Seahawks reserves to get major minutes Sunday

KIRKLAND — Seneca Wallace has had a few good performances in three seasons as a Seahawk.

Only they have come in the exhibition season, when little else but getting into regular-season form is the order of business. For Wallace, it's the only significant playing time he is supposed to get all year.

On a summer night at Green Bay's Lambeau Field in August 2004, Wallace was effective. He ran an impressive scoring drive, threw a touchdown pass and a key block and scrambled enough to cause fits for the Packers.

Sunday, Wallace returns to the historic stadium. He figures to play extensively in the regular-season finale, a game the Seahawks will treat more like an exhibition because the outcome will not affect their postseason picture.

Wallace has gotten most of the snaps in practice this week. He has appeared in five games in mop-up duty when the Seahawks have had games well in hand, and has completed 4 of 8 passes this season. He got into last week's game against Indianapolis with 1:55 to play.

"I feel pretty comfortable about playing there," Wallace said of Lambeau Field. "You just have to do what you do and just play and do what I've been doing in practice."

Wallace's coaches and starting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck are helping him to prepare.

"The main thing is just getting back into the swing of our offense, and you've got coaches watching and you don't want to make any mistakes," Wallace said. "It's just getting back into the groove of things and the rhythm with the other receivers."

Those receivers figure to be Peter Warrick, Joe Jurevicius and D.J. Hackett — once starters Bobby Engram and Darrell Jackson leave the game. For most of the front-line players, including Hasselbeck, some of the offensive linemen and a few defensive starters, the hook should come sometime after the first quarter.

"So now some of those guys get a chance to play. They should be excited," coach Mike Holmgren said. "We wouldn't change anything on how we call anything or do anything. ... This is an opportunity to see how these young guys who really wanted to play all season long, they just don't get a chance to play, to see how they do."

If practices this week indicate who will play, fans can expect to see rookie Ray Willis line up at right tackle and Wayne Hunter at right guard when starters Sean Locklear and Chris Gray come out. Locklear will move to left tackle in place of Walter Jones, and rookie Chris Spencer will replace Robbie Tobeck at center. Floyd Womack, a projected starter until he injured a triceps, will play left guard for Steve Hutchinson.

Willis and Hunter have been inactive all or most of the season. Tight end Itula Mili, who has played in one game, may also see some action against the Packers.

It's also safe to say Maurice Morris will get significant snaps at running back when Shaun Alexander checks out, and rookie Leonard Weaver will relieve Mack Strong at fullback.

On defense, rookie linebacker Cornelius Wortham and linebackers Isaiah Kacyvenski and Niko Koutouvides should play a good deal, as well as safety Etric Pruitt and defensive end Rodney Bailey. All have been used on special teams this season.

"It's a great opportunity for those young men to play," offensive coordinator Gil Haskell said. "You start with Spencer at center, Weaver at fullback, Mo Morris, especially Seneca. Those are good backups. Those guys could start on most teams. So we're in great shape. It's a great time for us to see them and watch them and get a feel for how we're going to be, and good teams have good backups."

Said Spencer: "It's still an opportunity to get better and show that you belong in this league."

Once the starters leave, the game is in the hands of Wallace and the rest, win or lose.

"Once we make our substitutions, I'm going to let those guys play," Holmgren said. "They've certainly earned the right to play. They're looking forward to playing, and unless we get in this injury-type situation where we get short numbers, then that's the way it's going to be."

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com