SEATTLE -- "We want the ball, and we're going to score."
Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said it four years ago, and he said it again Saturday when he made his opening remarks following the Seahawks' 35-14 defeat of Washington.
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| At the postgame news conference, Matt Hasselbeck doesn't hide from his 2004 guarantee. (US Presswire) |
No, the question is: What is he going to do about it? Because Hasselbeck and the Seahawks cannot afford a reprise of Saturday's performance if they're going to beat Green Bay on the road.
Nobody, of course, knows better than Hasselbeck. He's the guy who suffered through a couple of bad interceptions, lackluster first-half play and too many failed third downs before pulling himself -- and his team -- together for a come-from-behind victory.
"I wasn't very accurate today," he said afterward.
No, he wasn't. But he was accurate when it mattered, which was on a critical five-play drive in the fourth period that launched Seattle into next weekend's divisional playoff game at Green Bay.
Hasselbeck hit two of three passes on the 42-yard drive, with none bigger than a 15-yard shot to Nate Burleson on third-and-6. Until then, Seattle had converted one of its first nine third downs.
But Hasselbeck, who punctuated the two previous drives with interceptions, listened to his wide receiver when Burleson implored him to throw the ball where he could jump for it.
"I told Matt 'If you give us a chance we're going to make the play,'" said Burleson. "And for me, I told him to put the ball in the air. I have a pretty good vertical, so I was hoping to out-jump the defensive back."
The defensive back was Shawn Springs, and, yes, Burleson out-jumped him.
"He was kinda of stuck to me," Burleson said of Springs. "I gave him a little body, a little Randy Moss, and went up to get the ball.
"The whole game they were playing the inside routes, so he was peeking, trying to get something, and that was our goal -- to get him to peek inside and throw it over his head. Matt just threw a tremendous ball."
