Kirkland, Wash. ? Seneca Wallace looked up at the locker room visitor who was asking how his week was going – now that he’s The Man.

“It’s a lot,” he said.

It’s a week unlike any of his previous 59 NFL game weeks. On Sunday at Kansas City, he’ll start in place of quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, the Pro Bowler who is out a minimum of three weeks with a sprained knee ligament.

There are the interviews, the conference calls, the incessant ringing of his cell phone by well-wishers who may be even more excited than he is that Wallace has made it as a starting quarterback, after 31â2 years in the league.

“I always have to calm myself down. I’m the type of guy that gets real excited, so I have to make sure I stay calm,” he said. “As a quarterback, you always have to be calm about everything that you do, your checks and all those things that come along with playing the position.”

Yeah, right.

“If you’re the backup and all of the sudden the starter gets hurt and now you have a week to prepare and you’re going to be the guy, there’s probably not a more exciting feeling and time for you,” Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said. “Now you get your chance. Now all the things that you dreamed about and want are there.

“Now, you’re the man.”

The Seahawks have watched Wallace smoothly run their offense all week in practice. But they remain curious to see how the career understudy reacts Sunday. For the first time, the test is real, and it will be inside of the NFL’s rowdiest stadiums.

“Seneca is pretty much of a cool breeze out there. He’s kind of acting like this is another day at the office,” Holmgren said.

“My feeling is down deep, he’s pretty excited. I can’t be yelling at him like I normally do.”