SEATTLE (AP) — Already battered and emotionally spent, looking at one last chance to stay in the NFC West race, the Seattle Seahawks went into the locker room and absorbed another blow.
They are set to be without Tyler Lockett, one of their top wide receivers, indefinitely with a broken bone in his hand.
“Just add to the night,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said.
Seattle’s 21-13 loss to San Francisco on Thursday night was bad enough. It was the fourth loss in five games for Seattle (7-7) and clinched the NFC West title for the 49ers. It was the second time in four seasons that San Francisco wrapped up the division on the Seahawks’ home field.
But the news after that was a gut punch. Lockett was injured on Seattle’s final possession. Lockett was hit hard and appeared to fall awkwardly on an incomplete pass with 3:47 left.
“The index finger, right here, you know. It’s legal and all that,” Carroll said. “We’ve got to figure out what’s the right way. I can’t even fathom it playing without Tyler.
Carroll did not reveal which hand was injured. He said all options for how to treat the injury, including surgery, are being discussed.
Lockett is not expected to be available for next Saturday’s game at Kansas City, but Carroll said he hopes to return for Week 17 against the New York Jets.
Lockett had seven catches for 68 yards, but his streak of six straight games with a touchdown catch ended.
“He’s not in a lot of pain. Just broke his arm. “There’s no need to feel sorry for him,” Carroll said. “But he’s such a great football player and member of the team and community and fans in our area.” We will miss him no matter what he misses.”
Seattle also lost defensive tackle Brian Mone to a knee injury in the first quarter. Carroll said it was an ACL injury.
But Lockett’s injury came on a night Seattle beat its division rival. San Francisco controlled nearly every aspect, even as the Seahawks showed modest improvement in their running game and run defense after struggling in both areas of late.
However, it was also another example of the gap between where Seattle is and where it needs to be to compete with a playoff team like the 49ers.
“Now is not the time to break up, and I don’t see that happening for this team,” Seattle quarterback Geno Smith said. “Just locking together, really. We have to make the most of these three games.”
Smith was one of the most frustrated players on the Seattle sidelines as the night wore on, and moving the ball on offense continued to struggle.
Seattle scored its first offensive points in two games against the 49ers midway through the second quarter on Jason Myers’ 38-yard field goal. Seattle’s only points in the Week 2 opener came on a blocked field goal that was returned for a touchdown.
But the Seahawks followed with some critical mistakes. Quandre Diggs dropped a potential interception that would have given Seattle the ball in San Francisco’s field. And a Travis homer thwarted Dre Greenlaw’s big shot at the Seattle 41 with 1:08 left in the second quarter. Charvarius Ward returned the fumble 35 yards and Christian McCaffrey scored to give the 49ers a 14-3 lead.
“But it’s a big momentum shift. … That’s on me. I dropped it,” Diggs said.
Seattle still has a road to the postseason, but the road doesn’t get any easier with next week’s trip to Kansas City. The Seahawks play their last two games at home.
“Here’s the thing, we have no choice but to go out there and get these W’s,” Seattle defensive lineman Shelby Harris said. “I mean, our goals are still ahead of us. Obviously, we made it a little bit harder.”
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