Erickson Ready To Play For Real
Seattle Seahawks coach Dennis Erickson concluded his last major practice for the season opener with a slight sense of a rush Friday.
“This is a situation where we’ve been doing this for six weeks now,” Erickson said of his team’s preparation for Sunday’s game against the San Diego Chargers. “The last days of practice are kind of a hurry up and let’s get through it.”
Erickson proclaimed this week’s practices a success.
“I’m happy where we’re at,” he said. “Now, we have to go out on the road and play a team we haven’t beaten. We didn’t beat them last year. It’s a hurdle and a challenge. It’s exciting.”
Erickson believes the pressure is more on the Chargers to win a divisional home game than it is on the Seahawks, who come back with their own home games against Denver and Kansas City.
The Seahawks left the remote possibility that linebacker Terry Wooden could be available by not putting him on the inactive list Friday. A hamstring injury is expected to sideline Wooden for the Chargers game and possibly next week’s game against the Broncos.
“Right now our plans are that he is not going to play,” Erickson said. “I’ll make my final decision Sunday.”
Deactivated were defensive tackle Henry McMillian, defensive end Matt LaBounty, linebacker James Logan and right tackle Robert Barr. Three more players must be deactivated Sunday when Erickson submits his 45-player roster. Stan Gelbaugh will be designated the third quarterback.
The Chargers announced that Leonard Russell will be the starting running back, but he’ll share time with Aaron Hayden and Terrell Fletcher.
Erickson has indicated he wouldn’t fear making a temporary quarterback change if Rick Mirer struggles in any game, but he made it clear there won’t be a quarterback controversy between Mirer and John Friesz.
Mirer is the starter.
“I respect your opinion,” Erickson said to reporters earlier this week, “but we’re the ones that are going to make the decision on that. Rick’s our No. 1 quarterback to answer your question. John Friesz, if things aren’t going well - it could be our first game, it could be our second game, it could be the third - he may come in and play. He may move the team down there. Rick will continue to be our starter. That’s just how it is. We have a lot of confidence in Rick.”
Cunningham goes out gracefully
Former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham officially retired Friday and singled out former Eagles coach Buddy Ryan for being “truly a player’s coach,” and also said he was grateful to Rich Kotite - even though they disliked each other.
“So we didn’t get along. Big deal. You gave me the best season of my career in 1990,” Cunningham said. “It’s just too bad we didn’t go all the way (to the Super Bowl). We could have been good friends.”
Cunningham had some choice, but carefully chosen words for Philadelphia, its fans and especially its sports radio personalities.
“I have no bitter feelings toward Philadelphia,” he said. “Thank you for all the good times. Thank you for wearing No. 12 with pride.”