Highlights from Jim Zorn’s press conference….

—Antwaan Randle El has a low-ankle sprain, and will be fine. Linebacker Marcus Washington has a high-ankle sprain and will miss at least one week, possibly more. Running backs Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts will each practice in at least a limited fashion this week and are expected to play Sunday in Seattle.

—Zorn on momentum: “If we could change a handful of things that are going on—and I’m not talking about two big fistfuls, just a handful—we could change that game. I don’t think it’s a snowball going downhill. I think we’re just treading water.  We haven’t dominated, so we’re kind of this even-steven team right now…You can’t tread water in this league for very long. You have to be swimming.“

—Zorn on protection: “The frustrating thing is to see things happening down the field but not have enough time to get the play thrown or executed. Those are the frustrating things. They magnify when the result is like today, a loss. They’re just magnified. There’s only a handful of them, but they’re glaring.“

“The individual battles aren’t getting won enough. Had we won this game, we’d still be saying we need better pass protection. Even when he was getting rid of the ball, he was still getting hit.“

—On Rock Cartwright’s challenge: “It was just an unbelievable punt. Rock saw the ball moving and immediately reacted and tried to keep it from what he thought was moving towards the endzone. His fear was that if you touch the ball, and you don’t protect it, the opponent can pick it up and run, so he was trying to secure it. In his mind that’s what he needed to do. In the excitement of the moment he got kind of fired up about it.

“Had nobody touched the ball, and we just surrounded it and stared at it, that would have been the better play.“

Also earlier chatted with Shaun Suisham, who said that he thought he had a good approach and kick on both his 41-yard FG, which was good, and his 46-yarder, which fell short. He said he thought he had the same approach both times. The 41-yarded cleared, but only barely.

One final quote/joke from Chris Cooley, and then we’ll wrap up the blog for the day. Updates as warranted, and we’ll see you tomorrow.

“The last couple years when we made the playoffs we had to win four or five to get in, with our backs against the wall. I guess we’re just trying to get into that position.“