Cardinals guilty of tailgating Hawks

KIRKLAND — Driving down the road to a fourth consecutive NFC West title, the Seahawks have a red pickup truck called the Arizona Cardinals close in their rear-view mirror.

Can't call the Cards a Cadillac, Porsche or an 18-wheeler. They are 5-5, after all, and have lost to such offensively-challenged teams as the San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens and Carolina Panthers, all currently under .500. Yet here are the Cardinals, one game behind the Seahawks in the division in Week 12 and likely the biggest challengers to the Seahawks heading down the stretch of the regular season.

Arizona has won two consecutive games to stay close to the Seahawks (6-4).

"I can see them winning a lot of games, particularly the way they are playing defense," Seahawks defensive end Patrick Kerney said.

"It appears that they really believe in what's happening there," Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said of the Cardinals. "So it's going to go right down to the wire, I suspect."

The Seahawks and Cardinals play in Seattle on Dec. 9 in a game that could be for an advantage in the division. But that's a few weeks away. For now, the Seahawks are pointed toward Sunday's road game against the St. Louis Rams (2-8).

A win Sunday for the Seahawks ends the Rams' playoff hopes, and would give the Seahawks a season sweep.

Winning the division is the Seahawks' top priority.

Dallas and Green Bay, both 9-1, have the inside track on NFC home-field advantage. The key to the Seahawks finishing strong will be how they play on the road, with four of their remaining six games away.

"I wish the schedule had kind of flopped differently," Holmgren said. "If we're going to do anything we have to be able to handle it [road games]."

Healing up

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck probably won't practice this week because of soreness from taking a shot to the ribs Sunday, Holmgren said. But Hasselbeck is expected to play.

"What he has to do is prepare himself to play without getting the practice time and I think he can do this," Holmgren said. "It's not unprecedented at the quarterback position. They can pull it off and then hopefully get some throws and stuff in at the end of the week."

Still no Shaun?

Running back Shaun Alexander isn't going to play until he can practice Wednesday, Thursday and Friday during a week, Holmgren said, and Alexander isn't expected to practice Wednesday because of the knee injury he suffered at Cleveland.

Holmgren said the same thing last Friday after Alexander missed the week of practice, and Alexander was inactive Sunday.

But the coach didn't completely rule Alexander out of practice Wednesday.

Alexander, Holmgren said, is "on board" with the situation.

In the meantime, the Seahawks medical staff will try to make a smaller cast for Alexander's cracked left wrist.

Shotgun analysis

Hasselbeck used the shotgun formation in Sunday's game 17 times, completing 11 passes and being sacked once. He also worked out of the shotgun 13 times against San Francisco in last Monday.

Using the shotgun has never been one of Holmgren's trademarks on offense.

"I don't want him [Hasselbeck] to have to do that all the time, but having said that, he likes this," Holmgren said. "The real positive, he's away from all the bad guys and can breathe a little bit. ... The important thing is he likes it and we seem to be functioning pretty well using it."

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com