Seahawks relied on Hasselbeck

Gil Haskell was a high school track coach. Then he was an offensive assistant for John Robinson at Southern California, during USC’s Heisman Trophy heyday of “Student Body Right.”

Running has been a part of Haskell’s offenses for 38 years. So when Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren told his offensive coordinator, and everyone else, in November that he was going to rely on Matt Hasselbeck’s passing in lieu of a stalled running game, Haskell joked, “I’m going back to high school, to run the ball.”

Haskell didn’t have to go way back to St. Ignatius High in San Francisco. He just had to go back to the playoffs.

For the first time since September, Hasselbeck has help in Seattle’s pass-happy offense – a running game that is actually moving. Two consecutive weeks of season highs in yards rushing leave the Seahawks (10-6) – in the postseason for the fifth consecutive season – more multidimensional entering Saturday’s NFC wild-card playoff game against the Washington Redskins (9-7).

“It couldn’t get any worse,” running back Shaun Alexander said. “So we’re doing little things and taking steps.”

To the Seahawks, Hasselbeck’s passing is the reason they have totaled season bests of 144 and 167 yards rushing in their last two games. Seattle averaged 89 yards over the previous 10 games.

“If we would have still been forcing the run, we probably wouldn’t be in the playoffs,” Haskell said.

Lepsis calls it quits

The Denver Broncos have more work to do in rebuilding their once-touted offensive line after left tackle Matt Lepsis told coach Mike Shanahan he’s retiring. Lepsis, who turns 34 this month, acknowledged his play slipped in his 11th season after returning from ACL surgery on his right knee. The operation ended his 2006 season shortly after he signed a four-year, $25 million contract extension.

“Mike would call me out for not playing very well, and I had to agree with him,” Lepsis told the Denver Post. “… I didn’t want to go make all that money and not give the team what I was supposed to.”

Chargers reward Smith

After building the San Diego Chargers into a consistent playoff contender – if not yet a postseason success – general manager A.J. Smith received a five-year contract extension that will keep him with the team through 2014.

Details weren’t announced, but various reports said the extension was worth $11 million.

Peterson won’t play

Jaguars middle linebacker Mike Peterson missed Jacksonville’s first game at Pittsburgh with his broken right hand, and he’ll miss the second one, too.

Although Peterson dressed for light practice, coach Jack Del Rio said Peterson won’t play in Saturday’s AFC wild-card playoff game against Pittsburgh.

Steelers depleted

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin keeps erasing names on that depth chart on his office wall. Many teams list players three deep at most positions, but the Steelers can’t begin to do that.

Two-deep? Can’t do that, either.

At left tackle, there’s Trai Essex, then no one. At fullback, there’s Carey Davis, then no one. At right tackle, there’s Willie Colon, then no one.

The Steelers may also be without injured running back Willie Parker, defensive end Aaron Smith, offensive tackles Marvel Smith and Max Starks and safety Ryan Clark.

Nolan will return

The San Francisco 49ers’ ownership has decided to bring embattled coach Mike Nolan back for another season, according to an NFL source.

There was no announcement from the team, but the decision was expected to be formalized at a news conference today.