Home field a big help to Seahawks

SEATTLE – Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren was near the end of a lengthy press conference earlier this week when he was asked about the common threads of football teams that win in the postseason.

Holmgren, having enjoyed considerable playoff success prior to his arrival in Seattle, responded: “Two things. If you can get in there and be pretty healthy, and then two, the quarterback is playing well.”

Those two factors side heavily with the Seahawks, who entertain the Washington Redskins today at 1:30 p.m. at Qwest Field. Holmgren didn’t need to state an obvious No. 3 – playing at home. Since 1994, NFC teams with home-field advantage in the second round have won 19 of 22 games.

The Seahawks, 8-0 at home this season, will try to end the franchise’s gloomy playoff history with the assistance of roughly 68,000 of their loudest friends. Qwest Field is worth four to six points, defensive end Bryce Fisher suggested after the Seahawks clinched hosting rights with a victory over Indianapolis on Dec. 24.

“The fans in the stadium make the game different,” Holmgren said. “If you watched any of the games last weekend, there was electricity in the stadium. The other thing about the playoffs is the mistake – turnover, missed tackle – because of the fact it is sudden death takes on much greater meaning in the playoffs.”

There is a collection of subplots surrounding today’s matchup competing for center stage. There is the clash of two of the NFL’s best running backs and two of the league’s most successful coaches, the rematch of Washington’s 20-17 overtime victory in early October and the Redskins’ dominating defense versus the Seahawks’ soaring offense.

But any discussion of Seattle in the postseason begins with 1984. That’s the last year the Seahawks won a playoff game. Five Seahawks teams, including three under Holmgren, have failed in the playoffs since then.

The last two defeats have been particularly painful. Seattle lost to St. Louis last year in the opening round when Bobby Engram couldn’t haul in a low throw from Matt Hasselbeck. The year before, Hasselbeck was intercepted in overtime by Green Bay’s Al Harris, who returned the ball for the game-winning score.

Hasselbeck has been efficient of late, completing 65 of his past 81 passes. He’s strong at home (64.7 percent completion rate, 20 wins in past 24 starts).

He’s surrounded by MVP running back Shaun Alexander, who was held to less than 50 yards in each of Seattle’s past two playoff games, a stable of quality receivers and a line considered among the NFL’s best.

It should be an intriguing matchup with Washington’s defense, which took care of Tampa Bay a week ago. The Redskins forced three turnovers, led 17-3 and hung on while their offense mustered just 120 total yards.

Washington quarterback Mark Brunell, slowed by a sore knee, was just 7 of 15 for 41 yards, but earned high marks for game management.

“Mark has been a key part of what we’ve been able to do,” said Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, who has three Super Bowl rings. “He has protected the ball, which is very important, and I think he has made really good decisions when things aren’t there.”

Clinton Portis, who rushed for a single-season franchise record 1,516 yards, is battling shoulder injuries but is expected to play. Washington figures to challenge Seattle’s secondary – which received a boost from the improving health of cornerbacks Marcus Trufant, Kelly Herndon and Andre Dyson – with speedy wide receiver Santana Moss and dependable tight end Chris Cooley.

“They don’t try to throw a whole lot at you,” Portis said of Seattle. “They just play sound. Their offense goes out and puts up 100 points a game and the defense maintains and keeps people out of the box.”

Seattle’s defensive success will probably hinge on its ability to get off the field. Washington was 13 of 18 on third downs in the first meeting, which allowed the Redskins to hog the ball for most of the first half.

“We only had six plays in the first quarter,” Holmgren said. “It’s a frustration for any play-caller if that’s the way the game goes.”

Holmgren and a legion of Seahawks fans poised for an overdue playoff win are hoping the game doesn’t go that way again.