid kick and punt returner.

Though the Seahawks’ defense is all but set, with 11 starters returning, rookie Lawrence Jackson has been starting at defensive end in recent practices and it looks like he may unseat incumbent Darryl Tapp for the starting spot.

Starting center Chris Spencer (back) and rookie defensive tackle Red Bryant (knee) returned to practice this week from injuries.

But Holmgren said neither will play against the Chargers, who are in a bit of upheaval after learning this week that Pro Bowl linebacker Shawne Merriman may miss part of the season with ligament tears in his knee.

Running back LaDainian Tomlinson, the 2006 MVP, also is not likely to play tonight, keeping his exhibition season tradition intact.

blogs.thenewstribune.com/seahawks

SEAHAWKS GAMEDAY

SEATTLE (2-0 preseason) VS. SAN DIEGO (1-1)

Kickoff: 5 p.m., Qualcomm Stadium.

Television: ESPN, Ch. 10. Radio: 710-AM, 97.3-FM.

The series: Seattle has won five of eight exhibitions between the teams, including a 24-16 come-from-behind victory last season.

What to watch: The Seahawks are 2-0 in the preseason for the first time since 1998. This is usually the exhibition game fans most want to watch because it closely mirrors a regular-season game, with starters playing a half or more. But this season, citing caution, Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren is not allowing quarterback Matt Hasselbeck to participate, instead him leaving at home to get healthy for the regular season opener. However, Pro Bowl defensive end Patrick Kerney will play for the first time this season and said he hopes to go for about 21/2 quarters. Seattle punter Ryan Plackemeier will play for the first time since having surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle.

TNT pick: Seahawks, 19-16.



http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/seahawks/story/458650.html