Seahawks’ Unger, Miller listed as questionable
Oct 4, 2013, 2:24 PM | Updated: 4:40 pm
By Brady Henderson
RENTON – The Seahawks were already facing the possibility of being without three starting offensive linemen for the second straight week.
The number could actually be four come Sunday. That is if you count tight end Zach Miller, whose contributions in pass protection were going to be even more relied upon with a shorthanded offensive line that will be missing both starting tackles and possibly its center against Indianapolis.
Miller missed his second straight practice Friday because of a hamstring injury that cropped up this week. He’s listed as questionable, a designation that equates to a 50 percent chance of playing.
“We’re going to try to wait it out and see if it’s going to be a factor for the game,” coach Pete Carroll said. “We’ll wait all the way until game time.”
All-Pro center Max Unger is also questionable because of a triceps injury that forced him to miss last week’s game. Lemuel Jeanpierre would start if Unger can’t play, while Paul McQuistan and rookie Michael Bowie will again fill in for Russell Okung and Breno Giacomini, serving as the bookends of what could be another patchwork offensive line.
“They’re more ready than they’ve been,” Carroll said of the backups that have been pressed into action the last two weeks. “We expect them to play really clean and sharp football, and they’re going to have to play well for us, so that’s what we’re counting on.”
Miller’s absence would leave the Seahawks thin at tight end, where the other options on the roster are rookie Luke Willson and veteran Kellen Davis, who has more penalties (three) than receptions (two for 31 yards) in two games with Seattle. Willson, a fifth-round pick out of Rice, has five catches for 76 yards.
“Luke’s done a good job. He’s measured up. He’s done a really good job,” Carroll said. “Really, I’m anxious to see him play and take over this role with a lot of responsibility. It will be good to see him.”
Irvin ready to go
Carroll said linebacker Bruce Irvin is ready to make his season debut after missing the first four games while serving a suspension.
Carroll, however, didn’t say definitively whether or not that will happen.
“He’s done really well. He’s a little rough around the edges in some stuff, but he’s in great shape and he’s ready to go and he’s really charged up and he’s done a lot of studying over the time that he was out of here and has come back ready to take advantage of this,” Carroll said. “He doesn’t want to wait another game or something to get going. We’d like to play him this week.”
Irvin would need to be added to Seattle’s 53-man roster by Saturday if he is going to play Sunday.
Notes
• Carroll said rookie DT Jordan Hill has progressed nicely from his biceps injury but isn’t expected to play Sunday. “He’s close. He practiced all week long. He could go, I think, in this game. We don’t have him included yet. We’re going to wait another week before we get him out there,” Carroll said.
• CB Jeremy Lane (hamstring) is listed as doubtful while RB Spencer Ware (ankle) is out.
• LB K.J. Wright, DL Michael Bennett, DE Chris Clemons, RB Marshawn Lynch, CB Walter Thurmond and S Jeron Johnson are all listed as probable.