SEATTLE — The Vikings got a big scare Saturday late in their 30-13 preseason loss to Seattle when linebacker Cameron Siskowic was injured on what looked like a very ordinary play.

Siskowic dropped to the field after being blocked by Seahawks tackle Tom Ashworth on only Siskowic's second play of the game. The incident occurred away from the play on a run by the Seahawks' Marquis Weeks.

Siskowic stayed on the field for several minutes as an ambulance drove onto the turf. He was placed on a backboard and taken to a local hospital. He appeared to be moving his hands as he was put into the ambulance.

A CAT scan and X-rays at the hospital were negative and Siskowic has no fractures, but he was going to stay overnight in Seattle for observation.

Coach Brad Childress said the Vikings players and staff said a prayer for Siskowic after the game.

"They don't play around with head and neck injuries," Childress said. "He was moving a few fingers and toes."

Siskowic signed with the Vikings Aug. 14 after being let go by Cincinnati.

Poison pill still a talker

Steve Hutchinson's return to Seattle last October resulted in plenty of coverage, as the Pro Bowl guard played his first game against his former Seahawks teammates after signing the infamous "poison pill" contract with the Vikings during the offseason.

Hutchinson was back in Seattle for Saturday's game and this time it barely caused a blip — in Minnesota. In Seattle, Hutchinson's decision to a sign a seven-year, $49 million deal with the Vikings in March 2006 remains a favorite discussion topic.

The Seattle-Post Intelligencer had an item in Saturday's paper recounting a comment by Seahawks President Tim Ruskell during training camp. "Are they ever going to let this go?" Ruskell asked after listening to discussion about Hutchinson on the radio that morning.

It wasn't just that Hutchinson left Seattle, it's how he departed.

With the less-restrictive transition tag placed on him by the Seahawks, Hutchinson signed a contract with the Vikings that included a provision requiring him to have the highest average annual salary of any offensive lineman on his team in 2006 — otherwise, the entire contract would become guaranteed.

The Seahawks, who already were paying left tackle Walter Jones an average of $500,000 more than Hutchinson would have made, took the matter before a special master but lost. Coach Mike Holmgren was so upset to lose Hutchinson that the two didn't talk at length until after last season.

Hutchinson had no interest in discussing his return to Seattle with reporters last October, and Saturday he appeared happy just to lay low. He was on the field just over two hours before kickoff and spent time chatting with several members of the Seahawks organization.

Seattle running back Shaun Alexander said as far as Seahawks players are concerned, the Hutchinson topic is old news. "It just kind of is what it is," Alexander told the Post-Intelligencer. "It's business. He's on another team now."

Staying put

The Vikings' quest to get a new stadium continues, but owner Zygi Wilf said Saturday the team has no plans to vacate its Winter Park facility. That has become evident as Wilf has put "millions of dollars" into expanding and reworking the Eden Prairie-based complex where the team has its headquarters and practices.

The most recent projects have included a remolding of the lobby and installing new lighting in the indoor practice field. "We are continuing to find way to improve the facility," Wilf said. "It's a perfect [location]."

A heated exchange

Childress and tight end Visanthe Shiancoe got into a verbal exchange on the sideline after Shiancoe committed a false-start penalty in the third quarter that took the Vikings from third-and-4 to third-and-9.

"It was the heat of the game and I wasn't very happy with it," Childress said of the back-and-forth, adding, "He didn't like the things I had to say."

Etc.

• In what appears to be a sign that Anthony Herrera has pulled ahead of Artis Hicks in the battle for the right guard spot, Herrera got the start Saturday. Hicks did get into the game with the other starters.

• Right end Erasmus James played for the first time since suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the second game of last season. James did not start but did see extensive time in the first half.

• Aundrae Allison handled the majority of kickoff returns for the second consecutive game. Allison, though, suffered back spasms. The severity was not immediately known.

• Defensive tackle Fred Evans, who missed a week of practice while attending to legal issues, was in uniform and got into the game in the second half.

• Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and Vikings linebacker E.J. Henderson got a chance to say hello in the opening quarter. Henderson, coming on a blitz, hit Hasselbeck as the quarterback threw an incomplete pass from the Vikings 6. Hasselbeck missed four games last season when he suffered a sprained knee after a hit by Henderson.

• Veteran safety Mike Doss (calf) was among the Vikings' inactives. Doss, who missed practice time last week because of the injury, has been competing for a roster spot and primarily has played with Tank Williams on the second team. The team's other inactives were cornerback Mike Hawkins (ribs), tight end Richard Owens (knee/ankle) and linebacker Vinny Ciurciu (finger).

Judd Zulgad • jzulgad@startribune.com