Endgame for jobs

SEATTLE – When the Seattle Seahawks’ coaching staff sits down today to figure out its final 53-man roster, Mike Holmgren and Co. will certainly look at the full body of work.

But when it comes to lasting images, several Seahawks made quite an impression in Friday night’s preseason finale.

Running back T.J. Duckett, kicker Olindo Mare and safety C.J. Wallace were among the players who made a good case for sticking around Friday night, helping lead the Seahawks to a 23-16 win over the Oakland Raiders.

The Seahawks (3-1) jumped out to a 13-0 lead and were never threatened in a game that featured plenty of backups on both sides of the ball. The Raiders made the final score respectable when University of Washington products Marques Tuiasosopo and Marcel Reece connected on a 25-yard touchdown pass with 1:51 remaining.

In an effort to avoid last-minute injuries, Seattle rested 16 of its usual starters for the game. The only defensive starter to play the game was rookie defensive end Lawrence Jackson, who had a fumble-causing sack in the first quarter.

On offense, Matt Hasselbeck, Walter Jones, Nate Burleson, Mike Wahle, Maurice Morris and Julius Jones got the night off. Right tackle Sean Locklear was not in uniform, as he’s still nursing a sore left knee.

The players who did see the field tried to make a case for extended playing time or a spot on the roster.

Duckett scored two touchdowns, including a 24-yarder on the Seahawks’ opening drive after stiff-arming Raiders defensive back Nate Lyles at the 15. Duckett added a 1-yard score in the fourth quarter to help put the game out of reach. He finished with 71 rushing yards on 11 carries and added two receptions for another 5 yards.

“I went out and tried to show I could play a little bit,” Duckett said. “… Hopefully, I didn’t leave anything on the table.”

One of the players competing with Duckett for a roster spot, rookie Justin Forsett, wasn’t as fortunate. His day started with a muffed punt. The rookie running back from Cal had 45 rushing yards on 14 carries.

Another offensive player who had a roller-coaster day was wide receiver Ben Obomanu. The receiver, who is part of a four-man battle for playing time, caught his first two passes of the preseason but left the game in the first quarter with a broken clavicle.

Coach Mike Holmgren said that Obomanu could be a candidate to go on injured reserve, which would effectively end his 2008 season.

No. 2 quarterback Seneca Wallace started the game and played well into the fourth quarter. He had a solid first half but fumbled at the Oakland 1-yard line in the fourth quarter and later had a sure touchdown pass dropped by Bryan Gilmore in the end zone.

Wallace completed 21 of 30 passes before being replaced by first-year player Dalton Bell midway through the fourth quarter.

Wallace was not trying to earn playing time with the performance. Coaches have said that he is slotted as Hasselbeck’s main backup, regardless of how he and No. 3 quarterback Charlie Frye performed in the preseason.

The most important ongoing battle may well be at kicker, where Mare and rookie Brandon Coutu have both had good preseasons to keep the competition tight. Both of them were perfect on a combined three field-goal attempts.

But Mare’s big leg on kickoffs might be the difference, and it was on display. He booted the opening kickoff to the back line of the end zone, then added a kickoff 6 yards deep in the end zone.

By 1 p.m. today, the Seahawks have to trim 22 players from their roster to get down to 53 players.