KIRKLAND, Wash. (AP) -- Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck will miss at least three weeks with a strained ligament in his right knee.
And he's not happy about how it happened.
Hasselbeck believes Minnesota's E.J. Henderson could have avoided rolling into his lower right leg Sunday early in the second half of Seattle's loss to the Vikings.
"I don't think it was unavoidable, but only he would know," Hasselbeck said of Henderson and his hit, which was not penalized.
The play occurred when the Vikings' linebacker came off a block by fullback Mack Strong and swung his torso into Hasselbeck's leg, which was planted after he had just thrown an incomplete pass.
"I'm sure he didn't try to put me out for a long period of time -- but they didn't want me to finish the game, either," Hasselbeck said.
An MRI taken Monday showed the Pro Bowl quarterback strained his right medial collateral ligament. Coach Mike Holmgren said Hasselbeck has a Grade 2 sprain on a three-grade scale and will miss "around" three games. He will return no sooner than the Nov. 19 game at San Francisco.
"I guess it's kind of good news for me," Holmgren said. "It could have been worse, certainly."
Seneca Wallace, a fourth-year veteran, will make his first NFL start Sunday at Kansas City (3-3). The Seahawks (4-2) are already without league MVP Shaun Alexander, who is out with a broken foot. Holmgren said the 2005 league rushing leader is on track to return Nov. 6 against Oakland.
Hasselbeck said he is constantly aware of people at his feet to guard against injury, "within a certain amount of time after I throw." He said he relaxed in this case, thinking the play was over.
"I guess I learned my lesson," he said.
After Sunday's game, Henderson was apologetic.
"I was falling to the ground and Mack Strong kind of pushed. I definitely didn't mean to do it," said Henderson, a fourth-year veteran from Maryland. "It was definitely an accident. I hope he gets back soon."
But Hasselbeck said if the same situation had occurred with a Seahawks defender and Minnesota's quarterback, there would have been no incident.
"If Brad Johnson is the quarterback on that play, I guarantee nobody touches his knee," Hasselbeck said.
When asked Monday if he thought Henderson's hit was clean, Holmgren said, "I'm going to stay away from that ... I'm going to let someone else make that call."
Replacing Hasselbeck, Wallace was 14-for-25 for 134 yards passing with two interceptions. He also lost a fumble in his own end zone while Ben Leber sacked him. Kevin Williams covered the ball for Minnesota's final score.
Monday, the athletic, 5-foot-11, former Iowa State star said he has something to prove to the league, beginning Sunday against the Chiefs.
"I welcome all challenges. This is what my job is," Wallace said.
Holmgren said the Seahawks are considering signing a veteran, free-agent quarterback to back up Wallace until Hasselbeck returns.
Reply With Quote
Some guys are just 
babies! He should be counting his blessings it's only 3 weeks... if he keeps this attitude up though it might be longer next time 
Originally Posted by TOP GUN
Bookmarks