RENTON, Wash. — Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was too sore to throw a football Monday. He has passed every physical test he’s faced in four days since then, though, and he is expected to start against Jacksonville on Sunday, three weeks after suffering a broken rib.

Hasselbeck took all his normal snaps in practice Friday, and the Seahawks listed him as probable on their official injury report. According to the NFL’s injury-report standards, that means it’s a virtual certainty Hasselbeck will play.

“Matt’s a very tough man, physically and mentally,” coach Jim Mora said. “So I’m not surprised that he was able to have a good week of practice and get stronger every day.”

Hasselbeck was able to throw some last week, but missed his second straight game. On Monday, he was still very sore, and Hasselbeck said it was probably the worst day he’d had since suffering the injury on Sept. 20.

Mora said Hasselbeck came in Tuesday, took some “high-powered aspirin” and was able to get through his treatment. He made it through each of the team’s three practices this week.

“Every day he just looked more comfortable, more confident,” Mora said. “He seemed to be more focused every day on the plays he was running, rather than how he was feeling.”

Hasselbeck returns to an offense that has scored three touchdowns in the past 10 quarters, and has had just one play that gained more than 25 yards since Hasselbeck was hurt on a hit at the goal line by San Francisco linebacker Patrick Willis.

The big question is how long the Seahawks can protect Hasselbeck given that the offensive line is missing three starters: tackles Walter Jones and Sean Locklear and left guard Rob Sims.

Given Hasselbeck’s rib injury, does it make it more imperative to protect the quarterback?

“It’s always a concern,” Mora said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s Matt or any other quarterback. Their job is to protect him.”

SoDo Mo-Jo?

Jacksonville tailback Maurice Jones-Drew saw history when he came to Seattle in 2004, attending the high-school football game between Bellevue and De La Salle, the school he attended in Northern California. Bellevue won that game, ending De La Salle’s 151-game winning streak.

Jones-Drew made history when he came back a couple weeks later and rushed for 322 yards and scored five touchdowns in UCLA’s comeback victory over Washington.

“That’s hard to imagine,” Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio said of the rushing total. “That’s an awful lot for any one player to get, anywhere at any time.”

Jones-Drew has scored five touchdowns this season, tied for second-most in the league, but he gained just 14 yards in last week’s victory over Tennessee.

Friendly confines

Del Rio has known Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu since they were in grade school, and grew up playing football, basketball and baseball together.

“I’m real proud of him,” Del Rio said. “I may even bring my Seattle Mariners sweatsuit out there this weekend.”

NOTES: DE Patrick Kerney (groin) did not practice this week and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game. … FB Justin Griffith (knee) and CB Josh Wilson (ankle) are both listed as probable. … Jacksonville will be missing the following players Sunday because of injury: S Sean Considine (groin), DT Greg Peterson (knee), LB Adam Seward (groin) and CB Scott Starks (hip).