Refs Explanation Stuns Seattle

Dennis Erickson talked to Jerry Seeman on the phone on Monday. He couldn't believe what he heard Seeman tell him.

"He said, 'The guy who called it saw the helmet go across the line and thought it was the ball,"' the Seattle Seahawks' coach said, seemingly in disbelief after his conversation with the NFL director of officiating.

It was a short conversation. Erickson got his explanation and wanted to go back to his private agony.

"It ended very quickly," Erickson said.

Apparently on the verge of losing his coaching job if his team misses the playoffs, Erickson kept his poise -- and saved himself a lot of fine money -- the day after the New York Jets' Vinny Testaverde beat the Seahawks, 32-31, with a phantom touchdown.

Television replays showed the ball Testaverde was carrying, with 20 seconds left, did not cross the goal line.

"It's been on TV for 24 hours," Erickson said. "Everybody saw it."

Erickson refused to criticize referee Phil Luckett's crew that worked the game at the Meadowlands or the official who made the controversial call, head linesman Earnie Frantz.

When Erickson left his home to come to the team's headquarters, he made his wife, Marilyn, a promise. He told her he wouldn't criticize the touchdown call.

"It's Christmas," he said. "She didn't want me to be spending a lot of money."

The Seahawks are 6-7 on the season. With three games left, they're all but mathematically eliminated in their bid for an AFC wild-card playoff berth.

Erickson, Seattle's fourth-year coach, and his staff are expected to be fired if the Seahawks miss the playoffs for the 10th year in a row. Erickson has one season left -- or $1 million -- on his contract.

"One loss can take you right out of the playoffs," he said. "Obviously, if we win that game yesterday, we have a pretty darn good chance. Mathematically, we're not out of it, but a lot of things have got to happen."

The Seahawks, who are 3-7 since starting off 3-0, had a team meeting on Monday. The way they lost Sunday in New Jersey was demoralizing.

"It's hard," Erickson said. "I could see it in their eyes. It's hard for them to deal with that."

Erickson has been in favor of the NFL returning to instant replay to help the officials since he came into the league in 1995.

The league said Monday that a limited form of replay could be used in the playoffs. But that might be too late for the Seahawks.

"I think there are too many times that some things can be changed that are critical in games," Erickson said.

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