The Seahawks likely won't make a decision on two key starters until the final hours before Monday night's game against the Detroit Lions, head coach Pete Carroll said.
Running back Marshawn Lynch (hamstring) and defensive tackle Brandon Mebane (groin) both were held out of practice again Saturday, and are listed as questionable on the injury report.
"We won't know all the way until game time," Carroll said of Lynch, before adding that Mebane's status was the same.
If Lynch is healthy enough to play come Monday afternoon, Carroll said a lack of practice time won't be a deterrent for using him.
"We would go with him if he could make it," Carroll said "He has had other weeks when he wasn't able to practice and he played very well, but we'll have to wait and see."
If Lynch isn't able to play, it would mark just the second missed game of his Seahawks career. He last missed a game in 2011 when back spasms made him a late scratch in a loss at Cleveland. And if Lynch is unavailable or limited in his workload, rookie Thomas Rawls, who had 104 yards on 16 carries last week, likely would carry the load along with veteran Fred Jackson. Carroll said fullback Derrick Coleman, who played running back at UCLA before converting to fullback with Seattle, would be an option for running back depth as well.
"We wouldn't hesitate to play him," Carroll said of Coleman playing running back.
While Demarcus Dobbs (shoulder) is listed as questionable, Carroll said the defensive end won't play. With Dobbs unlikely to play, and Mebane's status also in doubt, defensive tackle David King will play more, Carroll said, and the Seahawks will use fullback Will Tukuafu at defensive line to add depth. Tukuafu has played both defensive line and fullback throughout his career, and the Seahawks also have used him some as a blocking tight end. Tukuafu, who also contributes on special teams, joked he can do a little kicking too if Steven Hauschka needs a break.
"It's fun," Tukuafu said of playing multiple positions. "Everyone's always like, 'Man, you're a throwback.' The more you can do, you know? I'm just grateful to have a job and grateful they trust me to do all these different things."
Linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis, a key special teams contributor, is also questionable with a hamstring injury that crept up in the days following last week's game. He too is expected to be a game-day decision.
Safety Steven Terrell (hip flexor) and cornerback Tharold Simon (toe) will both be out for a second straight game, but Carroll said both made progress this week and have a chance to return next week.
Here are the full injury reports for both teams:
Seattle Seahawks
Out
CB Tharold Simon (toe, did not practice)
S Steven Terrell (hip, DNP)
Questionable
RB Marshawn Lynch (hamstring, DNP)
DE Demarcus Dobbs (shoulder, DNP)
DT Brandon Mebane (groin, DNP)
LB Kevin Pierre-Louis (hamstring, DNP)
Probable
TE Luke Willson (back, full participation)
LB Bobby Wagner (ankle, full)
LB K.J. Wright (hip, full)
LB Mike Morgan (hamstring, full)
DE Michael Bennett (DNP, not injury related)
Detroit Lions
Out
RB Joique Bell (ankle, DNP)
TE Brandon Pettigrew (hamstring, DNP)
Doubtful
LB DeAndre Levy (hip, limited)
T Corey Robinson (ankle, limited)
Questionable
DE Ezekiel Ansah (groin, limited)
CB Josh Wilson (lower leg, full)
G Larry Warford (ankle, limited)
Probable
DE Jason Jones (knee, limited)
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