'Twas a rough Sunday for the Seattle Seahawks -- on the field and in the medical tent.
Not only did the 'Hawks suffer a 27-13 upset loss at home to the middling Arizona Cardinals, but, to add injury to insult, they might have lost their leading runner for the remainder of the season.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll told reporters after Seattle's defeat that running back Chris Carson suffered a hip injury that will keep him out next week and likely the postseason. Carson hurt his hip in the second quarter against Arizona.
Backup running back C.J. Prosise also broke his arm in the second quarter and will not play next week against the San Francisco 49ers on "Sunday Night Football." Carroll added that left tackle Duane Brown needs knee surgery, though he could return.
"We've got to get to scrambling," Carroll said. "(GM John Schneider)'s got to get to work and figure out what we're doing next."
In place of Carson and Prosise, rookie running back Travis Homer logged 28 snaps against Arizona, as many as Carson and Prosise combined, and racked up 42 total yards on 11 touches. Carroll noted, "That was a lot of game for Homer to have to play by himself."
Regarding Brown, Carroll said the veteran tackle does not need major surgery, but Brown cannot play with the discomfort. He will undergo an operation on Monday. Brown was replaced by Jamarco Jones on Sunday afternoon.
The loss of Carson, potentially throughout the postseason, is a critical setback. Carson is not only Seattle's leading tailback -- he will end the regular season with a career-high 1,230 rushing yards and 1,496 yards from scrimmage -- but he was Seattle's go-to weapon. Plus, with Rashaad Penny already out for the year with a torn ACL, Carson was the only reliable running back the Seahawks had left on their roster.
After Sunday's events, Seattle will go into its crucial season finale with just Homer on the active roster. The Seahawks also have rookie Xavier Turner on the practice squad (out of Tarleton State), but they were surely be active this week in finding free-agent running backs to shoulder the load.
A lot is at stake next week, and Seattle is suddenly playing with a thin deck. If the Seahawks (11-4) beat the Niners, they will win the NFC West and potentially own a first-round bye. If they lose, the 'Hawks will fall to either the fifth or sixth seed.
Seattle's playoff run starts next Sunday night, but who will be running the ball remains to be seen.
