Knee rules Wistrom out for now

Seattle defensive end Grant Wistrom has ligament damage in his left knee and will miss up to six weeks, though coach Mike Holmgren said Monday he could be available if the Seahawks reach the playoffs.

Wistrom was hurt in the fourth quarter of last weekend’s 27-23 win at Minnesota. He missed four games earlier this season with a broken bone in his left knee.

Doctors will re-examine Wistrom within two weeks, when they’ll determine if the injury is healing faster than projected. If that’s the case, Holmgren said Wistrom might play if Seattle is in the playoffs.

Antonio Cochran will take Wistrom’s spot at right end, with linebacker Chad Brown another possibility in nickel defense packages. Brown has missed the past three games after arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, but could return for this weekend’s game at the New York Jets.

Holmgren: Oh, no, not again!

Another NFL weekend is history and Seattle coach Mike Holmgren nearly had another good gripe about the officiating crew.

On the final play of Seattle’s 27-23 win at Minnesota, Seahawks defensive end Antonio Cochran ran down Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper for an apparent sack but officials never whistled the play dead.

It was Minnesota’s final chance from Seattle’s 28 with 4 seconds to play.

“It was a sack,” Holmgren said. “His (Culpepper’s) knee was on the ground.”

Culpepper scrambled right and was blanketed by Cochran. However, with no whistle blown, Culpepper continued and threw into the end zone for Jermaine Wiggins. He almost caught the football for what would have been a game-winning touchdown.

Last week, Holmgren complained that the replay official never reviewed a late TD catch by Keyshawn Johnson when Dallas rallied to beat Seattle 43-39. Johnson appeared to have one foot in bounds, then fell on his elbow out of bounds.

“What was going through my mind was briefly, ‘No, it cannot happen again,’ ” Holmgren said.

Culpepper’s pass was ruled incomplete. Statisticians at the game listed the play as an incomplete pass. Holmgren said it’s possible Cochran might get credit for a sack later this week after the statistics are reviewed”It was a sack. It happened right in front of me,” he said.