There were questions about Matt Hasselbeck’s future as a starter in Seattle after he was pulled for Charlie Whitehurst during Sunday’s 34-18 loss to the Falcons.
Those questions were answered by Pete Carroll on Monday and the Seahawks coach is sticking with Hasselbeck for the Week 16 matchup with the Buccaneers. Carroll told the media of his decision at Seahawks headquarters on Monday afternoon, solidifying hints he dropped during a radio interview earlier in the day.
“Today we’re going back and Matt’s taking the snaps today. He’s the No. 1 quarterback,” Carroll said. “We’ll figure the rest of it out during the couple days that we have. We don’t have to get to practice until Wednesday.”
Hasselbeck was pulled in the third quarter on Sunday after he followed a fumble that resulted in an Atlanta touchdown with two interceptions on three consecutive possessions. That makes 10 interceptions and three lost fumbles in the last four weeks for Hasselbeck, but Carroll obviously still isn’t ready to make the move to Whitehurst.
Part of the reason could be Whitehurst’s mediocre performance as a starter against the Giants in a game that Hasselbeck missed in Week Nine with an injury. Whitehurst completed 12-of-23 passes and threw two interceptions in a 41-7 home loss. In Sunday’s game, Whitehurst was 8-of-16 for 83 yards and fumbled once, although the Seahawks kept possession when he fell on the ball.
There’s not really a great option there and the problem is compounded by the fact that the Seahawks are still very much alive in the battle for the NFC West title. Seeing what Whitehurst could do makes a lot of sense because it would help guide your future dealings with Hasselbeck, but switching to the unknown with a playoff spot in the balance isn’t a move many coaches would make.
