Seahawks notebook: Lane weighs in on collision
Jan 22, 2014, 4:39 PM | Updated: 4:50 pm
By Danny O’Neil
Jeremy Lane was knocked over after a collision with a non-uniformed person on the 49ers’ sideline during a first-half punt in Sunday’s NFC title game.
“During the game, I thought I saw the guy try to move,” Lane said. “And then all of a sudden, I saw the arm so I really wasn’t sure what happened. I was like, ‘Man, after the game, I’m going to watch it.’ “
So Lane did take a look.
“When I watched it, it looked like he tried to do it on purpose,” Lane said. “I think he leaned into me.”
Lane said he was struck in the head and neck area. On the television replay, the moment of impact was obscured by another person on the 49ers’ sideline.
It was reminiscent of a 2010 special-teams play between the Jets and the Dolphins in which a member of the Jets’ staff – Sal Alosi, an assistant strength coach – leaned toward the Dolphins’ Nolan Carroll, who was running full speed. The two struck knees, Carroll falling down. Alosi was fined $25,000 by the team and suspended for the remainder of the season.
49ers coach Jim Harbaugh was asked about the sideline collision earlier this week.
“He did run into our guy and kind of stumbled down to the ground,” Harbaugh said during his final press conference. “But our guy was in a spot back where he was supposed to be.”
Harbaugh said he was in a similar position as the staff member that collided with Lane, caught in a moment and unsure what to do.
“You don’t know which way to go other than just hold your ground and protect yourself, which was his reaction,” Harbaugh said. “It would have been mine as well.”
It should be noted the replay also shows that a person standing on the 49ers’ bench next to the individual who collided with Lane jumped back out of the way and avoided Lane, showing a collision wasn’t inevitable.
Percy practices
Percy Harvin was a full participant in practice Wednesday as coach Pete Carroll had anticipated, which means there’s a whole fresh batch of questions about just how the receiver might be worked in and what could be expected as he returns after missing last week’s game because of a concussion.
Hmmm, those questions sound awfully familiar to what was being asked in mid-November when Harvin debuted for the Seahawks against Minnesota. And it’s also pretty much identical to the inquiries at the beginning of January when he appeared in a playoff game after missing the last five regular-season games because of continuing soreness in his surgically repaired hip.
“You could cut and paste,” offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said. “We love to have him. We’re ready if he’s in there. You’ve seen what he can do. We’re excited if that does indeed end up happening for us.”
Note
• Three players sat out Wednesday’s workout: WR Doug Baldwin (hip), RB Marshawn Lynch (knee) and DT Brandon Mebane (ankle).