Carroll says Jackson still has fastball

RENTON – Tarvaris Jackson remains Pete Carroll’s guy.

He has not put up sparkling numbers over the past month, completing just 56 percent of his passes and averaging 182.5 yards a contest, with three touchdowns and six interceptions over his past four games.

But Carroll remains confident that Jackson still has his fastball and can get the job done.

Jackson was a full participant in practice on Tuesday, and the plan is that he will be team’s starter on Thursday against Philadelphia, although he continues to struggle with a strained pectoral muscle that he injured in Week 5 against the New York Giants.

Carroll said the fact that Jackson could throw on Tuesday is a sign that his injury is improving, because he has not been able to do that in weeks’ past.

And in terms of Jackson’s velocity, Carroll believes that he can still make all the throws needed to effectively lead the offense.

“When he needs it, he can go to it,” Carroll said. “He’s not going to throw a bunch of them, one right after another in practice. He’s saving himself a little bit. But he’s certainly can gun it up when he needs to. His arm is still a really good NFL arm. And he has a great arm when he’s 100 percent healthy.”

During the Fox TV broadcast of Sunday’s game against Washington, broadcasters reported 50 percent of Jackson’s pectoral muscle was torn. But Carroll said there are no plans for Jackson to have surgery to repair the injury at this time.

“The doctors aren’t there at all on that,” Carroll said. “They’re not at that point. He doesn’t feel like that either, that he has gone beyond the point or whatever. We’re just going to keep playing and working with him and trying to help him every way we can and then read the signs.”

For his part, Jackson remains steadfast that he wants to finish out the season.

It’s very important for me,” he said. “I want to be able to be here for my teammates. That’s my main part. Like I told my teammates earlier in the season, my biggest fear is to not let those guys down. That’s not what I want to do.”

CARROLL IS THINKING ‘YOUNG’

Carroll remembers the last time he faced quarterback Vince Young.

The USC Trojans were vying for a third straight national championship in the 2006 Rose Bowl. But the University of Texas standout dashed those hopes when Young scrambled into the end zone on a fourth and five from the Trojans’ 8-yard line for the game-winning score, sealing a 41-38 victory for the Longhorns.

With Philadelphia starting quarterback Michael Vick missing practice because of a rib injury, Young is in line to get his third straight start for the Eagles.

“He played just a great football game and his team did around him as well,” Carroll said. “But when it came right down to it, he had one more heroic in him – with 19 seconds left he scrambled in on 4th-and-7 and changed the fortune of that season.

“I’ll always remember Vince Young and his play with great respect. We had worked a long time. That was three years – we had gone on a three-year run, 19 seconds from a third national championship and he made the plays that night to make that not happen. I have great respect for him.”

CABLE HEADED TO UCLA?

Seahawks offensive line/assistant head coach Tom Cable has been linked to the vacant UCLA head coaching position now that the school told Rick Neuheisel that he would not be back next season.

The former Oakland Raiders head coach has ties to the university, serving as offensive coordinator for the Bruins in 2004 and 2005 under then-head coach Karl Dorrell.

“He’s an extraordinary coach and for somebody to recognize him as a potential candidate is no surprise,” Carroll said. “He’s a big-time coach and he’s been a successful head coach. In years past, my guys and my staff know that I’ll do everything I can to get them what they want. I’ve always told them that and I believe in it and I’ll work harder than anybody to help them.

“But there’s a time and a place and we have to do that in good fashion and all due respect and all. I don’t know anything specific about that, other than I’m not surprised one bit that anybody would talk about Tom. He did a fantastic job with getting the Oakland Raiders thing going under difficult circumstances and there’s no doubt that he’s going to be a great head coach again.”

EXTRA POINTS

Former Seahawks offensive tackle Walter Jones was at Seahawks headquarters on Tuesday, making his rounds through the locker room to say hello to players before practice. Jones looks to be in good shape and was in good spirits. ... The Seattle Seahawks practiced outside on Tuesday without helmets for about 90 minutes. Receiver Sidney Rice (concussion) and cornerback Byron Maxwell (illness) did not practice. Maxwell had pneumonia the past couple weeks, but is getting better. Linebacker David Hawthorne (knee) and cornerback Richard Sherman (calf) were limited participants. Defensive tackle Alan Branch (ankle) and quarterback Tarvaris Jackson (pectoral) and were full participants. ... For the Eagles, offensive tackle King Dunlap (concussion), linebacker Moise Fokou (ankle), receiver Jeremy Maclin (hamstring/shoulder) and quarterback Michael Vick (ribs) did not practice. Running back LeSean McCoy (toe), cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (ankle) and cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha (knee) were limited. And defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins (thumb) was a full participant.

Eric Williams: 253-597-8437 eric.williams@thenewstribune.com