SEATTLE (Oct. 22, 2006) -- For years, teams facing the Seahawks at home have tried silent snap counts, blaring music during practices and other tricks to combat Seattle's notoriously raucous crowd noise.
Minnesota Vikings linebacker E.J. Henderson figured out a way to take the crowd and the Seahawks out of it on the same play.
Henderson rolled into Matt Hasselbeck 's right leg early in the second half of a tie game, sending the Pro Bowl quarterback to the locker room for the remainder of the game with a sprained knee.
Qwest Field was so quiet, you could hear another Seahawks star fall.
"I think they were a little shocked a little rattled without their leader out there," Henderson said after his knockout, which did not appear to be intentional. He also had a team-high nine tackles and intercepted backup Seneca Wallace.
Already without his league MVP Shaun Alexander, Seattle coach Mike Holmgren announced Hasselbeck will have an MRI on Oct. 23 to determine the extent of his injury. When pressed on how injured the most important player of his intricate offense is, coach Holmgren turned terse.
"I'm not going to say anything about what it is. He's getting pictures taken tomorrow," Holmgren said.
So ended an NFL afternoon in which both Super Bowl quarterbacks from last season went out with injuries and did not return: Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger was knocked out with a scary blow to the head in an overtime loss to the Falcons.
Minnesota won its second straight thanks to a 15-yard halfback option pass from Mewelde Moore to tight end Jermaine Wiggins that broke a 10-10 tie in the third quarter, just as Hasselbeck was walking gingerly into the locker room. Taylor followed with his record romp.
Seattle (4-2) lost at home in the regular season for the first time since Dec. 6, 2004, against Dallas. But the Seahawks know they many have lost more than that.
"When you lose your quarterback, that's a fairly dramatic thing," Holmgren said.
This dramatic: Hasselbeck was 7 for 17 for 127 yards and a touchdown. Wallace, a fourth-year veteran who has never started an NFL game, was 14 for 25 for 134 yards passing and two interceptions. He also lost a fumble in his own end zone while Ben Leber sacked him. Kevin Williams covered the ball for Minnesota's final score.
"For the circumstances, I think I did all right," Wallace said.
Henderson got tangled in a block from fullback Mack Strong and then swung the left side of his torso into Hasselbeck's lower right leg, which was planted after he had just thrown an incomplete pass. Hasselbeck crumpled to the ground immediately, rolled over and then tried to get up.
When he could not put weight on the leg to stand, he fell again and angrily pounded the turf while trainers rushed to his side.
"I was falling to the ground and Mack Strong kind of pushed, I definitely didn't mean to do it," Henderson said. "It was definitely an accident, I hope he gets back soon."
Hasselbeck was taken to the sidelines with his weight on the shoulders of two trainers. Soon, he was walking carefully and flexing his leg behind Alexander, who was wearing a team sweat suit while missing his third consecutive game because of a broken foot.
Meanwhile, Brad Johnson found Marcus Robinson for 28 yards and Richard Owens for 15 more on the drive to get to the Seattle 7. A holding penalty led to a third-and-goal from the 15.
Johnson then handed to Moore, who ran right as if on a sweep. Moore stopped to loft a pass into the outstretched hands of Wiggins, who had slipped behind Ken Hamlin and Michael Boulware for a 15-yard touchdown.
"I haven't thrown a pass since my senior year in high school," said Moore, a native of Baton Rouge, La. "I've got the highlight film. I can show you, baby."
Notes:
Minnesota WR Troy Williamson left midway through the first quarter with a concussion. His head hit the ground after getting shoved by Ken Hamlin while leaping for a high pass. Williamson said he was unconscious for 10 seconds. But both he and coach Brad Childress think Williamson will play against New England next weekend. ... Taylor's TD run was the longest the Seahawks have ever allowed, topping the famous, 91-yard run by Bo Jackson into a tunnel in the Kingdome during a Monday Night Football game in 1987.
