SEATTLE (AP) -- The Seattle Seahawks brought in Mike Holmgren as coach and general manager in an effort to dethrone Mike Shanahan, who has had a two-year NFL championship run in Denver.

So Holmgren is shedding no tears that the Broncos, in their transition year after John Elway's retirement, come into Sunday night's game in the Kingdome with a 3-6 record.

Holmgren says it's nothing personal against Shananan, whose Denver team beat Holmgren's Green Bay Packers 31-24 in the Super Bowl in San Diego two years ago.

"I don't want anybody to feel sorry for me and I don't think anybody wants anybody to feel sorry for them," Holmgren said.

The last-place Broncos who will show up in Seattle bear little resemblance to the team that defeated Atlanta 34-19 in Miami in January. They're riddled with injuries to major players.

Chris Miller will start at quarterback in place of the injured Brian Griese (shoulder) and Bubby Brister (ribs) in the first season the Broncos have not had Elway since 1983.

Terrell Davis, the 1998 NFL MVP when he rushed for 2,008 yards and 21 touchdowns, suffered a season-ending knee injury against the New York Jets in Week 4.

Also missing for the Broncos are linebacker John Mobley, who sustained a season-ending knee injury in Week 2, and tight end Shannon Sharpe, who fractured his left collarbone in Week 5.

Holmgren was made the highest paid coach in the league by billionaire owner Paul Allen and team president Bob Whitsitt in January to try to get the Seahawks into the Super Bowl. He's off to a strong start, coaching Seattle (6-2) into first place in the AFC West.

"I've been there in that situation before," said Holmgren, whose Packers won the Super Bowl three years ago. "Expectations are very high and then you get a key injury here and there and you don't have quite the same team. That's when we earn our money."

The Seahawks, off to their best start since 1984, are trying for four straight wins for the first time since 1986, when they won their last five.

Star wide receiver Joey Galloway ended his season-long holdout on Tuesday, but Holmgren isn't sure if he'll play him against the Broncos.

Shanahan doesn't expect to see Galloway.

"It takes awhile to get in football shape," he said. "It doesn't happen right away. If I was going to make that decision, it would be a big question mark."

With Davis sidelined, the Broncos are using rookie Olandis Gary, a fourth-round draft choice from Georgia. In five starts, Gary has had two 100-yard rushing games, including in San Diego last week against a Chargers defense that had not given up 100 yards to a runner in 26 games.

The Seahawks could be without two starters. Three-time Pro Bowl defensive end Michael Sinclair, who led the league in sacks last season, has a pulled groin. Defensive tackle Sam Adams has a sprained knee. Both were injured in the first half of the Cincinnati game.

The Broncos have won seven straight over Seattle, which has not beaten Denver since 1995.

"They've been a thorn in the side of everybody's franchise, not just ours," said Seahawks tight end Christian Fauria. "The past two years they've pretty much dominanted everybody. This year they've been us the past four or five years."

Brian Habib, a starting guard for Denver's first Super Bowl winner before moving to Seattle as a free agent, warns that the Broncos are dangerous because they can't afford any more losses.

"Their record doesn't fool us," Habib said. "We know they're still a good team."

The Broncos started 0-4. They won 33-17 against the Chargers last week.

"If we would have lost, it would have pretty much put us out," Denver linebacker Glenn Cadrez said.

The Broncos hope receiver Ed McCaffrey, who sat sit out the San Diego game with a bruised knee, will return. He suffered concussions in consecutive weeks against New England and Minnesota.

McCaffrey, Denver's top receiver this season, enjoyed one of his biggest days against then-rookie Shawn Springs of the Seahawks in 1997. He caught two touchdown passes in a 35-14 victory by Denver.

Springs, a cornerback, now is a Pro Bowler who is one of the key players in Seattle's defense.

"He's playing as well as any defensive back in the league. He's a very confident player," McCaffrey said.

DENVER Season schedule and results

SEATTLE Season schedule and results

September 13 Miami L 21-38 September 19 @Kansas City L 10-26 September 26 @Tampa Bay L 10-13 October 3 NY Jets L 13-21 October 10 @Oakland W 16-13 October 17 Green Bay W 31-10 October 24 @New England L 23-24 October 31 Minnesota L 20-23 November 7 @San Diego W 33-17 November 14 @Seattle 8:20pm ET November 22 Oakland 9:00pm ET December 5 Kansas City 4:15pm ET December 13 @Jacksonville 9:00pm ET December 19 Seattle 4:15pm ET December 25 @Detroit 4:15pm ET January 2 San Diego 4:15pm ET

September 12 Detroit L 20-28 September 19 @Chicago W 14-13 September 26 @Pittsburgh W 29-10 October 3 Oakland W 22-21 October 17 @San Diego L 10-13 October 24 Buffalo W 26-16 November 1 @Green Bay W 27-7 November 7 Cincinnati W 37-20 November 14 Denver 8:20pm ET November 21 @Kansas City 1:00pm ET November 28 Tampa Bay 4:05pm ET December 5 @Oakland 4:15pm ET December 12 San Diego 4:05pm ET December 19 @Denver 4:15pm ET December 26 Kansas City 4:05pm ET January 2 @NY Jets 1:00pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

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