Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck didn't know what exactly was wrong with him after the Niners Patrick Willis delivered a blow to his back Sunday, he just knew that it hurt."I couldn't breathe," Hasselbeck told reporters Monday. "I knew immediately that I couldn't breathe."
Hasselbeck suffered the injury as he dove for the goal line in the second quarter. He started to walk to the sidelines after the hit, then crumpled to the ground in pain. Backup QB Seneca Wallace through a touchdown pass to Julius Jones on the next play -- San Francisco won the game, 23-10.
Hasselbeck was taken via ambulance to the hospital after leaving the field. During his press conference Monday, Seattle coach Jim Mora confirmed that Hasselbeck suffered a fractured rib. His status for next Sunday, when Seattle hosts Chicago, is up in the air.
"I'm absolutely hoping to play," Hasselbeck said. "I've definitely felt worse. What I have is a painful injury, but I've definitely woken up on a Monday feeling worse," he said. "That's very encouraging."
"He's a tough guy," Mora said. "We'll see where he's at Sunday."
The report of a rib fracture probably came as welcome news for both Hasselbeck and the Seahawks. Hasselbeck missed the last nine games of the 2008 season with a disc injury in his back, and Willis' shot -- which you can check out below -- appeared to land flush in a similar area.
Should Hasselbeck be unable to go Sunday, Wallace would get the start.
