SEATTLE -- Though the organization wouldn't like to admit it, the Seattle Seahawks would love to move the clocks ahead to 2002. In an AFC West that has Rich Gannon, Doug Flutie, Brian Griese and Trent Green, the Seahawks have the least experienced starting quarterback in Matt Hasselbeck.

Hasselbeck has thrown 29 regular-season passes, completing 13.

	Matt Hasselbeck may have to rely on his tight ends and running backs this season.

In a division that has Rod Smith, Ed McCaffrey, Curtis Conway, Jeff Graham, Jerry Rice, Tim Brown and Derrick Alexander, the Seahawks have the least experienced group of receivers.

Their top four receivers have caught only 67 passes, 53 by Darrell Jackson who is in his second year. Of that group, Jackson, who started 10 games, is the only one to have started an NFL game.

Next year, the Seahawks move to the NFC West, which features the three youngest starting defenses in football -- the Rams, Cardinals and 49ers. Unfortunately for coach Mike Holmgren, the Seahawks offense's formative year comes against the deepest division in football, which features some of the most experienced defensive players. Can it survive?

"Our young receivers are going to have to learn on the run," tight end Christian Fauria said. "They don't have any time to sit back and watch. They are all we have. They have to come up and make plays."

Holmgren did his best to recruit Rice, who would have been the perfect on-the-field teacher for Jackson, Koren Robinson, James Williams and Karsten Bailey. Rice elected to stay in the Bay Area, leaving the Seahawks' receivers young and Hasselbeck restless.

Growing pains will be a hassle to Hasselbeck. They already have. Since coming to the Seahawks in a trade from the Packers, Hasselbeck has lived up to his billing. He runs huddles efficiently. His passes are accurate. He has the mobility and creativeness on his feet to drive defenses crazy. It's not out of the question that the Seahawks will lock him up to a huge contract extension before the start of the regular season.

He's the man in Seattle despite the signing of Super Bowl quarterback Trent Dilfer. But his receivers are young. How much time it will take for them to mature will determine the success of the Seahawks' season.

"It's been a little tougher than I thought getting the receivers on the same page because of the injuries that we've had," Hasselbeck said. "Now the guys are starting to come back. Koren Robinson doesn't run the perfect routes, but he's got so much natural ability that it's not hard to throw the ball where he's going to catch it."

Robinson has only participated in a handful of practices since being drafted in the first round because of nagging hamstring problems. Williams, perhaps the fastest Seahawks receiver, has missed about as much time because of a foot fracture. Jackson missed mini-camp time with a muscle injury around a knee.

Naturally, the timing between Hasselbeck and his receivers won't come overnight. A smart quarterback, Hasselbeck will take it step by step. Jackson is his best receiver, so he feels comfortable throwing to him, particularly on slant passes. Until Bailey, who is currently in the starting lineup, Robinson and Williams smooth out their routes, Hasselbeck can get by also throwing to Fauria and running backs Ricky Watters, Shaun Alexander and Mack Strong.

	“	Ain't nobody perfect. We can improve. Right now, everybody is trying to come back from injuries. We are all young. We are hungry. And we want to win." ”
		— Darrell Jackson, Seahawks wide receiver

There was one point in the June mini-camp when Hasselbeck felt alone. Fauria, Jackson, Williams and Robinson were sidelined. He'd try to throw to receivers but they would either drop the ball or be in the wrong position.

"It was really frustrating for me," Hasselbeck said. "Lucky for me, I had a quarterback coach like Jim Zorn. He sees the big picture. He was good at getting me not to panic. This is my opportunity. I'm being evaluated by how it's going today. Yeah, people think long-term, but nobody cares long-term. If they are watching practice, they don't know that four out of five guys ran the wrong routes."

What makes Hasselbeck special in his debut in a Seahawks uniform is how he is a "One-For-His-Teammate" type of quarterbacks. For example, during the team's Saturday exhibition game against the Cardinals, he knew he only had a limited amount of time on the field to work with Robinson, who was being monitored because of the hamstring injury. The play called from the sidelines didn't put Robinson early in the progression. Hasselbeck spotted Robinson in single coverage on a fade pass.

He threw the pass that he figured would get him in trouble with Holmgren, but he felt it was worth the shot.

"I threw the ball and we got a roughing-the-passer call," Hasselbeck said. "I went outside my read a little, but we need to give guys like him opportunities."

Robinson appreciated it. Hasselbeck told him that such a diversion from the game plan can only happen a couple times in a Holmgren offense, but it was important that he and Robinson get a working relationship on the field. At meetings, they sit next to each other, so that Hasselbeck can point out suggestions to speed up Robinson's development.

Another time in the Cardinals game, Hasselbeck read blitz and rolled far to his right. He spotted Strong, the fullback, in the middle of the field and rifled him an across-the-body Brett Favre-like pass that Strong turned into a 31-yard gain. Favre makes plays like that. It used to cause Holmgren to go "No, No, No ... Yes" along the sidelines.

"Zornie got on the headset after that and said, 'Careful now, don't do that. Please don't ever do that,' " Hasselbeck said. "About 90 percent of the time, the receivers and I are threre. We are only going to get better."

Dilfer didn't know much about Hasselbeck before he signed with the Seahawks for $1 million, but he's already become a fan. Holmgren signed Dilfer and told him that Hasselbeck will start and Dilfer could be the backup.

"This is an incredibly talented kid who is wise beyond his years," Dilfer said. "He's going to be a great player. He's got incredible feet, great instincts and all the intangibles. He's a natural born leader and is very poised and relaxed. He takes things in stride."

Which is important because there will be ups and downs working with such a young receiving group. Until they mature, Hasselbeck can keep getting the ball to his more reliable players -- tight ends, halfbacks and Jackson. If the Seahawks can win eight to 10 games, they will have a lot of momentum going into next season.

"Ain't nobody perfect," Jackson said. "We can improve. Right now, everybody is trying to come back from injuries. We are all young. We are hungry. And we want to win."

John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.