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Frustrating finish for Seahawks

Associated Press

SEATTLE -- After such a promising start for the Seattle Seahawks, the finish to their first season under Mike Holmgren was so disappointing.

Jon Kitna, Trace Armstrong, Antoine Simpson
Jon Kitna was sacked six times, including three by Dolphins defensive end Trace Armstrong, left.
The Seahawks made it to the playoffs for the first time in 11 years in Holmgren's initial season, but remained winless in the postseason since 1984.

Dan Marino and the Miami Dolphins ended the Seahawks' season by coming up with a touchdown in the final 4:48 for a 20-17 victory Sunday. The AFC West champions' season ended with losses in six of their last seven games following an 8-2 start.

"We had difficulties running the football, and we had difficulties with our pass protection," said Holmgren, who extended his playoff streak as a head coach to seven consecutive seasons. "We didn't do a very good job. We just couldn't get anything going."

So lucky on the final day of the regular season when they lost to the New York Jets and still advanced, the Seahawks gave up an 11-play, 85-yard touchdown drive that cost them a playoff trip to Indianapolis next Sunday.

J.J. Johnson's 2-yard run put the Dolphins ahead. Marino, Miami's 38-year-old quarterback, was 4-for-7 for 84 yards on the march.

"He's pretty good," Holmgren said.

"He's a Hall of Famer," strong safety Darryl Williams added. "It's very disappointing, but we can't hold our heads down. Except for that last drive, we did a pretty good job against him."

"Our job is to stop people, and we couldn't do it at the end of the game," defensive end Phillip Daniels said. "Our offense struggled a little. But it was a close game. It could have gone either way."

In the second half, Miami shut down Seattle's offense, holding the Seahawks to three first downs and 32 yards. For the game, the Seahawks had just 12 first downs and 171 yards.

The Seahawks got a 9-yard touchdown pass from Jon Kitna to Sean Dawkins in the first quarter, but that was the offense's only TD in two weeks. Rookie Charlie Rogers gave Seattle a 17-10 lead with an 85-yard touchdown run on a kickoff return in the third quarter.

"I understand I have some things to work on in the offseason," said Kitna, who was 14-for-30 for 162 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions.

In the second half, Kitna was 4-for-14 for 48 yards with one interception.

"The defense played well," Kitna added. "I'm as disappointed as anybody."

Rogers and the Seahawks thought they had the momentum after his kickoff return for a touchdown.

"It felt great," Rogers said. "All the eyes were on us. It felt great to run that one back, but it doesn't feel so great now."

Holmgren suffered his first loss in six home playoff games as a head coach, and the defeat came in the Kingdome's final game.

He promised some changes in the offseason.

"Now, we have to decide who's going to be with us and who's not going to be with us," Holmgren said.


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