49ers drop finale to Seahawks

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Matt Hasselbeck and the Seattle Seahawks did their part by beating the punchless San Francisco 49ers.
Now comes the hard part: waiting to see if their efforts will be rewarded with a playoff berth.
Hasselbeck passed for 315 yards and threw scoring passes to Koren Robinson and Alex Bannister to keep the Seahawks' postseason hopes alive with a 24-17 victory over the 49ers on Saturday.
Seattle's first win in San Francisco since 1979 wasn't pretty, with both teams struggling to move the ball on a chilly day at Candlestick Park.
But Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander came up with just enough big plays to give the Seahawks (10-6) their second road victory of the season and a season sweep of the 49ers.
Help wanted
Now the Seahawks need Minnesota to lose at Arizona, or Denver to beat Green Bay at Lambeau Field today.
Seattle also could get in if Dallas loses at New Orleans, kicking off a complicated scenario that would eliminate the Packers.
The Seahawks haven't made the playoffs since coach Mike Holmgren's first season in 1999, but they're ready to end that frustration.
After the 49ers' Jeff Garcia skipped a terrible fourth-down pass off the turf with 1:06 left to clinch the victory, the Seahawks' bench erupted in cheers and celebration.
Jed Weaver and Cedrick Wilson caught TD passes from Garcia for the 49ers (7-9), who wrapped up just their third losing season since 1983 with a roundly dismal effort.
San Francisco dropped just its second home game of the season with a non-existent rushing game and a fragile defense that couldn't stop Hasselbeck or Alexander, who rushed 60 of his 85 yards in the fourth quarter.
Go-ahead score
The Seahawks went ahead 21-17 late in the third on Robinson's diving 30-yard TD catch, which was upheld after instant-replay review. Robinson had six catches for 85 yards.
After several minutes of ineffective offense for both teams, the Seahawks made a pounding 70-yard drive centered on Alexander. Seattle handed off to Alexander on nine of the 13 plays on the drive, which ended with Josh Brown's 33-yard field goal with 1:56 left.
After three straight outstanding offensive performances, the 49ers struggled into the offseason.
Garcia was 22-of-38 for 248 yards, missing open receivers and settling for the short passes that caused San Francisco fans to boo the home team repeatedly.
Cheerleader
The 49ers played without star receiver Terrell Owens, who broke his collarbone in last week's win over Philadelphia. Wearing a tan suit and a sling on his left arm, Owens greeted each of his teammates as they ran onto the field for pregame introductions.
The teams traded punts until the second quarter, when San Francisco scored on Garcia's 18-yard tipped pass to Weaver.
After linebacker Jeff Ulbrich intercepted another tipped pass, the 49ers drove 19 yards for another score. Wilson caught a short pass and reached the end zone untouched when cornerback Ken Lucas slipped.
Seattle finally woke up for two scores in the final six minutes before halftime. Bannister made a 31-yard TD catch, and Alexander ran for a tying 3-yard score with 54 seconds left.
Hasselbeck also broke Warren Moon's single-season franchise record for passing yards during the first half.
The 49ers lost cornerback Ahmed Plummer to a neck injury, and Seattle guard Chris Gray was out with a knee injury.