It was a move necessitated by the Seahawks' latest loss - a 26-20 setback to the Arizona Cardinals at Qwest Field on Sunday that dropped the Seahawks to 2-8 and all but officially out of the division race.

Yes, it had been apparent for weeks that the Seahawks would not capture a fifth consecutive NFC West title, or advance to the playoffs for the sixth season in a row. But it's just not in the nature of coaches and players to admit such things until there is no other recourse.

The Seahawks reached that point of no resort against the Cardinals, now 7-3 and holding a four-game lead in the division.

"It is a little tough, because I don't think we feel that way about ourselves," quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said when asked what it was like to hear Holmgren evoke the spoiler role.

"We feel like we're a better team. But you are what your record is, and our record right now is 2-8. So that's where we are."

And the Seahawks will need to improve - generate more points on offense and more stops on defense - just to have a shot at playing spoiler.

They still have games against the Washington Redskins (6-4) and Dallas Cowboys (6-4) - in the next 10 days - as well as December dates with the New England Patriots (6-4), New York Jets (7-3) and a rematch against the Cardinals in Arizona. They're all in the hunt for playoff berths or positioning.

"We should improve, if we don't get anybody else hurt, and maybe we can be spoilers in this thing," Holmgren said.

But the changes in approach - and attitude - didn't stop there.

-For the first time since it was announced in January that this would be his final season with the Seahawks, Holmgren declined to answer a question about the future of the team.

The subject was whether fundamental changes need to be made before next season.

"Probably for me to comment on that, it's not the right thing to do," he said. "If I was coming back next year, it would be absolutely the right thing to do. But those decisions are no longer going to be my decisions to make."

Even with that said, Holmgren did add, "People are going to have to look hard at this, and be real honest about it. ... Do we have enough? Is it good enough? If it is, let's go. If it isn't, you make changes."

-He also offered a terse "no" when asked if the team's status would hasten any transition period between himself and secondary coach Jim Mora, who will be the head coach next year.

Fullback Leonard Weaver elaborated, offering, "Right now, that's what (Mora) is - he is a defensive coach. Mike Holmgren is the head coach. That's how we've addressed it. That's how he's addressed it.

"I don't think that's any trauma. I don't think that's going to be any big ordeal or drama that's going to be between the guys and the coaches. We all know Mike is leaving. We all know that Jim is coming in. We're all mature enough to handle the situation."

-Holmgren also told his players to "be flexible," because some tweaks in personnel and philosophy could be forthcoming - even if injuries already have forced several younger players into the lineup.

"It includes everything," Holmgren said. "We're looking into everything right now.

"We'll all find out together what those are."

These are strange - and trying - times for the Seahawks and their coach. This team has not been in a playing-out-the-string situation since 2002, when it started 3-7, was 4-9 at one point, but rallied to win the final three games to finish 7-9.

Such a surge seems unlikely this season.

"We've got to come to work. We've got to fight through some injuries. We've got to get better," Hasselbeck said of the refocused task that is at hand, "fight the traps that you could definitely fall into with just taking things for granted."

HAWK TALK: Additional tests taken Monday showed that left guard Mike Wahle did not re-tear the labrum in his right shoulder, as feared after he was forced to leave Sunday's game. But Holmgren did not have a timetable for when Wahle might return. ... Cornerback Marcus Trufant, who was knocked out of Sunday's game because of a concussion, is expected to play this week - as is Weaver, who sat out the game against the Cardinals after bruising ribs the week before against the Dolphins.\

HAWKS VS. Redskins

WHEN/WHERE: Sunday, 1:15 p.m., Qwest Field

TV/RADIO: KCPQ/13; KIRO-AM/710\

FOCUS ON: Matt Hasselbeck

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, the Seahawks' leader, looked as if he had lost his way after Sunday's setback against the Cardinals. He was hurting - physically, mentally, emotionally. He didn't look or sound like himself during his postgame interview session.

Things, and Hasselbeck, looked a little better Monday - when Hasselbeck was "sore, but fine," as coach Mike Holmgren put it, and ready to start preparing for this week's game against the Washington Redskins.

As for Sunday, Hasselbeck said, "It probably wasn't the right time for me to talk in front of a microphone, or talk to you guys. I probably needed a couple of hours, and a nap."

Now that's the Matt Hasselbeck we've all come to appreciate.

He even backed off his postgame statement about the Cardinals being fined for some of the hits they made during the game - especially a shot Hasselbeck took from strong safety Adrian Wilson.

"I regret what I said about the fine thing," he said. "I probably owe them an apology. Because I think they played hard, I think they played physical, but I think they played within the rules and with class.

"In fact, I hope nobody gets fined."

- Clare Farnsworth

P-I reporter Clare Farnsworth can be reached at 206-448-8016 or clarefarnsworth@seattlepi.com Read his Seahawks blog at blog.seattlepi.com/Football.