RENTON, Wash. -- Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck isn't fully practicing because of a sore shoulder and healing ribs, though he will start in Sunday's NFC West showdown with the Arizona Cardinals.
Seahawks coach Jim Mora reiterated before Hasselbeck shared some first-team snaps with backup Seneca Wallace in practice Wednesday that there is nothing structurally wrong with the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback's throwing shoulder.
Hasselbeck broke his ribs during a Sept. 20 game against the San Francisco 49ers. Mora says Hasselbeck first injured the shoulder while being hit two weeks ago at Dallas. Hasselbeck reinjured it while making a tackle following an interception he threw to begin last Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions.
"No, it's not 100 percent," said Mora, who downplayed the latest injury to the 34-year-old Hasselbeck.
"When you're a quarterback in this league, you take some (hits)," Mora said. "He'd taken a shot against Dallas. He was sore. So he had to manage his way through the (Lions) game.
"He did a nice job really not letting on to the fact that he was hurt and did a great job of working the checkdowns and the short, intermediate routes. We really didn't take any shots down the field because it would have been tough for him to do."
Seahawks left tackle Sean Locklear practiced Wednesday. He hasn't played since he sustained a high right ankle sprain in Week 2 at San Francisco, the same game in which Hasselbeck broke his ribs. Locklear was active for the first time since then last weekend, though he didn't play.
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
