Seahawks slip up

SEATTLE - Twelve minutes away from becoming relevant in a rebuilding season, the Seahawks reverted to their losing ways. Now any thoughts the Seahawks might have held about getting back into the fringes of the NFC playoff picture are likely gone after a fourth-quarter meltdown.

"I don't know what we've got to do better," Seattle QB Tarvaris Jackson said. "I feel like we had the game, all we had to do was finish it and we didn't finish it."

Washington QB Rex Grossman hit Anthony Armstrong on a 50-yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter yesterday and the Redskins went on to stun the Seahawks, 23-17.

Seattle led 17-7 early in the fourth, then watched the lead whittled away by Grossman, who was brilliant early, shaky in the middle and then great again in the closing minutes.

Washington (4-7) snapped its six-game losing streak, its longest since dropping the first seven games of the 1998 season.

And while Grossman was making throws, the Seahawks' offense disappeared in the closing minutes. The quarter actually started well for Seattle with Jackson finding Golden Tate on a 15-yard TD pass with 12:45 left to give Seattle its 10-point advantage.

Nothing good happened from there. Seattle ran 13 offensive plays on its final four possessions. No play went for more than 11 yards and Seattle (4-7) failed to pick up any first downs.

Now comes a quick turnaround as the Eagles visit for a game on Thursday night. And Seattle likely will be without wideout Sidney Rice, who left yesterday's game with a concussion.

"We just didn't finish the game," running back Leon Washington said. "You have to play four quarters and when you commit a lot of penalties, don't make plays when you have to, that's what happens."