Seattle Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck will start instead of Charlie Whitehurst in the team’s wild card round game agains the New Orleans Saints, Pete Carroll announced Thursday after practice. Hasselbeck missed the last two weeks of the regular season, suffering a hip injury late in the year.
Whitehurst played well enough in relief to beat the St. Louis Rams while using a dialed-down playbook, but the Rams are only the Rams. Hasselbeck has thrown 77 more career touchdowns than Whitehurst has passes and has more playoff starts than Whitehurst has total appearances, so it’s clear which quarterback the team is going to feel more confidence in.
It’s not going to make a whole lot of difference who Seattle trots out. While Hasselbeck is still capable, he hasn’t had a particularly good season since 2007. This year he threw 17 picks in 14 games, but, again, he plays for the Seahawks, so we really can’t blame just one player.
Don’t get your hopes up, Falcons fans. We all know what you’re thinking.