The Seahawks need 28-year old QB Tarvaris Jackson to step up.  He has played in both games for the Seahawks and he has completed 41 of 66 passes (62.1%) for 356 yards with 2 TD passes and 1 INT (80.1 QB Rating).  Jackson has also carried the ball 7 times for 25 yards (3.6 ypc) for the Seahawks so far this year.  The Seahawks have only scored 17 points in two games this year, so Jackson will need to either pick up his play or the Seahawks might be forced to give Charlie Whitehurst another chance.

The Seahawks have lost starting guard Robert Gallery for the next 4-6 weeks due to his need to have groin surgery.  Paul McQuistan will take over Gallery’s starting spot until he’s ready to return to action.  I was going to say that the offensive line was really going to miss Gallery, but they have played awful so far this year as a group.  The Seahawks are only rushing for 47.5 yards rushing per game and 2.7 yards per carry.  They have also allowed 10 sacks already this year.

The Seahawks will need better production out of the QBs in 2011 if they want to repeat as the NFC West Champions.  35-year old Matt Hasselbeck really played well during the playoffs but he wasn’t too good during the regular season.  Hasselbeck played in 14 games for the Seahawks last season and he completed 266 of 444 passes (59.9%) for 3,001 yards with 12 TD passes and 17 INTs (73.2 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 23 times for 60 yards (2.6 ypc) with 3 TD carries last season.  He has now played in 170 games in his NFL career and he has completed 2,572 of 4,279 passes (60.1%) for 29,579 yards with 176 TD passes and 128 INTs (82.2 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 306 times for 1,139 yards (3.7 ypc) with 8 TD runs so far in his NFL career.  Hasselbeck is now a free agent but he wants to return for 2011.  The ball is in the Seahawks’ court right now.

28-year old Charlie Whitehurst did not play as well as the Seahawks hoped he would have in 2010.  He played in 5 games for the Seahawks last season and he completed 57 of 99 passes (57.6%) for 507 yards with 2 TD passes and 3 INTs (65.5 QB Rating).  Those were the first pass attempts of Whitehurst’s NFL career.  He also carried the ball 20 times for 43 yards (2.2 ypc) with 1 TD run last season.  He has now carried the ball 22 times for 56 yards (2.5 ypc) with 2 TD runs so far in his career.

VERDICT:  The Seahawks probably aren’t too confident in Charlie Whitehurst.  So, look for them to either re-sign Matt Hasselbeck or get a different veteran QB to start in 2011 via free agent signing or trade.

35-year old starting QB Matt Hasselbeck is going for a MRI today on his hip.  Hasselbeck has not played well this season but at least he’s a battle tested veteran.  He has played in 14 games for the Seahawks so far this year and he has completed 266 of 444 passes (59.9%) for 3,001 yards with 12 TD passes and 17 INTs (73.2 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 23 times for 60 yards (2.6 ypc) with 3 TD runs so far this year.  The Seahawks better hope that Hasselbeck can give it a go or they are going to have to start Charlie Whitehurst in the biggest game of the season.  28-year old Charlie Whitehurst has played in 5 games for the Seahawks so far this year and he has completed 35 of 63 passes for 315 yards with 1 TD pass and 3 INTs (54.7 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 12 times for 13 yards (1.1 ypc) with 1 TD run so far this year.  The Seahawks have everything on the line this weekend as it’s win or go home so they need Hasselbeck or Whitehurst to step up.

The Seahawks are tied with the Rams at 6-6 on the season.  They can’t afford to have any slip up if they want to win the NFC West as they don’t have any easy games left.  Hasselbeck has played in 11 games for the Seahawks this year and he has completed 226 of 381 passes (59.3%) for 2,621 yards with 10 TD passes and 11 INTs (76.9 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 19 times for 50 yards (2.6 ypc) with 2 TD runs so far this year.  With the Seahawks only averaging 84.8 yards rushing per game and 3.6 yards per carry, they need Hasselbeck to play well.

28-year old QB Charlie Whitehurst is going to get the first start of his NFL career this Sunday against the New York Giants.  Regular starter Matt Hasselbeck is going to miss this week’s game due to a concussion.  Whitehurst has played in 1 game for the Seahawks this year and he has not attempted a pass.  He has played in 3 games in his NFL career so far and he has yet to throw the ball.  He has 2 carries for 13 yards (6.5 ypc) with 1 TD run.  The Giants have a outstanding pass rush and the Seahawks have O-Line troubles so Whitehurst better be ready to get rid of the ball quickly.

The Seattle Seahawks gave up a lot to acquire Charlie Whitehurst from the Chargers and he will start getting more reps during the bye week.  That means that Matt Hasselbeck better step up soon if he wants to keep his starting gig with the Seahawks.  Hasselbeck has completed 77 of 126 passes (61.1%) for 814 yards with 4 TD passes and 6 INTs (70.7 QB Rating) so far this year.  To me he’s running out of time.  He needs to play well at Chicago in the first week after the bye or Whitehurst might bump him to the bench.

34-year old Matt Hasselbeck is starting to run out of gas plus there have been whispers that the Cleveland Browns are interested in trading for him to reunite him with Mike Holmgren.  Hasselbeck played in 14 games for the Seahawks this season and he completed 293 of 488 passes (60%) for 3,029 yards with 17 TD passes and 17 INTs (75.1 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 26 times for 119 yards (4.6 ypc) this year.  Hasselbeck has now played in 156 games in his NFL career and he has completed 2,306 of 3,835 passes (60.1%) for 26,578 yards with 164 TD passes and 111 INTs (83.3 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 283 times for 1,079 yards (3.8 ypc) with 5 TD runs in his career.  I’m thinking that Hasselbeck has played his last game for the Seahawks.

29-year old Seneca Wallace will likely hang on as the back-up QB in 2010 but the Seahawks shouldn’t go into the year with him the starter.  He played in 13 games for the Seahawks last season and he completed 78 of 120 passes (65%) for 700 yards with 3 TD passes and 2 INTs (81.9 QB Rating).  Wallace also carried the ball 16 times for 2 yards (0.1 ypc) with a TD run this year.  Wallace has now played in 48 games in his NFL career and he has completed 333 of 556 passes (59.9%) for 3,547 yards with 25 TD passes and 14 INTs (83.1 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 54 times for 214 yards (4.0 ypc) with 1 TD run.  Wallace is a solid back-up but the Seahawks would be in trouble letting him be the #1 guy in 2010.

It’s getting to the point where the Seahawks might have to replace 34-year old Matt Hasselbeck as the starting QB in 2010 due to the fact that he is becoming injury prone and it’s hurting his effectiveness on the field.  He has played in 12 games for the Seahawks this season and he has completed 259 of 421 passes (61.5%) for 2,656 yards with 15 TD passes and 12 INTs (79.6 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 23 times for 108 yards (4.7 ypc) this season.  If the Seahawks do decide to replace Hasselbeck as the starter they really can’t afford to give the starting job to Seneca Wallace who isn’t really starting material.