Seattle — Booed in Tampa Bay and disrespected in Baltimore, Trent Dilfer has become a hero in Seattle, where he has a chance to get the Seahawks into the playoffs.
With Matt Hasselbeck less than 100 percent because of a separated left shoulder, Dilfer will start for the Seahawks (8-7) against the Kansas City Chiefs (6-9) today. If the Seahawks win and either the Baltimore Ravens or the New York Jets lose their finales, coach Mike Holmgren's team will be in the playoffs for the second time in three seasons.
"It's a very, very important game," Holmgren said. "It's important for us to finish 9-7."
Dilfer threw three long touchdown passes to win in San Diego last weekend, keeping the Seahawks in the race for an AFC wild-card berth, while the Ravens, his old team, and the Jets were losing.
The irony of the playoff situation is Dilfer quarterbacked the Ravens to a Super Bowl victory last season. Then Baltimore coach Brian Billick discarded the free agent, who signed with the Seahawks in August to be Hasselbeck's backup.
"He just quarterbacked the world championship team and didn't get any credit for it," Kansas City coach Dick Vermeil said. "It seems like they maybe miss him now. They are not what they were, for one reason or another. Maybe they underestimated how good he was."
Dilfer played his first six seasons in Tampa Bay before playing one season in Baltimore, where he signed as a free agent.
He's 3-0 as a starter for Seattle and has a 14-game winning streak as a starter, with 19 victories in his last 20 starts.
The 29-year-old Dilfer has 87 career starts, while Hasselbeck, 26, has started 12 games, all this season.
"The experience helps," Dilfer said. "But I've never woken up on a Sunday morning and said, 'Hey, I've got this figured out and it's going to be easy.' You've still got to look forward to how hard it is."
Dilfer has a Super Bowl ring now and has matured as a person and as a player.
"I think what I've tried to do is not attach my identity to football," he said. "It took me a while to learn that. Everybody wants to talk to you as a human being based on how you play on Sundays. You have to separate the two."
Dilfer's young teammates love his confidence on the field.
"Trent's been doing it," second-year cornerback Ike Charlton said. "He's 14-0. When you've got a guy who's 14-0, he's a proven winner. He's had some ups and downs in his career, but lately he's just been playing top-notch football."
Rookie guard Steve Hutchinson thinks Dilfer gives the Seahawks a better chance to win now.
"When Trent's in there, he's seen almost everything that they can throw at you defensewise," he said. "I think he's a little bit more knowledgeable on what he's looking for. Matt will get there."
Although the Seahawks lost in Kansas City 19-7 and the Chiefs have won three in a row, Seattle is confident it can win the rematch because Dilfer is starting. Even Holmgren, who has stuck with Hasselbeck all season, said Dilfer could be the difference.
"Trent, with his experience, could possibly help versus the blitzing package that Kansas City had in that game," Holmgren said.
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