Seattle, Green Bay squeeze in

KIRKLAND, Wash. — For the first time since the 1999 season, coach Mike Holmgren and the Seattle Seahawks are in the playoffs. It wasn't easy.

After finishing the regular season Saturday with a 24-17 victory in San Francisco, the Seahawks (10-6) made the playoffs Sunday in a complicated BCS-like "strength of victory" tiebreaker when Dallas lost in New Orleans 13-7.

It turns out the Seahawks didn't need it. They would have made the playoffs anyway because when Minnesota lost in Arizona, Seattle finished with one of the top six records in the NFC.

"Yesterday we hoped for the opportunity to extend our season," coach Mike Holmgren said. "Today we received that opportunity. It is very exciting for not only the players, coaches and organization, but the fans and our community who have supported us so well this season."

The Seahawks will open the playoffs Sunday in Green Bay against the Packers, the team Holmgren coached for seven seasons and led to a Super Bowl title. They met there Oct. 5, with the Packers winning 35-13.

"This is the first time in 17 years the Hawks have had 10 wins," linebacker Chad Brown said Saturday. "We are becoming a good team. We have a defensive coordinator everyone believes in. The young guys got a lot of experience this year, and the quarterback situation has been solidified. We're on our way."

GIANTS WANT TO TALK: The Giants asked New England for permission to talk to Patriots assistant coaches Romeo Crennel and Charlie Weis about New York's vacant head-coaching job.

The Giants faxed the request on Sunday, before Jim Fassel coached his final game against the Carolina at Giants Stadium.

Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi confirmed that the request had been made. Talks between Crennel, the Patriots defensive coordinator, and Weis, the offensive coordinator, could take place as early as Monday. The Patriots (14-2) have a bye this week because they had the best record in the AFC. The team is off on Monday.

OWENS A NO-SHOW: When the San Francisco 49ers gathered to clean out their lockers and say their final goodbyes in a voluntary team meeting Sunday, only Terrell Owens declined to attend.

Owens is expected to void the final three years of his contract and leave San Francisco as a free agent, so his absence wasn't surprising. He arrived at the 49ers' training complex later but had nothing to say to the reporters he has studiously avoided for years.

"I've washed my hands of you all," Owens said.