Seahawks Trying to Buck the Stars

They have scored more points than any other NFL team, have the league’s top rusher and its best red-zone offense. But for Seattle players, this week has been all about D.

They feel dismissed, discounted and demeaned.

“There is a little bit of motivation when people don’t believe in you and there are people who don’t believe in our team,” Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said. “There are people who say, ‘They are not that good.’ ”

In Super Bowl XL, which will be played today at Ford Field, the Seahawks are a 4 1/2 -point underdog to Pittsburgh, the lowest-seeded team to reach the Super Bowl.

“Nobody gave us a chance at the beginning of the season to make it to the Super Bowl,” Seattle fullback Mack Strong said. “Nobody even gave us a chance near the end of the season, after we ran off 11 straight games, that we would even play for the NFC championship, let alone get to the Super Bowl. I feel like that’s a sentiment we’ve had to overcome all year. Each time we’ve overcome that challenge, and I feel like we’ll do the same this time.”

In a week where much of the pregame hype has surrounded Jerome Bettis’ return to his hometown, the Seahawks, making their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history, have felt like strangers in a strange land.

There was a group of Seattle players who attended an NBA game this week ... only to spot Steeler Coach Bill Cowher on the big screen sitting with Detroit Piston owner Bill Davidson.

And there was Hasselbeck, who was invited to be a guest on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” ... only to wind up not giving an interview but holding the cue cards, then sitting in with the band grasping a tambourine.

All week, these Seahawks have been little Tracy Partridge to football’s latest David Cassidy.

Many people believe the Seahawks are at a distinct geographical disadvantage when it comes to capturing the attention of the sport world, or at least getting their due.

“When you’re talking about Eastern cities, Eastern media, the cities are close together,” Seattle punter Tom Rouen told a group of reporters. “If we have a game that comes on at 7 o’clock our time, you guys are going to be asleep before the first quarter’s over. I think it’s a lot of things. We’re way up there. We’re out of the way. I think now we might get noticed by more people.”

There’s no bigger stage than the one they’re on today. More people in the U.S. watched the Super Bowl last year, 133.7 million, than voted in the 2004 presidential election or went out to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Of the top 11 all-time TV programs, five were Super Bowl broadcasts.

And this one figures to be a close, exciting game. It features Seattle’s high-scoring offense, led by running back Shaun Alexander, the NFL’s most valuable player, against Pittsburgh’s bruising 3-4 defense.

It’s Steeler Ben Roethlisberger trying to become the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl, at 23 years 340 days.

It’s Seattle’s Mike Holmgren, formerly of the Green Bay Packers, looking to become the first person to coach two different franchises to Super Bowl victories.

It’s the Steelers, who have won seven in a row -- five on the road -- and have posted eight consecutive victories over NFC teams ...

... Against the Seahawks, who have beaten them in four of their past five meetings.

Cowher, who has lost a Super Bowl and four of his six AFC championship games, knows how precious this opportunity is.

“It would be very gratifying to hand Mr. Rooney that fifth trophy,” he said, referring to Steeler owner Dan Rooney. “There is a lot of tradition with Pittsburgh and to be a part of that would be really special. We have the four trophies in our building and I pass them every day.”

There’s no such hardware in Seattle’s trophy case. This is a brand-new experience for the Seahawks, and, Hasselbeck said, the emphasis this week has been on staying calm and poised -- much the way New England has in recent Super Bowls.

“[Pittsburgh’s] been there. We haven’t been there,” he said. “We need to kind of learn and be aware of what the schedule is going to be. Realize that halftime is going to be twice as long as normal. Pregame is going to be longer. They’re going to have more singers, more anthems, more salutes, whatever.

“We’ve got to remember that there’s a football game and that’s what we’re there to do.”