Warrick waits for breakout moment
With two starting receivers sidelined, the veteran’s chance had finally arrived.
Never mind the team that gave up on him, the injuries that had plagued him or the past that had haunted him.
His first great opportunity as a Seattle Seahawks was in front of him, and the moment was there for the seizing.
Yet nothing came of it.
This is not the story of Joe Jurevicius, who had the game of his life last Sunday, but of his current teammate of a similar profile.
Peter Warrick is still waiting to make his impact felt in Seattle.
“I feel like it’s coming,” Warrick said. “I just don’t know when. It’s not coming as quick as I would like for it to come.”
The fourth overall pick in the 2000 NFL draft, and one of the most exciting college football players of the past 20 years, Warrick is still waiting to give Seahawks fans a glimpse of greatness. Knee and groin injuries have limited him to three games, and he has just two receptions to show for it.
Last Sunday, when Darrell Jackson and Bobby Engram were out and the Seahawks were desperate for any available hands, Warrick worked behind starting receivers Jurevicius and D.J. Hackett and caught just one pass. Hackett (left hip injury) is listed as probable for this week’s game.
“Obviously, I didn’t want anything bad to happen to B-Easy (Engram) or Jack,” Warrick said this week, “but I felt like this was my opportunity to go in, make some plays and show the coaches they can have some confidence in me.”
Warrick’s frustration level is at a minimum because the Seahawks have been winning. They are 3-0 in games he has played receiver, even though he hasn’t contributed much to the offense.
Steelers have double concerns
Ben Roethlisberger isn’t Pittsburgh’s only injury worry with Sunday’s game against Jacksonville approaching. Receiver Hines Ward missed practice for a second straight day with a nagging hamstring injury.
If Roethlisberger and Ward can’t practice today – and neither player has been on the field since Monday night’s 24-22 victory in San Diego – it seems unlikely they will play. Most weeks, the Steelers require a player to practice at least once before a game to play, although coach Bill Cowher said he does not have a blanket policy.
Roethlisberger, whose left knee became hyperextended during the Steelers’ game-winning final drive Monday, did some light jogging and throwing but did not practice. That was an improvement from Wednesday, when he was mostly on crutches.
Around the league
At Dallas, former Cowboys player Dwayne Goodrich was ordered to start a 7 1/2 -year prison sentence for the hit-and-run deaths of two good Samaritans in 2003. Goodrich has exhausted his appeals since being convicted in August 2003, seven months after his car struck three men trying to free a trapped motorist inside a burning car on an interstate. The third man was seriously injured. … New Orleans, forced out of the Superdome by Hurricane Katrina, will play in front of its first “home” sellout of the season Sunday against Atlanta in the 65,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio. … Carolina running back Stephen Davis (knee) and fullback Brad Hoover (shoulder) returned to practice, while backup rusher DeShaun Foster missed his second day because of a sprained knee. … New York Giants cornerback William Peterson is expected to miss a minimum of 4-6 weeks with a lower back injury, potentially a more positive diagnosis than many around the team expected. … Buffalo right guard Chris Villarrial returned to practice after spending Sunday night in the hospital because of an intestinal disorder that doubled him over in pain and limited his breathing, forcing him to miss the Bills’ win over Miami. … Safety Michael Hawthorne, who lost his starting job in last week’s loss to Seattle, was released by St. Louis. … Jacksonville running back Fred Taylor missed part of practice with a sprained right ankle and was downgraded to questionable for Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh.