Matt is Back, Others Miss, Mare to Kick

by: Michael Steffes

Well the Seahawks have finished their light practice session for the day and some questions have been answered, and others can now be asked.

First off, the best news is that Matthew was back under center for practice. He has proclaimed himself 100% healthy and ready to go. Thank god! If any of you saw Frank Hughes on ESPN News today, he cast a less than optimistic light on this situation saying Matt looked stiff and had ice on his back during the Raider game. Hogwash! The fearless (and bald) leader is back.

As for other injuries, well things weren't so great. Lofa, Locklear, and Branch all sat out, along with Walt, who is on the veteran rest program. I wouldn't expect Lock or Branch on Sunday. Lofa I am optimistic about, but you never know. Willis will be an adequate fill in for a week or two, giving Locklear time to recover. However, there is no such thing as an adequate fill in for Lofa Tatupu.

Finally, Bruce DeHaven announced that Olindo Mare is the kicker of record. He won out in a close duel, but gained the edge via his kickoffs. This is not a surprise. What is a surprise is that Coutu is still around, however that could change shortly. If you read into DeHaven's comments, it sure appears his release is upcoming. However Bruce does believe he has future in the league. ~END~