The Seahawks were destined to lose at Indianapolis last week, and everyone needs to write that one off. The only purpose that game served is to highlight just how far the Hawks are from the league’s best teams when they are without Matt Hasselbeck. 

Speaking of whom … Hasselbeck apparently is going to go Sunday at Qwest Field against Jacksonville, which is now a must-win game if the Hawks (1-3) want to stay in the hunt. If they lose to the Jags at home, they will be in a deep hole that will be hard to climb out of, especially with the San Francisco 49ers playing so well atop the division.

If the Hawks want to rally from their 1-3 start, it has to start at home over the next two weeks.

The game against the Jags figures to be very tough. They held the Colts to 14 points in a Week 1 loss – the same Colts team that took it easy on Seattle with 34 points last weekend. And the Jags’ offense has posted over 30 points in each of the past two weeks – something that really has to concern a short-handed Seattle defense. Fortunately, Lofa Tatupu returned last week, and cornerback Josh Wilson will be back this week. But the unit is still without Marcus Trufant and Leroy Hill, and probably Patrick Kerney. The Seahawks have to focus on stopping Maurice Jones-Drew and also get some pressure on David Garrard, who threw for 323 yards and three scores against Tennessee last week.

The Seahawks really have to be 3-3 heading into the bye if they are going to have a chance. They can’t lose any more home games because the road is too tough.

After the bye, four of the next five games are on the road. They’re at Dallas, home against Detroit, and then at Arizona, Minnesota and St. Louis. That’s probably a 2-3 stretch at best. So they’ll need these next two games just to be 5-6 after that rough road.

They finish with three of the final five at home: vs. San Francisco, at Houston, vs. Tampa Bay, at Green Bay and vs. Tennessee. They should be able to win three of those, but they’ll probably have to win four to have any chance at the playoffs.

The key thing to remember is that the Seahawks need only stay close to the division leader. They’re two games behind the 49ers now, and they can’t let that gap widen any.

The 49ers play the Falcons this week at home, then have their bye, then go to Houston and Indy. Worst case, they’ll probably be 4-3 after Week 8. If the Hawks win the next two at home, they would be 3-3 going into Dallas, where the Cowboys seem to be a shadow of the team that tromped the Hawks last year. If Seattle could somehow upset the Boys, they might make the NFC West a brand-new race at the midway point.

If the Seahawks are going to win the next two, they’re going to do it without the left side of their offensive line.

It looks like left tackle Walter Jones might not make it back this season, and backup LT Sean Locklear is expected to miss the next two games as he recovers from a high ankle sprain. Plus, left guard Rob Sims (sprained ankle) also will sit for at least a couple of weeks.

With Jones and Locklear still out, the Hawks are counting on Brandon Frye to play through a strained groin. He held his own against the 49ers and Bears, but he got worked in an unfair matchup against Indy’s Dwight Freeney.

So, the Hawks are looking at this paper-thin line against the Jags: LT Frye, LG Mansfield Wrotto, C Chris Spencer, RG Max Unger, RT Ray Willis. The only healthy backup is Steve Vallos, although the Hawks elevated Kyle Williams from the practice squad again today to serve as the backup tackle. They also brought two guys back to the practice squad last week: Na’Shon Goddard and Brian De La Puente.

Three & out: Q&A

Q: Is Walter Jones done?

A: It kind of looks like it. But coach Jim Mora, ever the optimist, won’t put him on IR yet.

Mora told reporters last week: “I can’t tell you the thought [that Jones is done] doesn’t cross your mind. But I think we have to give him some time. I think he’s earned that. He’s had a distinguished career. He’s exhibited toughness his whole career. No one can question his commitment to this game; it’s really beyond reproach. We just have to be patient and let him work through this, and then make the best decision for the team when we feel it’s necessary. Right now we feel the best thing to do is keep working, keep pushing, push a little, back off a little and listen to Walter because nobody knows how he feels but him.”

Q: How effective can Hasselbeck be with a broken rib?

A: Even with a broken rib, he gives the Hawks a better chance of winning than Seneca Wallace, who is just too limited. Hasselbeck is simply savvier, and his added height (6-4 vs. Wallace’s 5-11) really helps. He knows what to do with the ball most of the time, and he can see over his linemen to find his receivers – something Wallace has had a major problem with.

Granted, the line will need to help Hasselbeck out, but the Jags don’t have much of a pass rush (their three sacks are fewest in the NFL), so the Hawks just might be able to get the ball in the end zone when it counts this week. Wallace is not bad between the 20s, but he seems to tighten up and get really conservative on the other side. It really cost them against the Bears in a game Seattle should have won at home. Hasselbeck would have won that game (in fact, they would be 3-1 if he had not gotten hurt, because he would have beaten the 49ers, too). He’s their best chance to win this game – even with the broken rib.

Q: With Hasselbeck back, will we finally see John Carlson again?

A: Yes. Carlson was off to a hot start in the first two games, with six catches in each and a couple of touchdowns in the opener. In Wallace’s two starts, the second-year tight end has caught just eight passes. Part of that is because the Seahawks have kept him in to help the rickety line. The other part is that Wallace just couldn’t hit him; the backup QB found Carlson just three times in 10 tries against Chicago, and Carlson caught five for just 39 yards in Indianapolis. The best thing about Hasselbeck is he usually finds the open guy. So expect Carlson to show up again; and, if he has a big game, the Hawks have a chance to win.