FLORHAM, N.J. — Damien Woody won’t get a chance to face his former team in the playoffs, and his absence could put a huge crimp in the Jets’ championship hopes.
The Jets placed their starting right tackle on injured reserve with a left Achilles tendon injury Wednesday. Woody returned from a right knee problem to play all but the final three plays of last weekend’s wild-card victory at Indianapolis. He was injured on the final drive and was replaced by Wayne Hunter for Sunday’s divisional playoff game at New England.
Meanwhile, Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez practiced without his sore right shoulder being an issue.
“Honestly, it feels the best it’s felt in three, four weeks,” Sanchez said. “I was full practice today for the first time in a while, and that was huge.”
Hasselbeck a wanted man
RENTON, Wash. — Coach Pete Carroll said the Seahawks will do “everything they can” to bring quarterback Matt Hasselbeck back for the 2011 season.
Hasselbeck’s contract with Seattle was signed before the start of the 2005 season and followed by Hasselbeck leading Seattle to its only Super Bowl appearance. That contract expires at the end of this season.
“That’s the first I’ve heard of that. I didn’t know he said that,” Hasselbeck said.
Bears hungry for balance
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The last time the Bears played the Seahawks — a 23-20 Seattle victory in Week 6 — Jay Cutler dropped back to pass 47 times, completing 17-of-39 with six sacks, while Matt Forte was a nonfactor with eight carries for 11 yards.
If the Bears are to prevail in the rematch at Soldier Field on Sunday, Forte said they’ll need more balance.
“I don’t think we have a choice,” Forte said. “We can’t go out and do what we did last time and throw the ball 40 or 50 times and run the ball 10 times. We have to have a balanced offense.”
Fewer flags flying
GREEN BAY, Wis. — More than three years’ worth of penalty problems for the Packers hit an all-time low in Week 3, a miserable loss at Chicago that included 18 Packers penalties.
Since then, one of the league’s most penalty-prone teams suddenly became one of its most disciplined. The Packers ended the regular season with 78 penalties accepted against them, tying them for third-best in the NFL.
“It’s all coaching,” coach Mike McCarthy said jokingly. “Players had nothing to do with it.”
Now the bad news for the Packers: The team they’re playing Saturday has even better discipline. The Falcons committed only 58 penalties this season — tops in the NFL by a significant margin, as second-best Miami had 72.
Browns turn to Shurmur
CLEVELAND — The Browns are expected to name Rams offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur their coach and introduce him today at a news conference, ESPN reported. Shurmur, 45, has never been a head coach.
Denver Post wire services
