Seahawks plunge to 1-3 after getting dominated by Giants in New Jersey

"That performance? It was terrible. Terrible," Deon Grant said. "I can't really say why. But it's got to get fixed."

Not only did the Seahawks lose the game, they lost wide receiver Deion Branch again, though for how long remains to be seen.

Playing for the first time since having surgery on his left knee to repair a torn ACL, Branch injured his right heel in the first half. He went back in the game after having his foot taped and caught a total of three passes for 31 yards, but he never emerged from the locker room after halftime. He was not available to speak to reporters after the game and will be reevaluated today in Renton.

Matt Hasselbeck also left the stadium limping after hyperextending his knee on Seattle's first offensive series but said he thinks he will be fine.

"I dodged a bullet," Hasselbeck said.

This was the first time in nine games that the Seahawks have lost to an NFC East team -- and they made every bit of it count.

The Seattle defense, which was supposed to be the strength of the team, was inept, relinquishing 342 yards in the first half, when New York took a 27-6 lead, and 523 yards altogether, the most since a game against Kansas City in 2002.

The Giants marched down the field in four plays on their first possession and scored on a 32-yard touchdown pass from Eli Manning to Domenik Hixon, who was starting for suspended star Plaxico Burress.

After a field goal by Seattle cut the lead to 7-3, New York repeated its offensive prowess and scored on another long drive -- and the rout was on. Manning was 19-of-25 for 267 yards, Brandon Jacobs ran for 136 yards, Hixon had four receptions for 102 yards and the Giants had their largest margin of victory since 1972.

"I know at one point I looked at the scoreboard and saw they were averaging like 11 yards per play," Julian Peterson said. "That ... makes our defense look bad."

Seattle's offense was incapable of moving the ball for most of the game, stalled time and again by a nine percent conversion rate (1-for-11) on third downs. The Seahawks gained just 13 first downs and totaled 187 yards -- a total the Giants earned in the first quarter.

If anything, the Seahawks could take solace in the fact that Sunday's opponent was 0-2 at one point last season before making its historic run to the Super Bowl -- and everybody was talking about the Giants much the same way they are dismissing the Seahawks.

"There are a number of statistical analyses of teams that have started this bad and still done OK," Holmgren said. "But those don't mean much unless you improve the product."

A TRULY DISMAL (NUMBERS) DAY Seattle's record, its worst after four games since 2002 Seahawks' record after a bye week under Mike Holmgren Seattle's record in past seven games in the Eastern time zone Games since the Seahawks were last held without a touchdown (21-0 vs. Steelers, Oct. 7, 2007) Yards gained by the Giants, the most allowed by Seattle since Nov. 24, 2002 (552 vs. Chiefs) Giants' average yards per play Sunday Average yards allowed per play for Seahawks in first three games Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck's passer rating Sunday New York quarterback Eli Manning's passer rating Sunday

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