Hawks Notebook | Practice change a wake-up call

KIRKLAND — Not long ago, in an effort to shake things up to get his team's running game going, coach Mike Holmgren tried some other players at offensive-line positions in practice.

Left guard Rob Sims missed some first-team snaps. So did right tackle Sean Locklear. Since then, the Seahawks have found some success running the ball, and what might have looked like a lineup change now looks like a successful wake-up call.

"Better, but that's a work in progress," Holmgren said when asked this week about the line's play. "You get young guys in there, particularly with the responsibility we give to [center] Chris Spencer, as an example. I will say this, there are some things [Sunday] that Rob Sims did so well, and then you see young guys do it and if they do it once, why not every time? Then I remember that they're young. It's just part of growing up in this league."

The caveat is this: Holmgren has Floyd Womack ready to go into the game if anyone is not playing well at either guard or tackle spot.

"I wouldn't hesitate to do that," Holmgren said. "Everyone kind of knows that. It's not a threat or anything, it's just this is how we want to play the football game. If you're having a tough time, this is what I might do."

Spencer would seem to be the guy the Seahawks can't replace, being the only center on the roster. But he has made a couple of off-target shotgun snaps in recent games and is also among those linemen who have struggled at times in blocking.

"To be able to snap the ball and cut-off block over there, or reach over here, or do whatever you do as a center, it's different," Holmgren said. "Every once in a while the ball does funny things, and I don't necessarily want Matt [Hasselbeck] having to jump for that ball."

Spencer's backup is starting right guard Chris Gray.

Hasselbeck, Alexander sit

Hasselbeck missed practice Wednesday with sore ribs, but Holmgren said his quarterback's conditioning is improving and hopes Hasselbeck can do some throwing outside of practices by the end of the week.

Holmgren maintained Hasselbeck can play Sunday at St. Louis.

"Would you like him to practice? Certainly. But he's played enough to be able to play in the game," Holmgren said. "I just am glad that they're [doctors] telling me he can play, regardless of the opponent. I think it's a tough assignment, if you don't practice during the week, against anybody, a division opponent or non-division opponent. But he is familiar [with the Rams], and I think if you're going to look for a little bit of a glass-half-full thing on there, yeah, a division opponent helps."

Running back Shaun Alexander also missed practice, decreasing any chance he'll play Sunday on an injured knee. It seems Alexander will be dealing with his cracked left wrist all season long.

"I meant it when I said it. If I put him on the field when he's not 100 percent, it will probably be more of what he went through before, maybe even worse, and then he really runs the risk of getting hurt again," Holmgren said. "And we don't want that to happen."

Notes

• WR D.J. Hackett was limited in practice because of swelling in his left knee.

• DT Rocky Bernard (groin), LT Walter Jones (shoulder) and Gray (team decision) didn't practice. Ray Willis played in Gray's place.