Seattle searching for stability

The end of December is when the Seattle Seahawks are supposed to be on a surge, not limping toward the conclusion of the regular season with questions clouding whether they will be true contenders in the NFC playoffs.

But that's how Seattle (9-5-1) sits after squandering control of the No 2 seed in the NFC and continuing a win-one-lose-one pattern that has lingered for six games.

"I don't think it's alarming; I just think it's what we're working with," Seattle coach Pete Carroll said on Monday.

"Obviously, it's going to be really difficult to expect us to play a great game until we do. You want to see that. I know that's what you're waiting for.

"But we're counting on our guys being able to play off one another, playing off the defense and how their playing, and special teams and put together good games.

"We've got one big game coming up and we'll see where we are after this week."

Seattle's 34-31 loss to Arizona on Saturday could have lingering effects that end up derailing what at times has appeared to be a team capable of being a Super Bowl contender and at other moments one not worthy of being in the postseason.

Seattle's only hope of landing the No. 2 seed requires help from others, most notably the Atlanta Falcons losing at home on the final day to the New Orleans Saints.

Seattle must also win at San Francisco on Sunday and while it's possible the Falcons falter, they are also 6?-point favorites over the Saints.

An Atlanta win would leave Seattle with no rest and a home playoff game the first weekend of January.

And the Seahawks will have no one to blame but themselves for kicking away their chance for a week off and some much-needed rest for a team that had their bye week in early October.

"It would have helped for sure, but we couldn't win it all tonight anyways," Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson said on Saturday.

"We like a little toughness. We don't like having to make it tough, but we can handle any situation that comes up."

Seattle's path to the No 2 seed was simple: Beat Arizona, beat San Francisco and get a break during the wild-card weekend.

Instead, the loss to Arizona continued to expose a number of Seattle's limitations and resulted in one major injury with the loss of wide receiver and kick returner Tyler Lockett for the season to a compound fracture of the tibia and fibula in his lower right leg.

Carroll said Lockett underwent surgery late on Saturday night, a procedure that didn't wrap up until about 4 am on Sunday.

Carroll said he spoke with Lockett and there is optimism that the wide receiver will be ready for the start of training camp next summer.

But the severity of his injury was the capper to an otherwise miserable day which seemed to mirror much of Seattle's inconsistent season.

While the Seahawks defense played well - minus one big play - in the first half, the offense was unable to protect Wilson and get started.

Seattle had just 94 yards in the first half and Wilson was sacked five times.

When the offense made adjustments and found a second-half rhythm that led to 28 points and 297 yards, the Seahawks' defense was unable to shut down big plays that allowed Arizona to gain 192 yards and score 20 points in the fourth quarter.

"This one coming up is hugely important for us to find some rhythm that goes from start to finish and to play complementary football like we have a good part of the year," Carroll said of the game in San Francisco.

Injury report

Carroll said running back Thomas Rawls had an MRI on a bruised shoulder on Monday afternoon but results had not come back yet. Rawls missed the second half of Saturday's game, but Carroll said he believes Rawls will be able to play against San Francisco.

"I think he will end up going," the coach said.

Defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin sustained a sprained wrist against the Cardinals but should be able to play against the 49ers..

Quarterback Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks unloads a pass as he's tackled by an Arizona Cardinals defender during Seattle's 34-31 home loss at CenturyLink Field on Saturday. Otto Greule Jr / Getty Images / Afp