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A recap of the day’s activities:

FOCUS ON

Jim Mora. Today is his 48^th birthday, and after practice the players serenaded their head coach with a rousing chorus of “Happy Birthday to You.”

The end-of-practice moment when Mora calls the team up usually is a time when he makes points to the players. Today, there also was the musical interlude.

“He was a little upset that they sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to him,” quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said. “But, you know, it’s your birthday. It’s just been serious around here.”

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The Seahawks have opted against going with a throwback uniform, but they will have a throwback schedule in 2010.

Members of the AFC West from 1977-2001, the Seahawks will face those former rivals next season – the Kansas City Chiefs and San Diego Chargers at Qwest Field; the Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders on the road.

The Seahawks were moved to the NFC West when the league realigned its divisions in 2002.

Here’s the full list of 2010 opponents:

Home

• Atlanta Falcons
• Carolina Panthers
• Kansas City Chiefs
• San Diego Chargers
• Arizona Cardinals
• St. Louis Rams
• San Francisco 49ers
• NFC East team that finishes in the same spot as the Seahawks (currently the New York Giants)

Away

• New Orleans Saints
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Denver Broncos
• Oakland Raiders
• Arizona Cardinals
• St. Louis Rams
• San Francisco 49ers
• NFC North team finishes in the same spot as the Seahawks (currently the Chicago Bears)

The Seahawks have sold out their season tickets since 2004, so the best way to try and get them for next season is to join the Blue Pride waiting list.

A recap of the day’s activities:

FOCUS ON

Lawyer Milloy. In his first 13 NFL seasons, the former University of Washington safety won a Super Bowl and was voted to four Pro Bowls (while with the Patriots). He also started 196 games and collected triple-digit tackles 11 times (with the Patriots, Bills and Falcons).

Since signing with the Seahawks in September, Milloy has added another item to his resume: Special teams stalwart.

“He’s a pretty well-acclaimed player, and he’s come in here and been really good on special teams and accepted that role and tried to excel at it,” coach Jim Mora said. “I think it’s really a testament to the type of man he is. It’s kind of been overlooked – which you would expect it to be – but I think the players notice it, the coaches notice it and we all appreciate the way he has played.” Read more »

Heading into his latest matchup with friend and former teammate Brett Favre, Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck is expected to participate in every phase of practice today.

That was the word from coach Jim Mora, who just completed his weekly press conference.

Hasselbeck was limited in the Wednesday practice the past two weeks because of a fracture rib and also soreness in his right shoulder. Not today.

“That will help us continue to develop,” Mora said of having Hasselbeck full go.

The only player who has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the 8-1 Vikings in Minnesota is running back Julius Jones, who got a bruised lung in last week’s game against the Arizona Cardinals. Mora said he is hopeful that Jones will be able to return next week, but the situation is predicated on how well Jones progresses from the injury that forced him to spend Sunday night in a Phoenix hospital.

As for Favre, he does not look like the same sore-armed QB the Seahawks faced in that snowy game at Qwest Field last December – when the Seahawks beat the New York Jets in Mike Holmgren’s final home game as coach.

“He doesn’t look like that guy right now,” Mora said.

Favre’s most impressive stat in a season filled with them? He has thrown only three interceptions in the Vikings’ first nine games.

Hasselbeck was Favre’s backup for three seasons (1998-2000) when both were with the Green Bay Packers. They have faced each other five times since 2003, including two playoff games at Lambeau Field. Favre has a 3-2 edge.

Punter Jon Ryan is fourth in the league in average (46.7).

Wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh is ninth in the league – and third in the NFC – in receptions (50); ninth in the NFC in first downs (35); tied for ninth in the league in third-down receptions (15); and 10^th in the NFC in receiving yards (582).

Kicker Olindo Mare is tied for fifth in the league in touchbacks (15) and tied for ninth among kickers in scoring (67 points).

Middle linebacker David Hawthorne in tied for eighth in the NFC in interceptions (3) and tied for fifth in the NFC among linebackers in sacks (3).

The Seahawks are 16^th in the league in total offense (27^th rushing, 13^th passing) and 20^th in total defense (11^th rushing, 22^nd passing).

The Seahawks have 20 sacks – 10 in their three victories and 10 in their six losses.

The Seahawks’ 29 first downs against the Cardinals on Sunday tied their season high (also 29 vs. Chicago), and their 24 first downs against the Cardinals in the 2008 finale tied for season-high honors last year (also 24 vs. St. Louis)

A recap of the day’s activities:

FOCUS ON

The pass rush. If it’s Tuesday, the coaches are working on the game plan for Sunday’s matchup against the Minnesota Vikings at Mall of America Field.

For defensive coordinator Gus Bradley and his staff, that means finding a way to generate more pressure on the opposing QB – and this week, it’s Brett Favre.

Sunday, the Seahawks did not register a sack against Kurt Warner in their 31-20 loss to the Cardinals in Arizona.

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When: Sunday, 10 a.m., Mall of America Field, Minneapolis

Record: 8-1 after beating the Lions 27-10 on Sunday

Where they rank: No. 7 on offense (10^th rushing, 12^th passing); No. 15 on defense (6^th rushing, 23^rd passing)

Series: Seahawks lead 6-4, but the Vikings have won two of the past three games

Star power: Brett Favre. It’s not like there’s no competition here from Favre’s third team in the past three seasons – from NFC rushing leader Adrian Peterson, to double-threat rookie receiver/returner Percy Harvin, to NFC sack leader Jared Allen. But, as it is turning out, Favre really was the missing piece for this previously puzzling team.

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A recap of the day’s activities:

FOCUS ON

Chris Spencer. Coach Jim Mora wasn’t sure what to expect in Sunday’s game against the Cardinals, when the team’s right-handed center snapped with his left hand because Spencer broke the tip of his right thumb in practice last Wednesday.

In the end, Mora was impressed.

“I was really surprised at how well he did snapping out of the shotgun,” he said during his weekly day-after Q&A session with the media. “I don’t remember there being a really poor snap.

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A look back and a look ahead to the week that was and the week that will be for the Seahawks:

Anatomy of a 31-20 loss to the Cardinals in Arizona

Justin Forsett’s ready-when-needed feet: The second-year running back stepped up big time when leading rusher Julius Jones was knocked out of the game in the first quarter with a bruised chest. Forsett ran for 123 yards – the most by a Seahawk since Jones had 140 in Week 3 last season. He also caught five passes, returned a kickoff and had one impressive blitz pickup against Cardinals strong safety Adrian Wilson.

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The injury that knocked Julius Jones out of Sunday’s game against the Cardinals and forced the Seahawks’ leading rusher to spend the night in a Phoenix hospital was a bruised chest that caused bleeding in his lungs.

That was the word this morning from coach Jim Mora on his weekly radio show on KIRO-FM. Mora said after the game that Jones had broken a rib.

“It wasn’t a rib. It’s a bruise causing bleeding in his lungs,” Mora said. “It doesn’t appear to be anything real serious. It’s serious obviously or he wouldn’t be in a hospital, but it’s something he’ll recover from quickly.

“We’re certainly thinking of him and wishing him the best. It’s tough when you have to leave a guy behind in the hospital. That weighs on everyone’s minds.”

In his absence Sunday, Justin Forsett ran for 123 yards on 17 carries as the Seahawks rushed for their highest total (164) since the season opener against the Rams (167).