Seahawks shuffle offensive line

Team Infidel

Forum Spin Doctor


GREGG BELL

Associated Press

KIRKLAND, Wash. - Pro Bowl center Robbie Tobeck is back. But now mainstay guard Chris Gray is missing. This wouldn't be the 2006 Seattle Seahawks if a starter didn't get hurt when another returned from injury.
Seattle coach Mike Holmgren said Friday that doctors have cleared Tobeck to play Sunday at Tampa Bay in the regular-season finale. The game won't affect the Seahawks' fourth seed in the NFC playoffs but they are trying to end a deflating, three-game losing streak and build some momentum entering their home playoff game Jan. 6 or 7 against either Dallas or Philadelphia.
Tobeck, 36, hasn't played since Nov. 6 against Oakland. He has missed time with the flu and a hip abscess.
His return would help quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and the Seahawks' inconsistent offense. With Chris Spencer, the 2005 first-round draft pick, starting for Tobeck, Hasselbeck has assumed many of Tobeck's usual audible responsibilities for pass protections. And that was after Holmgren said he believed Hasselbeck had too many pre-snap responsibilities and it was affecting his play.
But Gray, the right guard who has started a Seahawks-record 121 consecutive games, was downgraded to questionable. He missed his third straight practice with a badly bruised right thigh.
"It is pretty sore," Holmgren said. "If we were playing in the Super Bowl he would probably gut it out and play, but it would be pretty hard for him."
That means veteran Floyd Womack likely will start for Gray. Womack had been starting at left guard before he got hurt and rookie Rob Sims excelled in his place.
"Unfortunately, he has all that consecutive-game business," Holmgren said of Gray. "Those types of records to me are more impressive than the statistical records that are floating around that people make a big deal out of.
"(Brett) Favre's deal, Chris' deal, any of those longevity things where the guys show up and you know they play hurt ... that is impressive to me."
Seattle (8-7) also has other health issues.
Leading receiver Darrell Jackson has not practiced this week because of turf toe on his left foot. He is listed as doubtful for the Buccaneers game and is not even expected to travel with the team Saturday.
On defense, starting right cornerback Marcus Trufant will miss Sunday's game and perhaps next week. He sprained his ankle in last week's loss to San Diego. Rookie Kelly Jennings will start for Trufant.
Even though Tobeck has been cleared to play, Holmgren stopped short of saying his veteran will start against Tampa Bay.
"Chris has been playing pretty well, so I wouldn't say that is a slam dunk," Holmgren said. "I have to see. (Tobeck) has lost a lot of weight - seriously, he has lost some weight. But we will play that day to day."
Holmgren said doctors did a bone scan of Tobeck's hip and saw that the abscess had disappeared. Tobeck, who did not practice Friday, still has not gained back all the weight he lost when he was ill.
"He weighs 150 pounds, but he's OK," Holmgren joked about Tobeck, who is listed as 6-foot-4 and 297 pounds.
 
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