Seahawks notes: Spencer likely headed for injured reserve

By Frank Hughes | The News Tribune • Published December 02, 2008

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RENTON – The Seattle Seahawks are likely to place center Chris Spencer on injured reserve this week, ending his season because of a back injury that has bothered him since training camp.

Seattle coach Mike Holmgren said the team will give Spencer a few more days, but the Seahawks are probably going to have to sign a free agent to back up Steve Vallos, who started in Thursday's loss to Dallas.

"I won't know that for a couple days, but his back is still pretty banged up," said Holmgren, who indicated Spencer has a disk problem.

Meanwhile, left guard Mike Wahle may also be placed on injured reserve because his injured right shoulder, which has caused him to miss the past two games, is not healing the way the team had hoped.

"If we got him back for this game (against New England), then that's good," Holmgren said. "If he couldn't come back for this game, there's a chance he goes the way of Spencer."

Holmgren said that although left tackle Walter Jones is suffering from a leg injury that will prevent him from practicing this week, he is likely to play in Sunday's game against the Patriots, which has been changed to a 1:05 p.m. start because flex scheduling allowed NBC to choose the Washington-Baltimore game for the Sunday night slot.

The injuries to the offensive line do not bode well for quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who was battered and bruised after getting sacked seven times in the Seahawks' 34-9 loss to the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day.

"It's definitely a dangerous situation," Hasselbeck said. "I don't think anybody on our team is 100 percent (healthy) right now. It is just one of those situations where you rehab as much as you can and then give the team everything you've got and just hope that it is enough."

Hasselbeck said that even though the Seahawks (2-10) have little motivation and he risks further injury, he will continue to play in the remaining four games.

"The fact that we are out of it playoff-wise, to me, doesn't affect anything," Hasselbeck said. "If someone decides to play it a little differently at the end, that is their call. As a player you really have to have tunnel vision; give your teammates, your coaches and the fans everything you've got."

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