KIRKLAND, Wash. -- Andre Dyson will likely miss the final
four games of the regular season with a high ankle sprain, leaving
the Seattle Seahawks almost desperately thin at cornerback.
Coach Mike Holmgren left open the possibility of Dyson returning
for the playoffs, for which the NFC leaders and West division
champions (10-2) are already qualified.
"How long the injury goes, we have to cross that bridge,"
Holmgren said.
Dyson sprained the left ankle during Monday night's 42-0 rout at
Philadelphia when he was tackled at the goal line at the end of
Dyson's 25-yard fumble return for Seattle's final touchdown.
Dyson, a former Tennessee Titans starter signed as a free agent
in April, also returned an interception for a touchdown in the
first half. He was the first Seahawk defender since Dave Brown in
1984 to have two scores in a game.
He is the third Seahawks starting defensive back currently out
with injuries, joining previous starting left corner Kelly Herndon
and safety Ken Hamlin.
A high ankle sprain is a tearing of the ligaments between the
tibia and fibula bones in the lower leg. It is more severe than a
standard sprain and takes longer to heal.
"After the game, it was feeling to all of us -- including Andre
-- that he had a sprained ankle," said Holmgren, who said after the
win he thought Dyson would be fine.
"But it is a high-ankle sprain. Those are tough injuries ... I
think it is safe to say he is out for the rest of the regular
season, which is four weeks."
Holmgren stopped short of saying second-year nickel back and
part-time safety Jordan Babineaux will make his first career start
at left corner Sunday against San Francisco (2-10). The coach added
punt returner Jimmy Williams, who wasn't even on the team until the
third week of the regular season, "factors into the mix," because
of the fifth-year veteran's NFL experience at cornerback.
"Babineaux, logic says he could be (the starter). But we
haven't that decided yet," Holmgren said.
He added Seattle is looking to sign a free-agent cornerback for
depth.
At least Dyson has an honor on which he can rest his ankle for
the next month -- the league chose Dyson its NFC Defensive Player of
the Week for his fantastic Philadelphia night.
"It was bad news today, because he played a great game,"
Holmgren said. "We are thin in the secondary, anyway."
Herndon had been starting ahead of Dyson at left corner before
he injured his left knee during Nov. 27's win over the New York
Giants. Wednesday, Holmgren said Herndon will miss at least another
two weeks.
Hamlin is already out for the year after fracturing his skull in
an Oct. 17 fight outside a bar.
The good news for Seattle is the schedule. After the struggling
49ers offense Sunday, the Seahawks play at Tennessee (3-9).
Then come Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Edgerrin James and
the Indianapolis Colts, who are currently unbeaten. But if the
Colts lose to either Jacksonville or San Diego, they might rest
their starters in Seattle because they are close to clinching
home-field advantage in the AFC.