Expect Partial Objectivity From Dilfer

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Trent Dilfer can't lie. He's pulling for the Seahawks.

The NFL Network has made him a game correspondent/analyst, but Dilfer still will be in the Seahawks' corner.

Dilfer, a starter and backup with the Seahawks from 2001 until 2004, is reporting on the playoffs and conducting interviews for the network, his first attempt at broadcasting.

"One thing I tell myself is I'm not going to pretend I'm not biased," said Dilfer, now with the Cleveland Browns. "I clearly want Seattle to win, but in my analysis I will call it as I see it."

With the Browns' season over and Dilfer facing perhaps two offseason knee surgeries, he's living vicariously through the Seahawks. He expects to take some ribbing from his former teammates when they see him in a suit in the locker room with his media credential and microphone in hand.

"They're going to kill me," Dilfer said. "I told my family if I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it the best that I can."

Dilfer said it will be only the third time he has ever been at an NFL game in which he hasn't played.

Injury Report

All but two Seahawks practiced yesterday, and the team figures to have everyone available for Saturday.

Linebacker D.D. Lewis is questionable with a right foot injury and did not practice. Neither did reserve offensive lineman Wayne Hunter, who has a sprained ankle. Lewis, Coach Mike Holmgren said, is expected to be back before the end of the week.

"No question that the first-round bye helped us," Holmgren said.

Defensive end Joe Tafoya (hamstring) and cornerback Marcus Trufant (lower back bruise) are questionable but took part in drills yesterday. Trufant was injured against Indianapolis on Dec. 24.

Cornerback Andre Dyson, who hasn't appeared in a game since Dec. 5 at Philadelphia because of a sprained ankle, returned to practice yesterday.

"I have nothing to lose at this point," Dyson said. "The only thing you can do is just play. No sense in holding anything back."

Speaking Kindly

In a lively conference call with reporters who cover the Redskins yesterday, Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck inadvertently referred to wide receiver Terrell Owens's team as the "Philadelphia Egos" and explained his initial objections when the Redskins cut his brother, Tim, in the offseason after taking quarterback Jason Campbell in the first round of the draft in April.

Matt Hasselbeck praised the Redskins for cutting Tim quickly -- he signed with the Giants.

"I think that was a class move by Coach [Joe] Gibbs and the organization not to suffocate someone's career," Matt Hasselbeck said.

Hasselbeck also said his team's 13-3 record was attributable to a much more cohesive locker room after several players were discarded.

"We had guys having alcohol on their breath at practice," Hasselbeck said of past teams. "We [would know] a guy faced a four-game suspension and not know when it's going to take place. We had guys hurt and you wonder, 'Is he really hurt, or not wanting to practice or play?' "

Hasselbeck also said potential free agents tuned out coaches. "It's a bad way to do business, and a bad way to live life," he said.

Catching Fire

Seattle made a couple of key changes after losing to Washington on Oct. 2. Wide receiver Joe Jurevicius, signed in March for $700,000 in base salary after he was released by Tampa Bay, went from one reception for 17 yards in the Seahawks' 20-17 loss to the Redskins to a career-high nine catches for 137 yards and a touchdown the next week at St. Louis. This season, Jurevicius set a career high with 10 touchdown catches -- which tied for second in the NFC -- and had 694 yards.

And after the Washington loss, the Seahawks began making Jerramy Stevens their primary pass-catching tight end. Stevens, whom the Seahawks drafted in the first round in 2002 but did not live up to his potential until this season, had four of his five receiving scores after Oct. 2. His five touchdowns were one fewer than in his previous three seasons combined.

-- Jose Miguel Romero of the Seattle Times and Washington Post staff writer Jason La

Canfora contributed to this report