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Seattle Win Seals No. 3 Seed

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The Associated Press

Published: December 24, 2007

SEATTLE - The Seattle Seahawks were seeking to regain some fire heading into the playoffs.

Mere plumes of smoke were all that was required to beat the wretched Ravens.

"We have a couple of things to shore up," Matt Hasselbeck said of his Seahawks.

Hasselbeck shook off two interceptions to throw two touchdown passes and Shaun Alexander had his biggest rushing day since Week 4 as Seattle clinched the NFC's No. 3 seed with a methodical, 27-6 victory over Baltimore.

Hasselbeck's scores gave him a career-high 27 TD throws this season, but he rued his two turnovers.

His coach wasn't fully satisfied, either, even though Seattle (10-5) won for fifth time in six games.

"I always want to strive for more," Mike Holmgren said, two days after he reassured the players on his skittish offense he hadn't lost faith in them. "We did take a little bit of a step today, which is encouraging."

Can't say that about the Ravens (4-11). With 2006 Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith completing 16 of 33 passes in his first NFL start, they extended their franchise-record losing streak to nine games. It took Smith's 79-yard TD pass to Derrick Mason with 4:41 left for Baltimore to avoid its first shutout since Sept. 15, 2002.

Smith, in because Steve McNair is on injured reserve and Kyle Boller has a concussion, was starting for the first time since he was at Ohio State and lost last January's national championship game to Florida in a rout.

This one wasn't much better.

When asked if there was anything from Smith's day that made him feel good, curt Ravens coach Brian Billick's first words were, "Well, he got through the game."

Alexander finally mattered in one. The 2005 league MVP turned a season of being booed at home into holiday cheers by gaining 73 yards on 13 carries and catching a touchdown pass.

Alexander caught Hasselbeck's 14-yard screen pass in the crook of his right arm, opposite the cast on his broken left wrist he has been wearing since Week 2.

That was after he sat on the bench in a hooded parka during Seattle's first two drives, watching more versatile backup Maurice Morris run in a hurry-up offense. Seattle ran nine of its first 10 plays without a huddle, Holmgren's effort to spark the team that scored its only touchdown with 1 second left in a loss at Carolina the previous week.

Alexander averaged 42 yards a game in his previous eight games before this romp against the depleted Ravens' defense. Baltimore was missing nine-time Pro Bowl linebacker Ray Lewis, Pro Bowl defensive end Trevor Pryce and both starting cornerbacks - then allowed a season-high 144 yards rushing.

Sea-Burleson 21 pass from Hasselbeck (Brown kick), 11:34.

Sea-Hill 20 fumble return (Brown kick), 5:57.

Sea-Alexander 14 pass from Hasselbeck (Brown kick), 1:53.

Third Quarter

Sea-FG Brown 42, 5:40.

Sea-FG Brown 39, 3:07.

Fourth Quarter

Bal-Mason 79 pass from T.Smith (pass failed), 4:41.

A-68,164

RUSHING-Baltimore, Anderson 8-44, M.Smith 7-25, T.Smith 6-25, McGahee 5-10, McClain 1-2. Seattle, Alexander 13-73, Morris 15-40, Weaver 4-14, Hasselbeck 3-12, S.Wallace 1-5.

PASSING-Baltimore, T.Smith 16-33-0-199. Seattle, Hasselbeck 18-27-2-199, S.Wallace 1-2-0-3.

RECEIVING-Baltimore, Mason 5-98, Clayton 3-39, Sypniewski 3-28, M.Smith 2-12, Anderson 1-10, Darling 1-7, Vickers 1-5. Seattle, Engram 5-69, Burleson 3-52, Pollard 3-15, Branch 2-24, Weaver 2-20, Alexander 1-14, Obomanu 1-6, Heller 1-3, Morris 1-(minus 1).

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