Seahawks Tuesday in Hawkville

[News Bot]

A recap of the day’s activities at Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Nov. 15:
FOCUS ON
Right guard. In addition to putting together the game plan for Sunday’s matchup with the Rams in St. Louis today, the coaches also had to decide who will replace rookie John Moffitt at right guard.
Moffitt is out for the rest of the season after damaging two ligaments in his right knee on the Seahawks’ fourth play in Sunday’s upset victory over the Baltimore Ravens at CenturyLink Field.
The replacement options are Lemuel Jeanpierre, who played well after stepping in for Moffitt against the Ravens; and Paul McQuistan, who started three games at left guard earlier this season while Robert Gallery was out with a groin injury.
While Jeanpierre is a little more athletic, McQuistan has the edge in experience and knowledge of the Seahawks’ blocking scheme because he also played under assistant head coach/offensive line coach Tom Cable when both were with the Oakland Raiders.
Asked about Jeanpierre’s performance after the game, quarterback Tarvaris Jackson offered, “Right when he came in I didn’t have a doubt that he was going to get the job done. He’s always tuned in. He practices hard every day. I watch all the linemen, just to see exactly what guys can do, and when he came in at guard I felt he could get the job done just as well.”
Jeanpierre has started one game in the NFL, at center in Week 7 when Max Unger was out with a foot injury. McQuistan has started 15 – three in Weeks 3-5 this season and 12 in 2006-07, while with the Raiders.
“One of those two guys will be playing at right guard,” coach Pete Carroll said on Monday.
Whoever it is needs to help the Seahawks continue to take positive steps against a Rams’ defense that ranks last in the league at stopping the run, allowing an average of 150.6 rushing yards. After rushing for more than 100 yards twice in their first seven games, the Seahawks have done it in each of their past two games. After allowing 28 sacks in the first seven games, the Seahawks have yielded two in the past two games.
“We’ve distinctly moved ahead in the last couple weeks and so hopefully we can keep building on that,” Carroll said. “I think we’re going in the right direction.”
And with a new right guard.
MOFFITT TO IR
Moffitt was placed on injured reserve today because he’ll need surgery to repair the MCL and PCL in his right knee that were damaged in Sunday’s game.
To fill his roster spot, Paul Fanaika was re-signed. The 6-foot-5, 327-pound Fanaika began the season on the practice squad, but was released last week when wide receiver Patrick Williams was re-signed. Fanaika was on the 53-man roster for the final three games last season, after being signed off the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad. He was inactive for all three games.
STAT DU JOUR
Nose tackle Brandon Mebane doesn’t just anchor a Seahawks run defense that ranks 12th in the league in average yards allowed (106.4) and is tied for third in average per-carry (3.6). He is tied for the lead in tackles among NFC defensive tackles. Here are the top four:
Player Tackles (solo/assists)
Brandon Mebane, Seahawks 27 (18/0)
Ndamukong Suh, Lions 27 (20/7)
Cullen Jenkins, Eagles 24 (17/7)
Jay Ratliff, Cowboys 23 (16/7)
UP NEXT
The players return from their “off” day to begin preparing for Sunday’s game against the Rams in St. Louis – the Seahawks’ only road game in a current five-game stretch that saw them play the Ravens at home last week and also features home games against the Redskins (Nov. 27), Eagles (Dec. 1) and Rams (Dec. 12).
Tickets are available for the games against the Redskins, Eagles and Rams and can be purchased here.
YOU DON’T SAY
They say a picture is worth 1,000 words. So this video of Marshawn Lynch doing his thing against Ray Lewis in Sunday’s game is worth at least 10,000 words – and definitely another look.

Source: Seahawks.com