Seahawks’ Marshawn Lynch out 3-4 weeks after undergoing surgery

If the Seattle Seahawks are going to make a late charge toward a fourth straight playoff berth, they’ll do it without Marshawn Lynch.

Lynch underwent surgery Wednesday to repair an injury related to a sports hernia and will be sidelined for at least three weeks. But that is the best-case scenario on the recovery and there is a chance that Lynch will miss the remainder of the regular season.

Seattle is hopeful that Lynch will return at some point and will keep the bruising running back on the active roster. But Seattle’s playoff hopes will now be carried by rookie Thomas Rawls.

“The doctor projected that he could get back pretty quickly,” Coach Pete Carroll said. “They fixed everything that was wrong and the doctor was very optimistic about his return.”

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Stedman Bailey was in intensive care and in stable condition at a Miami area hospital after undergoing a surgical procedure that the St. Louis Rams say lasted four to six hours for a bullet wound to the head.

Coach Jeff Fisher said he didn’t expect Bailey, who is eligible to return from a suspension in two weeks, to play again this season. However, he is expected to recover.

Bailey, 25, was shot as he and four others were sitting in a car outside a home in the Miami area, police said. Another man, Antwan Reeves, was with Bailey and was also shot in the incident Tuesday night. Three others in the car, including two minors, were not wounded.

Bailey served a two-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs last season.

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With Peyton Manning out until at least mid-December, the Denver Broncos bolstered their depth at quarterback by signing Christian Ponder.

The former Minnesota Vikings first-rounder will serve as the Broncos’ third quarterback behind starter Brock Osweiler and Trevor Siemian, a rookie from Northwestern.

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New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis and center Nick Mangold each sat out practice with injuries, leaving them uncertain to play against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

Revis is dealing with a concussion and was sent home by the team Wednesday so he could rest.

Mangold has a deep cut on his right — snapping — hand that required six or seven stitches to close.