Matt Hasselbeck is determined to play in Sunday night’s regular-season finale against the St. Louis Rams that will determine the NFC West championship, but because of the uncertainty of his status after the Seahawks’ starting quarterback strained his left hip against the Buccaneers in Tampa, coach Pete Carroll says the team will prepare this week as if backup Charlie Whitehurst will be the QB in the nationally televised game from Qwest Field. “I’m trying to make it as if there is no uncertainty at this point,†Carroll said Monday during his weekly day-after press conference. “We’re going with Charlie because we know he’s ready to go and he’ll be able to have a great week, practice every snap and go full speed and all that.†In the next breath, however, Carroll added, “Matt is absolutely determined to be playing in this game. He’s already stated, ‘I’m going to be there. I’ll be ready for us.’ “If we knew this injury differently, we might be able to predict it. It’s just a very unusual spot that Matt sustained the strain. We just don’t know how to predict what’s going to happen. So with that uncertainty, we’re moving ahead without uncertainty.†That’s why, for now, it’s Whitehurst, but that decision is subject to change. “That’s why we’re doing this – because I know we can count on that,†Carroll said. “Then we’ll see what happens with Matt later on and where he fits in.†Carroll said last week that Hasselbeck gives the Seahawks their best chance to win – a statement that accompanied his decision to stick with the veteran starter for the game against the Bucs after Hasselbeck had been replaced in the third quarter of the previous week’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons at Qwest Field. Later in the week, offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates labeled Hasselbeck “our best player on offense,†adding, “He’s going to take us as far as we can go.†That lasted only 14 plays against the Bucs, however, as Hasselbeck was injured while scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run. “It’s not my back,†Hasselbeck said after the game, when asked if this injury was related to the back problems that plagued him during the 2008 season. “It’s embarrassing, but it’s more my butt. There you go.†Hasselbeck also said he first hurt the area when took a helmet to the hip in the Week 3 game against San Diego Chargers and then aggravated it against the Arizona Cardinals (Week 10) and Carolina Panthers (Week 13). “But it was really never that bad,†he said. Source: Seahawks.com
