Watters Won’t Have Surgery on Shoulder

Ricky Watters has decided against having surgery on his injured right shoulder and will be lost to the Seattle Seahawks for six to eight weeks.

“He’s going to let it heal on its own,” Coach Mike Holmgren said Wednesday. “He says he’s a fast healer and he is. That’s his decision and I respect that.”

Watters, 32, will have his streak of 116 consecutive starts, longest among active NFL running backs, ended when the Seahawks play Jacksonville on Sunday.

His streak ranks second among all running backs to Walter Payton’s 170.

Holmgren said Watters could have missed about four weeks if he had surgery on the shoulder to place screws in a bone cracked in Seattle’s 38-14 loss to Oakland on Sunday.

“Selfishly, as coach of the team, yeah, I would like him back as soon as possible,” Holmgren said. “But I made it very clear to him that was his call. He wants to do it this way.”

Shaun Alexander, the Seahawks’ first-round draft pick last season, will replace Watters.

In Seattle’s first three games, Watters ran for 191 yards on 38 carries.

Last season, when the Seahawks went 6-10, Watters rushed for 1,242 yards and seven touchdowns, while catching 63 passes for 613 yards and two scores.

“He has been our best player,” Holmgren said. “He knows I think the world of him and we needed him, but now he’s not there.”

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Dallas Cowboy rookie quarterback Quincy Carter, sidelined the last two games because of an injured thumb, is expected to start at Oakland on Sunday.

The Cowboys waived third-year receiver Wayne McGarity ....

Jacksonville Jaguar linebacker Hardy Nickerson pinched a nerve in his neck and might be listed as questionable on the team’s injury list, which includes left tackle Tony Boselli (shoulder) and quarterback Mark Brunell (concussion).

Brunell practiced on a limited basis and said he still has headaches from the concussion he suffered Sunday when Cleveland’s Gerard Warren hit him helmet-to-helmet after an interception ....

Kicker Steve Christie, one of the last links to Buffalo’s Super Bowl era, was waived by the Bills.

His departure was expected after he refused an injury settlement that could have allowed him to re-sign with the team after Week 10.

Christie, the best kicker in team history, was hobbled by a groin injury and dropped from Buffalo’s roster a day before the season opener

Center Rich Braham, who suffered two herniated disks in his neck in the Cincinnati Bengals’ season opener, probably will be able to play Sunday against Pittsburgh ....

Quarterback Michael Vick is listed as probable for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears, meaning the Atlanta Falcons could return to their two-quarterback system with Vick and starter Chris Chandler. Vick sat out Atlanta’s 34-14 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday because of injured ribs ....

Defensive tackle Dan Williams, hobbled by injuries throughout his NFL career, was released by the Kansas City Chiefs.