Seattle Seahawks Inside Slant

They usually spend Tuesday afternoons together, formulating the beginnings of an offensive game plan involving the passing game for the team's next opponent.

Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Gregg Knapp said he and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck have had the early-week, game-planning sessions since the season began.

"I give him my general thoughts," Knapp said. "We'll watch some tape together. We'll usually pick some part of the game plan or some part of their defense that we need to watch together to formulate the thought process of what you're comfortable with, what I'm comfortable with."

It's the first time Knapp has had those weekly meeting with his quarterback since he's been an offensive coordinator, which dates back to his time with Steve Young in San Francisco.

"This has been really good for both of us, because it's helped us get on the same page faster, and I get a feel for what he's really comfortable with," Knapp said.

And it's just another example of Hasselbeck's commitment to helping the Seahawks improve. The 34-year-old quarterback has endured his fair share of injuries this season, missing two games because of a rib injury and playing through a shoulder injury for the last four games.

And he's struggled with the lack of pass protection from a patchwork offensive line in the early part of the season, although even with Seattle starting the same five players up front for the past four weeks the pass protection hasn't improved.

Even against San Francisco last week, Hasselbeck was sacked five times and under pressure most of the contest. But he managed to complete 11 of 12 pass attempts in the fourth quarter, including a 32-yard pass to rookie receiver Deon Butler on the final drive of the game that set up the game-winning field goal by Olindo Mare.

Hasselbeck finished with a 107.2 passer rating, but felt like he still should have played better under the circumstances.

The Seattle quarterback did not participate in practice on Wednesday after taking a hit while scrambling for a first down on a third-quarter run against San Francisco.

Even though he got dinged up on the play, Seattle head coach Jim Mora said that's why he likes having Hasselbeck under center.

"One side of me said, "Gosh, I wish he wouldn't do that,'" Mora said. "But one side of me says, 'Dang, I respect him for doing that.' ... I mean you love the attitude, but you don't necessarily like to see your quarterback get hit like that."

Mora and Knapp also talked on Wednesday about how the poor pass protection has not allowed Hasselbeck to get to his third and fourth progression in his reads downfield.

"We've got to find a way offensively to give him a little more time," Mora said. "To give him a little better pocket to step up into and throw the ball down field, and that's a point of emphasis for us."

SERIES HISTORY: 2nd meeting. Seattle leads the series 1-0. The Seahawks won the game at Qwest Field in 2005, 42-10.