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Mike Holmgren has planned a long drive with his wife and maybe even a motorcycle ride to make his Sunday stress a little more bearable. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck will spend the day with his wife, celebrating her 28th birthday one day late.
Shaun Alexander is headed to church to pray like mad.
The Seattle Seahawks'
up-and-down regular season ended with a 24-17 victory over the San Francisco
49ers on Saturday, their second straight victory, and now the team must wait
for almost 24 hours to learn its playoff fate.
Seattle (10-6), which has produced the franchise's first 10-win season in 17
years, needs Minnesota to lose at Arizona, or Denver to beat Green Bay at Lambeau
Field. The Seahawks also could get in if Dallas loses at New Orleans, kicking
off a complicated scenario that would eliminate the Packers.
``I get so nervous,'' said Holmgren, Seattle's fifth-year coach who hasn't taken his team to the postseason since his first season in 1999. ``I'm going to go for a long ride with Kathy somewhere and let my daughter fill me in on my cell phone.''
Hasselbeck hopes to be distracted, too.
He called his wife, Sarah, on the way to Candlestick Park on Saturday morning to wish her happy birthday, telling her about the present -- a new purse -- he'd hidden under the bed for her birthday.
Then he went out and threw for 315 yards and two touchdowns.
``I've been MIA all week. I need to make it up to her,'' Hasselbeck said. ``We're not even worried about those other scenarios right now. It's great to get a win on the road against a great team in a hostile environment.''
After church, Alexander has more plans.
``I heard there's a couple good TV shows on,'' the star running back said. ``I'll watch a little TV and try not to drive myself crazy.''
The Seahawks know if they don't make the playoffs, it's their own fault. Seattle won for only the second time on the road Saturday -- the team also won its road opener at Arizona then lost its next six away from Seahawks Stadium.
``We have done all that
we can do,'' linebacker Chad Brown said. ``We would have liked to do a little
more and pick up another win. Whatever happens, happens.''