Hasselbeck appearance calms Hawks

KIRKLAND -- Matt Hasselbeck took part in practice Tuesday, which was somewhat surprising and even more comforting to the Seahawks as they began preparing for Saturday's playoff opener against the Washington Redskins.

The status of the team's starting quarterback appeared to be in question after he fell on his right wrist Sunday during a 44-41 loss to the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome.

There was, however, no questioning what Hasselbeck was able to do on the practice field Tuesday.

"Matt's ready," offensive coordinator Gil Haskell said. "It's his ninth year. He's been shooting for this. It's his team. He's in charge. He knows it, and he's going about it correctly.

"It's really a good thing."

But Hasselbeck's precise -- and prolonged -- performance in practice wasn't the most startling part of his New Year's Day.

That occurred earlier, when he strolled through the locker room sporting only a mustache after shaving the early stages of a beard that adorned his face following Sunday's game -- which, coupled with a wool cap, gave him a bit of a Tom Brady look.

With only the mustache, the comparisons turned to "Reno 911," and even Hitler.

"I could see that," wide receiver Nate Burleson said of the Hitler reference. "That shows Matt's in a good mood and knows how to keep everybody loose, and at the same time go out there and be a professional on the field."

Too loose, perhaps.

"The mustache hit me like high beams," Burleson said. "I was eating, and it almost like came up a little bit.

"I told him, 'Matt, come on, I'm eating. Let me finish my meal before we make any more eye contact with the mustache.' "

Things also appeared a bit gruesome at the Georgia Dome on Sunday, when Hasselbeck's right-wrist saga was played out in several acts.

He wasn't scheduled to play in the second half even before jamming the wrist. But after getting X-rays at halftime, Hasselbeck emerged late from the locker room gripping the upper edge of his shoulder pads with his left hand.

The momentary speculation was that Hasselbeck had reinjured his left shoulder, which was operated on last January to repair a torn labrum that had been bothering him for a couple of years.

Those fears were quickly calmed, however, when Hasselbeck sat on the bench with a towel covering an ice pack on his right wrist.

Then there was the scene with him surrounded by people holding up towels while the team's doctors and trainers were doing something to some part of his body.

It finally became apparent that the problem was the right wrist, as Hasselbeck was seen cutting away the black protective wrap that was intended to decrease the swelling.

After the game, Hasselbeck and coach Mike Holmgren assured everyone there was no problem and that the most pivotal player on the team's offense would be able to practice this week. But no one completely exhaled until Tuesday.

"I actually asked Matt why he was out here, because obviously you'd like to rest him and let him heal up," Burleson said after practice. "But he was like, 'No time for rest. We've got to worry about getting this chemistry right so we can make it deep into the postseason.'

"I didn't want to argue with him. And besides, that's Matt. He wants to be a leader, and he shows that by how he practices."

Also back at practice was Pro Bowl left tackle Walter Jones, who sat out practice last week and also the game Sunday to rest his sore shoulders.

"Matt was out there today throwing the ball around," Jones said. "That's the only thing you look at to see if he's OK. The only time you worry is when you see a guy's not practicing, and he was out there practicing."

Now, if Hasselbeck can only do something about that mustache.

FIRST LOOK: WASHINGTON REDSKINS

WHERE THE REDSKINS RANK: No. 15 on offense (12th rushing, 14th passing); No. 8 on defense (fourth rushing, 16th passing)

SERIES: Redskins lead 9-4 in the regular season; Seahawks lead 1-0 in the postseason

THE LAST TIME: Despite losing NFL Most Valuable Player Shaun Alexander to a concussion in the first quarter, the Seahawks defeated the Redskins 20-10 in the second round of the 2005 playoffs at Qwest Field -- ending a 21-year drought between postseason victories.

UNSUNG HERO: Todd Collins. He's 36 and hadn't started a game since 1997. Until, that is, starting quarterback Jason Campbell dislocated his left kneecap early in a Dec. 6 game against the Bears. Since then, Collins has sparked the Redskins' four-game winning streak by fashioning a 106.4 passer rating -- second highest in the NFL during December to the Colts' Peyton Manning (122.2). Another fact: Collins' 22 completions in Sunday's victory over the Cowboys were four more than he had combined from 1998-2006.

BURNING QUESTION: How long can the Redskins ride the wave of emotion that has followed the shooting death of Pro Bowl safety Sean Taylor? His former teammates were inspired in Sunday's playoff-clinching win over the Cowboys by memories of, and memorabilia from, Taylor. They won the game by 21 points (Taylor's number), prompting Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs to offer: "We didn't think it was by accident." Another fact: Taylor led the club with five interceptions.

FAMILIAR FACES: This game includes a definite twist for the Seahawks -- facing the son of a former player. That's right, Redskins backup middle linebacker H.B. Blades is the son of former Seattle strong safety Bennie Blades, who played with the Seahawks in 1997 after a Pro Bowl career with the Detroit Lions. But the connections don't stop there. Former Seahawks now playing for the Redskins include cornerback Shawn Springs, left guard Pete Kendall, defensive end Phillip Daniels and linebacker Randall Godfrey. Former in-state college or high school players include backup quarterback Mark Brunell (Washington), fullback Mike Sellers (North Thurston High School, Walla Walla CC) and backup guard Rick DeMulling (Cheney High School).

ON THE SPOT: Stephon Heyer, above. Who-phon Who-yer? He's a rookie free agent from Maryland, and he's started the past four games at right tackle because Jon Jensen broke his leg in the season opener and backup Todd Wade then injured a knee. On Saturday, the 6-6, 325-pound Heyer draws the task of blocking Seahawks defensive end Patrick Kerney, who led the NFC with 14 1/2 sacks. Another fact: All of Kerney's sacks came in eight games, with nine coming in just three games.

FOCUS ON: LOGAN PAYNE

Logan Payne was getting ready to have a New Year's Eve dinner with a couple other members of the Seahawks' practice squad when his phone rang.

The caller: Will Lewis, the club's director of pro personnel. The reason for the call: The rookie wide receiver was being signed to the 53-man roster, filling the spot that opened when rookie defensive end Barkara Atkins was placed on injured reserve.

Question: Did the other practice squad players make Payne pay for the meal?

"Nah," said Jordan Kent, also a rookie wide receiver whose locker is next to Payne's. "We still split the bill."

Jokes aside, talk about a happy new year.

"I was ecstatic. I was really surprised," Payne said. "It's awesome just to be part of a team like this, so it's a real honor to get to be pulled up."

Despite his elevated -- and unexpected -- status, Payne won't forget where he came from.

"I'm a blue-collar guy," he said. "I'm a practice-squader at heart. So these are my guys."

-- Clare Farnsworth