NFL Browns' fifth-ranked defense to be stiff test for Seahawks

Seattle is 7-4 but Cleveland's defenders are fifth-ranked in the NFL.
SEATTLE (AP) -- The Seattle Seahawks are trying to build momentum for a strong finish. For the second straight week, though, Matt Hasselbeck and his mates face one of the NFL's top defenses.
The Cleveland Browns (4-7) have the NFL's fifth-ranked defense and remain in the race for a playoff spot despite losing four of their last five games.
"It's up for grabs until you're totally mathematically eliminated," coach Butch Davis said. "It gives you incentive to continue to play hard."
Seattle's offense ranks seventh, averaging 346 yards a game. In last week's 44-41 overtime loss at Baltimore, Hasselbeck threw a career-high five touchdown passes and the Seahawks (7-4) finished with 426 yards.
Holmgren's focus
No disrespect to Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, but Seattle coach Mike Holmgren was more focused on Seattle's offense last week. And he liked his chances.
"Mike talked to us beforehand and said, 'Hey,this is how I want to play the game,' " Hasselbeck recalled. "He said, 'I want to open it up, and I only care about what we're doing.' "
One big problem, though. The Seahawks won't say it, but they were flat-out robbed by an officiating mistake that erroneously stopped the clock with less than one minute to play. The Ravens used the extra time to move downfield and kick a field goal to force overtime. Matt Stover made another to win it.
"They gave a game away. Let's be honest. They got some bad calls," Browns linebacker Kevin Bentley said. "They're going to be hungry and they're going to want to get a victory to get that sour taste out of their mouth."
Even before the officials' mistake, the Seahawks blew a 41-24 lead midway through the fourth quarter. And that defeat really hurt because Seattle fell one game behind St. Louis in the NFC West standings.
"It was a tough loss," Holmgren said. "But it's happened and you force yourself to [move on] because you don't have any options. We have five really important football games, with the most important one [today]."
No complaints
Nobody in Seattle's locker room has complained about the officials. The Seahawks have focused on their mistakes, rather than the referees.
"You can't go back in time. It's over," linebacker Chad Brown said. "I wish I would have gotten some more pressure on some of their throws. There are all kinds of things. I wish they wouldn't have scored 41 points."
The good news for Holmgren and Hasselbeck from last weekend was that the Seattle offense took off against a stingy defense.
Hasselbeck threw for 333 yards, with Darrell Jackson catching seven passes for 146 yards and two TDs. Koren Robinson, Bobby Engram and tight end Itula Mili each had four receptions.
"I feel it's going to be a trend the rest of the season," Robinson said. "Maybe we'll open it up and let it fly, just like last year."
Was top passer
Hasselbeck was the NFL's top passer over the final six weeks of 2002, with two 400-yard games and 2,152 yards. This season, he has completed 60 percent of his throws with 19 TDs and eight interceptions.
"We really feel like we're starting to click these last two weeks," Hasselbeck said. "We feel like we're playing the kind of football we have been able to play before. We've been trying to get back to that."
Holmgren is reluctant to compare games, let alone one season to the next, but he has continued to praise Hasselbeck's decision-making. If Hasselbeck has enough time, Holmgren expects the receivers to make catches.
"If we do those things and the confidence level is good, there's no reason to think we can't go on a little bit of a run here," Holmgren said.