Seahawks Friday in Hawkville

[News Bot]

A recap of the day’s activities at Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Nov. 18:
FOCUS ON
Tarvaris Jackson. If it’s Friday, the Seahawks’ sore-shouldered quarterback did not throw in practice. But then this has become his pattern in practice since straining the pectoral in his right shoulder in the Week 5 win over the Giants.
“Tarvaris did very well in practice yesterday and couldn’t throw today,” coach Pete Carroll said after today’s 90-minute practice.
But then Jackson wasn’t scheduled to throw, because it has taken him two days to recover after throwing in previous weeks.
“We figured it was going to be the same, because he went into the week the same,” Carroll said. “He can throw one day and then he’s got to rest a few days before he can come back and throw again.”
But Jackson is expected to play against the Rams in St. Louis on Sunday, although the final decision will be made on game day – as it has the past three weeks.
Not ideal, but just the way it is and will continue to be.
“He misses the opportunity for the installation for the end of the week,” Carroll said. “He has to kind of think through the routes and read through them just standing behind the quarterback (Charlie Whitehurst).
“It’s just not the same, but we still feel confident in (him) helping us win. He looked really good a day ago. So that’s how we’ll go. But it’s not the way you design it at all. He needs the work and it’s going to accumulate, I would think, at some point. But hopefully we’ll be able to play through that.”
UNIT WATCH
Special teams. On a scale of 1-to-12, the efforts of these units were a “10” against the Ravens last week. How can you tell? It’s on a large performance board that is mounted on the wall just outside the locker room.
Special teams coaches Brian Schneider and Jeff Ulbrich grade their players on 12 categories each week, from 100 percent effort to eliminating big plays by the opponent. If the goal-area is achieved, a Seahawks’ logo is placed in the appropriate box. So the board does not lie in charting the inconsistent performance this season of the unit that was the most consistent element of the team last season.
That “10” against the Ravens included forcing two fumbles on kickoff returns that were recovered to set up a pair of field goals by Steve Hauschka – a win-win exchange for the special teams.
In addition to that “10,” the special teams got 11 logos in Weeks 4-5 against the Falcons and Giants. There also has been a pair of 8’s – against the Cardinals in Week 3 and the Browns in Week 7. But then there’s also a “6” (Week 9 against the Cowboys); a “5” (Week 2 against the Steelers); a “4” (Week 8 against the Bengals); and a “3” (the opener against the 49ers).
The Seahawks’ victories have come against the Ravens, Giants and Cardinals – two of the games with double-digit logos on the board as well as an “8.” Those with the least? The Seahawks allowed a punt return and kickoff return for touchdowns in the loss to the 49ers and a punt return for a score against the Bengals.
So the board serves as positive feedback for those jobs well done, and an impetus for improvement after those games that didn’t go as well.
“Absolutely,” said Michael Robinson, the special teams co-captain. “When we don’t have many of those logos up there, then that means a lot of games we lose. But when we’re meeting all of our goals, putting our offense and defense in great situations, we usually win.”
So that’s a thumbs-up for the special board? “I love it,” Robinson said.
INJURY REPORT
The official end-of-the-week status report:
Out
OT James Carpenter (knee)
Questionable
S Atari Bigby (hamstring)
DL Anthony Hargrove (hamstring)
Probable
WR Doug Baldwin (head)
QB Tarvaris Jackson (pectoral)
WR Sidney Rice (head)
LB David Vobora (head)
SS Kam Chancellor (head)
TE Cameron Morrah (toe/knee)
Bigby was limited in practice, but did get some work for the first time this week. Carroll said the status of Bigby and Hargrove would be game-day decisions. Rice, Baldwin and Chancellor have practiced all week, after getting concussions against the Ravens, and will play against the Rams.
For the Rams:
Out
OT Jason Smith (head)
RB Carnell Williams (calf)
Doubtful
WR Danario Alexander (hamstring)
Questionable
CB Justin King (head/ankle)
OT Rodger Saffold (head/chest)
Probable
WR Brandon Gibson (groin)
LB Josh Hull (hamstring)
LB Bryan Kehl (ankle)
RB Jerious Norwood (hamstring)
DE Eugene Sims (shoulder)
S Darian Stewart (neck)
DE Eugene Sims (shoulder)
Saffold, the starter at left tackle, did not practice today after injuring a pectoral while lifting weights. The St. Louis Post Dispatch is reporting that a MRI showed “significant” damage to the muscle. Mark LeVoir is expected to start against the Seahawks.
STILL SIDE-BY-SIDE
Rookie offensive linemen James Carpenter and John Moffitt will have surgery next week to repair the knee ligaments they damaged this week. On the same day.
“Beds side-by-side; and John’s going to be on the left and James will be on the right,” Carroll said, a reference to how they lined up at right guard and right tackle before being injured.
Moffitt injured the MCL and PCL in his right knee in Sunday’s win over the Ravens. Carpenter tore the ACL in his left knee during practice on Wednesday.
STAT DU JOUR
Marshawn Lynch will be looking to score a touchdown in his sixth consecutive game on Sunday, which would be the fourth-longest streak in franchise history. Here’s a look at those he’s tied with and those he’s chasing:
Player (season) Games
Shaun Alexander (2005) 9
David Sims (1978) 8
Chris Warren (1993-94) 7
Marshawn Lynch (2011) 5
Curt Warner (1983) 5
Steve Largent (1984) 5
UP NEXT
The players will have a walk-through on Saturday morning before the team flies to St. Louis for Sunday’s games.
The Seahawks will then play three consecutive home games for the first time since 2004 – next Sunday against the Redskins; Dec. 1, a Thursday night, against the Eagles; and a “Monday Night Football” game against the Rams on Dec. 12.
Tickets are available for those games and can be purchased here.
YOU DON’T SAY
“Whenever somebody gets hurt, your heart gets crushed a little bit for the guys. But the other side of it is the opportunity. These guys have come to play here. This is why they’re here. So they’re going to jump at this opportunity and go for it. They really do know our system. I feel very confident in that regard. Tom (Cable, the line coach) feels great about that. So we’ll expect those guys to do well and we’ll just keep moving.” – Carroll on Paul McQuistan and Breno Giacomini stepping in for Moffitt and Carpenter

Source: Seahawks.com