OAKLAND – It had been over a year since Chester Pitts took the field in an NFL game.
Pitts had played 114 straight games without an injury before succumbing to season-ending microfracture knee surgery in the second game of the season last year with the Houston Texans.
Pitts had prepared to take the field since Seattle’s third exhibition game. The 31-year-old veteran finally got into the fray Sunday when he was called in the first quarter to replace left guard Ben Hamilton, who had suffered a concussion. Pitts filled in ably at guard and also played some at left tackle when Tyler Polumbus sustained a leg injury late in the game.
So how’d he do?
“It felt like I played OK,” Pitts said. “At the end of the day it’s all about the group, and it’s all about the team. I think inside I was effective and did a decent job. Outside I need a lot more reps to play at this level to be really good, and to be considered a real competitor.
“I have a lot of tape I get to watch. … I’m just happy I came out, I felt pretty good and (helped) us.”
Pitts said all of his hard work during months of rehab finally paid off.
“It’s been a very long road,” he said. “I think this is my first game in 14 months. That’s a long time. So just to be able to get out there and hold up, make it through, I just want to steadily build off of this and work to get it (knee) stronger.”
Of course, now Pitts has to help Seattle’s offensive line perform better. Pitts and the rest of the guys up front allowed eight sacks, one shy of the franchise record, which happened against Kansas City on Nov. 11, 1990. And Seattle only rushed for 47 yards.
“They just whipped us at the line of scrimmage,” coach Pete Carroll said. “And really whenever we wanted to throw the football they had guys in the backfield early on. And we had trouble starting the running game. We didn’t get any rushing yards either. They owned the line of scrimmage.”
Injuries are a continuing issue for Seattle. The Seahawks went into the game without starting offensive tackle Russell Okung, who is out with a high ankle sprain.
And they used all seven offensive linemen on the active roster because of the injuries to Hamilton and Polumbus.
Seattle would have had to use tight end Chris Baker at offensive tackle if another lineman had been injured.
“After you use all of your linemen, you use a tight end, or Craig Terrill,” Carroll said with a smile. “That’s how it goes.”
But Pitts understands the guys up front have to play better for the offense to move the ball. Seattle had seven three-and-outs, punted nine times and finished with just 163 total yards.
“Honestly, we just didn’t play as well as we needed to play,” Pitts said. “There’s no magic or mystery to it. We didn’t execute as well as we needed to. We have to hold up better. And we have to protect (quarterback) Matt (Hasselbeck). That’s our job. So it’s definitely something we’re going to look at, and we’ve got to find a way to fix it.”
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