Hawks' progress grinds to an offensive halt

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When it was over and the Seahawks had their five-game winning streak snapped Sunday, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck could hardly believe he wasn't on the field anymore.

"I don't even feel like I played a full game," Hasselbeck said after he went 27 of 41 for 274 yards but fumbled twice. "I feel like we should go back out there and try again. It wasn't us."

The Seahawks' 13-10 defeat against the Carolina Panthers was hard to figure. Seattle was one of the NFL's hottest teams with just about everything clicking — an on-target Hasselbeck, a productive receiving corps that had been more than enough to overcome a faint running game, and an opportunistic and aggressive defense that was harassing quarterbacks.

Carolina, on the other hand, was practically out of the playoff chase. Its coach, John Fox, is trying to save his job and the Panthers started an undrafted rookie from Oregon State at quarterback in Matt Moore, who had thrown three interceptions, no touchdowns and completed just 43.8 percent of his passes.

"I tip my hat to the young man," Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said of Moore, who stunned the Seahawks with a quick release and was 19 of 27 for 208 yards in his first NFL start. "In their plan and what they asked him to do, you have to give him credit for that."

Now what? Two games remain in the regular season and the Seahawks can finish as either the No. 3 or 4 seed in the NFC playoffs. The biggest thing the Seahawks were playing for, the reason Holmgren opted not to rest any starters this week even with the NFC West title and a playoff spot clinched, is now gone. The Seahawks' loss and Green Bay's victory Sunday ensured the Packers a first-round bye in the playoffs as the No. 1 or 2 seed in the NFC.

The best the Seahawks — who at 9-5 are three games behind the Packers with two to play — can do is hold on to their No. 3 seed and look forward to a home wild-card game.

"We wanted to run the table. We wanted to win the last eight games," safety Brian Russell said. "But we're in the playoffs, we'll have the first one at home and we want to go into the playoffs playing good football and finish strong."

The question is, can the Seahawks keep the 9-5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers from taking the third seed? Tampa Bay won Sunday and has to finish with a better regular-season record to overtake the Seahawks because Seattle defeated the Bucs in Week 1.

All of that will shake itself out, but the Seahawks found themselves shaking their heads at the defeat Sunday. They forced no turnovers and didn't sack Moore. Their running game all but disappeared with 44 rushing yards. And their offense scored no points until the fourth quarter, the final seven with one second left.

The Panthers (6-8) were the defensive aggressors. They made the big plays the Seahawks had grown accustomed to making.

Trailing 6-3 with the ball at the Panthers 43-yard line and 1:44 to play, the Seahawks were moving toward a tying or possible go-ahead score. But a bad play doomed them.

Hasselbeck was looking downfield when linebacker Thomas Davis blasted him from his blind side and knocked the ball out of his grip. Panthers cornerback Richard Marshall recovered the fumble.

Three plays later, Carolina running back DeAngelo Williams burst through over right guard and ran 35 yards for the decisive TD with 1:17 left.

Seattle got a touchdown pass from Hasselbeck to Deion Branch with one second left.

Carolina proved to be the better team early, though neither team scored for three quarters. In the first quarter, John Kasay missed a 36-yard field-goal attempt wide left after a high snap.

The Seahawks had just one first down in the first quarter. Hasselbeck was the Seahawks' leading rusher at halftime with 11 yards, and Kasay made up for his miss with a 53-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.

"There's not a lot to say about this game," Holmgren said. "We didn't play very inspired football. I told the team we went on a nice run to win five in a row and be careful not to catch your breath. I think we caught our breath just a little bit."

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