RENTON, Wash. -- The Seattle Seahawks plan to be without starting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and left tackle Walter Jones again.
Seahawks coach Jim Mora said Wednesday that he doesn't expect either to play this weekend against the Indianapolis Colts.
Hasselbeck, who broke a rib 10 days ago, still can't run and has pain when he takes a deep breath, so Seneca Wallace is expected to make his second consecutive start at quarterback. Wallace set career highs with 26 completions, 44 attempts and 261 passing yards last weekend in a 25-19 loss to the Chicago Bears.
Mora said he doesn't know for sure if Jones, a nine-time Pro Bowler who has yet to play this season, will play at all in 2009.
The team will back off pushing Jones through practice this week because his left knee has pained him during practices in each of the last two weeks. Jones had his second knee surgery in nine months in August. The first one was a microfracture surgery in which doctors drilled holes into bone to regenerate cartilage.
"We have to give him some time. I think he's earned that," Mora said of Jones. "He's had a distinguished career. He's exhibited toughness his entire career. No one can question his commitment to this game -- it's really beyond reproach. So we just have to be patient and let him work through this and then make the best decision for the team when we feel it's necessary."
Jones recently has refused interview requests, saying through team spokesmen that he wants to play first before commenting.
Mora met with his star lineman Monday. Was Jones discouraged?
"About how he felt physically? Maybe a little, but not where he was just in tank," Mora said. "More concerned like, 'I want to get right, because I want to be on the field with my teammates helping them win.'"
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
