Notebook: Loss to Falcons still sticks with Seahawks

By Danny O’Neil

RENTON – Ten months have passed since Seattle played in Atlanta last season.

But 300 days isn’t enough time to erase the memories of those final 25 seconds in which the Falcons completed two passes and kicked a game-winning field goal.

Then again, it’s a memory coach Pete Carroll doesn’t exactly want to let go.

Seattle’s 2012 playoff run ended with a 30-28 loss to Atlanta in the divisional round. (AP)

“I’ve always had certain games that I don’t want to forget because they kind of keep me going. This is one of them,” Carroll said of Seattle’s divisional-round playoff loss. “I have a lot of those, unfortunately. This is another one of them.”

List it right alongside that game against Texas in the 2006 Rose Bowl when Vince Young needed less than a minute to foil another national championship for USC.

“Nineteen seconds, by the way,” Carroll said, “instead of 25 seconds.”

And while Sunday’s game in Atlanta won’t erase what happened last January, there’s no denying that the setting offers some motivation for this Seahawks team.

“I hope they put me in my same locker,” safety Earl Thomas said. “I want to feel that same feeling. But after the game, I want that victorious feeling.

“I think this is great for us right now, just where we are right now. We need something with an extra edge to it to get everybody back to their most dominant ways, especially on defense.”

Percy not practicing

Receiver Percy Harvin is getting closer to returning, according to Carroll, but not ready just yet to practice full speed after recovering from hip surgery. He was held out of practice Wednesday, though he did work out before the team’s walk-through.

“His hip, he doesn’t have discomfort at all,” Carroll said. “He ran today and ran well, felt really good about it and would love to practice today. We’re just going to the next day. We’re just going to make sure that we’re doing it right. We want to see how this day impacted how he feels tomorrow. So we’re just trying to work together to get that done.”

Seattle has until next week to activate Harvin to the 53-man roster, but when the Seahawks expect him to make his debut remains uncertain.

“When we really feel secure and solid and he feels great, then we’ll bust him out,” Carroll said.

Notes

• C Max Unger and DE Red Bryant were held out of practice Wednesday, the Seahawks adhering to the protocol for players recovering from concussion. Whether those two are available Sunday will depend on whether they are able to practice later this week without experiencing a recurrence of concussion symptoms.

“We’ll see if they can make it back,” Carroll said. “Both of them are really determined to do it if possible, but we’ve got to do it right. We’ve got a real good system just intact to make sure we do the right thing there.”

• RT Breno Giacomini and LT Russell Okung returned to the practice field Wednesday, Giacomini listed as limited on the injury report. He is not a candidate to play this week. Okung is not on the active roster, and not eligible to play until the Nov. 17 game against Minnesota at the soonest.

• FB Derrick Coleman (hamstring), DT Jordan Hill (biceps) and DE Chris Clemons did not practice. Clemons’ absence was not injury related.

• S Jeron Johnson returned to practice after recovering from a hamstring injury, but he is not projected to be available for Sunday’s game.