Pete Carroll: Russell Wilson Friday “the best he’s been” since QB sprained his ankle
RENTON Russell Wilson is as healthy as he’s been since the first half of the season opener.
That was coach Pete Carroll’s word on the quarterback’s sprained right ankle Friday, two days before Seattle (1-1) hosts San Francisco (1-1).
“He’s better than he was last week,” Carroll said of the ankle Wilson sprained Sept. 11 when Miami defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh sacked him in the third quarter of the opener. “He did fine, finished on a really high note today, was really the best that he’s been in the last two weeks.
“He looked really good today.”
Wilson on Thursday agreed he is far better now than before he looked relatively immobile for his usual, elusive self during Seattle’s 9-3 loss at Los Angeles.
“I’m definitely feeling better this week,” Wilson said. “Last week was a battle. But getting a little bit better every day and every week, that’s the goal. The trainers are doing a great job and just the mentality of doing everything I can and just to heal up as best as I can and to move quickly.”
Wilson said after the Rams game that trainers -- including his personal one, Drew Morcos, he flew up from California last week -- have accelerated his healing by about two weeks.
We’ll see if that means he feels well enough to escape pass rushers and scramble for yards better than he could last weekend against the Rams.
He’s certainly feeling better than Thomas Rawls.
The Seahawks listed their lead running back as doubtful for Sunday after he missed his third consecutive practice. Carroll said Rawls strained a muscle in his leg above his shin in the loss at Los Angeles, his second game back after he broke his ankle Dec. 13.
“He hasn’t been able to do much,” Carroll said, adding this new injury has nothing to do with his broken ankle.
When I asked if the team had concerns Rawls’ injury will linger beyond him missing this game, Carroll said: “I don’t know, I don’t know that. We’re still hoping that he’s going to be able to come out of the chutes running (Saturday) and Sunday. It’s not a dangerous injury or anything like that. It’s problematic for him at this time.
“We’re just going to be open-minded and still make the decision to see what we’re going to do. We are prepared to go without him if he can’t go, but we’d love to see him if he can get there.”
So it’s appears Sunday will be Christine Michael’s time, as I wrote earlier Friday. Michael and rookie fifth-round pick Alex Collins are Seattle’s only two healthy tailbacks.
Michael’s career high in carries for a game is 17, in the 2015 regular-season finale at Arizona when Marshawn Lynch and Rawls were out injured.
I asked Michael if he knew that.
“No, I did not,” he said.
And there’s no need. He seems certain to break that mark on Sunday.
Asked if the Seahawks are comfortable with Michael carrying the running load, Carroll said: “We really are. He’s averaging five yards a carry for a reason. He had a really good offseason, he had a terrific camp.
“All indications that he’s ready for a bigger load. He’s had 20 something carries so far. He’s ready to carry the ball 20 something times in a game. He could be fine with that.”
A third running back, third-down back C.J. Prosise, is listed as questionable but Carroll sounded optimistic the rookie third-round pick may play against the 49ers with a broken bone in his hand and a protective device over it.
“He practiced all week, so he made it through it,” Carroll said. “We have the option of playing him.”
This story was originally published September 23, 2016 at 3:51 PM with the headline "Pete Carroll: Russell Wilson Friday “the best he’s been” since QB sprained his ankle."