Seahawks’ Doug Baldwin practices Thursday
Nov 1, 2012, 4:56 PM | Updated: 5:10 pm
By Bill Swartz
A break from our fall rain allowed the Seahawks to practice outdoors at their Renton facility on Thursday.
There was positive news for the Seahawks’ injury-riddled receiving core. Doug Baldwin was a full participant in practice. He missed the last game with a high ankle sprain. Braylon Edwards did not practice again, giving his sore knee a rest.
The discouraging injury news concerns Seattle’s defensive line, where Jason Jones (knee) and Greg Scruggs (oblique) were both non-participants.
Cornerback Byron Maxwell was a limited participant as he comes back from a hamstring problem.
There was a prominent name on the Vikings’ injury report. Wide receiver Percy Harvin did not practice due to a hamstring injury. Former Seahawks tight end John Carlson also sat out a second straight day with his concussion. Running back Adrian Peterson was limited due to an ankle injury.
Seattle defensive coordinator Gus Bradley is clearly preparing his unit for Harvin to play. So far the Vikings have targeted the speedy slot receiver more than 70 times. Bradley said his linebackers and secondary are working on tighter coverage in man-to-man principals.
The inability to close quickly on checkdown passes burned the Seahawks many times in their last two games against San Francisco and Detroit.
Bradley said Minnesota is a run-first team, so his defensive ends and linebackers will need to set the edge, preventing Peterson from cutting outside for long runs. Gang-tackling will be essential, Bradley said, because Peterson looks like the back of old, capable of running through people and making them miss with great fakes when he bursts through the line.
