Hawks look to Robinson

RENTON, Wash. – Seahawks long snapper Kevin Houser is hoping to be out of the hospital in time for Christmas Eve after doctors re-inflated a collapsed lung.

Seattle coach Jim Mora said the 32-year-old veteran of 10 seasons was sitting up in his hospital room Monday and watching “Ren and Stimpy” cartoons with his wife and kids.

“He’s doing much, much better,” Mora said.

Houser got hurt while covering a punt in the second quarter of Sunday’s loss to Tampa Bay.

The Seahawks’ only true kick snapper then went into a photographer’s shed on the sideline to get a painkilling injection. He returned to snap for Seattle’s only extra point later in the half.

Midway through the third quarter, Houser ran at Tampa Bay’s Sammie Stroughter at the end of a 33-yard return and collapsed in pain on the sideline.

“Kevin, he was hurting,” Mora said. “He was doing everything he could trying to stay in the game.

“I feel bad because of that effort and his desire to be an impacting guy on our team that he’s in the hospital now. But he’s feeling better. We just hope he’s home for Christmas Eve.”

Mora said Houser is likely going on injured reserve. The team is trying to bring back veteran Jeff Robinson, the former Ferris and Idaho standout who is out of football after playing for Seattle for parts of the 2007 and ’08 seasons.

With Houser down, little cornerback Kelly Jennings snapped on a punt late in the third quarter.