Seahawks can clinch division title this evening

SEATTLE -- Matt Hasselback's honest appraisal might best define the Seattle Seahawks' first 13 games.

They are a losing team on the road, riddled with major injuries to key players all season, and have displayed very little of the dominant, complete and consistent unit that rolled to the NFC championship a year ago.

Yet Seattle is 8-5 and with a win tonight over San Francisco (5-8) will wrap up its third straight NFC West title.

"I don't think I can figure us out either," Hasselbeck said. "It's fine. What we have to do quite honestly is attack each goal that we have one at a time, and our first goal is win the NFC West."

Seattle's inconsistency has been compounded by injuries that sidelined Hasselbeck and MVP running back Shaun Alexander earlier in the season. Leading receiver Darrell Jackson is out with turf toe.

Three starting offensive lineman also have had injuries, which is why the offense is ranked 21st in the league heading into tonight.

Seattle is minus-5 in turnover margin and is the only team of the 12 currently in position to make the playoffs that has been outscored.

If not for Josh Brown's four winning field goals, the Seahawks wouldn't be on the cusp of their fifth division title in franchise history.