Preserving Hasselbeck 1 of many Seahawks concerns

RENTON, Wash. (AP) - Matt Hasselbeck has been marveling at Brett Favre like he is Yoda.

And not just before yet another reunion of quarterback mentor and protege Saturday night in Minnesota. It's been this way since Hasselbeck was a cocky rookie with a chip on his shoulder in Green Bay and Favre was a sage 29 in his seventh year as the Packers' starter.

That was 13 seasons ago.

"It's amazing what he has done and what he's continuing to do. It really is," Hasselbeck said, looking ahead to his Seahawks meeting Favre's Vikings in the third preseason game. "The streak that he has going (309 consecutive starts, including playoffs) is just ridiculous."

This is the ninth time - including three exhibition games and two playoff games - that Hasselbeck has opposed his friend and teacher since Hasselbeck was traded from Green Bay to Seattle in 2001. Favre was 32 then.

Now he's 40, beginning his 20th season and making his 2010 home debut for Minnesota weeks after staving off retirement one more time.

"And good for him," Hasselbeck said. "Good for them. They had a great year last year. It makes it a lot tougher in the NFC. All the teams in the NFC, it's not good for us.

"Yeah, it's all right. I don't have to play against him. I'll let (Seahawks rookie safety) Earl Thomas worry about that."

Hasselbeck has enough to worry about.

Coach Pete Carroll said he is preparing to have his quarterback, who has had a bad back and broken ribs in the last two seasons, join fellow starters in playing three quarters against Minnesota's formidable pass rush.

"Matt's going to play into the second half. That's what the plan is," Carroll said.

That's despite injuries that have ransacked the left side of the offensive line. The last time he played an exhibition in Minnesota, two summers ago, Hasselbeck grabbed his back in pain while chased by sack master Jared Allen.

Hasselbeck stayed in for a few more plays, then missed the rest of the preseason and nine of the 16 games in 2008. That began Seattle's plummet to 9-23 since their last playoff appearance.

Saturday, backup guard Mansfield Wrotto will start for injured, sixth-overall pick Russell Okung at left tackle. And 2009 Eagles practice player Mike Gibson will be at guard for the banged-up Ben Hamilton.

"The Vikings are really, really good on defense. Probably have the best D-line in the league in terms of getting sacks," Hasselbeck said. "They rush four guys and are able to get tremendous pressure that way."

Yet Carroll said after Thursday's practice he will not curtail the 34-year-old's playing time in the name of preservation.

Asked if he needs to provide Hasselbeck added protection, such as keeping tight ends and backs in to pass block, Carroll said with a chuckle, "We have to do a number of things, yeah."

Seattle has other issues to settle Saturday in the final full rehearsal before the season begins Sept. 12 - the Seahawks have a throwaway exhibition finale at Oakland.

It's Leon Washington's turn to start as the carousel to find a starting running back rotates among the former Jets All-Pro, returning starter Julius Jones and versatile Justin Forsett.

Gibson is challenging Hamilton for the starting job on the line. Chester Pitts was trying to practice this week for the first time since microfracture surgery last summer, to challenge for the fill-in job at left tackle while Okung is out into next month. But Pitts watched Thursday's practice with a huge ice pack on his right knee.

The horde of wide receivers needs sorting out, with exciting but mistake-prone second-round draft choice Golden Tate still trying to carve out a role.

On defense, the Seahawks still need to find pass rushers beyond end Chris Clemons, so they don't have to rely as much on blitzes that have exposed the iffy secondary the last two seasons. Linebacker Leroy Hill is weeks away from returning from a sprained knee, and may be facing a second suspension from the league following a plea deal in a domestic-violence case. And the Packers repeatedly burned Thomas for big plays last weekend.

At least Lofa Tatupu will play Saturday for the first time since last Oct. 18. The three-time Pro Bowl linebacker has been resting a sore hamstring during exhibition games. He played in just five games last year because of a torn pectoral muscle.

"I just want to go out there and play football," Tatupu said. "It's been a while for me since I did that."