As it is, he shouldn't be in his 10th NFL season as part of a quarterback class that included Peyton Manning and Ryan Leaf.

He shouldn't be a three-time Pro Bowler or a Super Bowl starter. He shouldn't be yet another success story for head coach Mike Holmgren, the quarterback guru to the stars.

But here he is, hoping today to stand under center for the 152nd time in his career, including playoffs. Not bad for a guy who had his invitation to the 1998 NFL Combine rescinded to make room for Leaf, a junior eligible, after going 7-14 as a starter at Boston College.

Hasselbeck may end up missing today's game against the Patriots -- he was listed as doubtful on the injury report Friday with a bad back -- but that hardly changes what he has accomplished in a career that could have been over before it even started.

``If a redshirt freshman doesn't make a fourth-down catch, I don't even get drafted,'' Hasselbeck said. ``I know how fortunate I am to be here.''

The catch he was talking about went to Anthony DiCosmo against Hawaii in Boston College's 1996 season opener. The Eagles trailed, 21-10, with 9:33 left when Hasselbeck was summoned off the bench in relief of Scott Mutryn.

Hasselbeck had already ripped coach Dan Henning for not naming him the starter from the outset, and after Mutryn got off to a terrible start, Hasselbeck got the call, knowing there might not be a second chance.

He led the Eagles to a field goal to draw them within eight. Then he led the way to a touchdown and two-point conversion to tie the game.

That drive wouldn't have been possible without a completion to DiCosmo to convert a fourth-and-9 in the final two minutes. The catch was the first of DiCosmo's career. A few minutes later, John Matich drilled the game-winning field goal.

``It was a two-minute drive,'' Hasselbeck said. ``Someone was tired so he got in the game. I was scrambling, I just threw the ball away and I thought maybe this guy has a chance to catch it but probably the game is over and he made an amazing diving catch. He caught the ball. We went down and scored and got a two-point conversion, got the ball back, kicked the field goal and won it.''

That was enough to earn Hasselbeck the starting job, and even if his numbers weren't outstanding -- he did throw for more than 4,000 yards in his career -- he did enough to catch the eye of the Green Bay Packers, who drafted him in the sixth round of the '98 draft in part because one of their scouts liked his hustle blocking downfield in a later BC game.

QBs selected ahead of him included Charlie Batch, Jonathan Quinn and John Dutton, not to mention Leaf.

Hasselbeck has since outpaced everyone in his draft class with the exception of Manning, leading the Seahawks to Super Bowl XL and making a Pro Bowl as recently as last year.

This season has been a series of starts and stops for Hasselbeck and his team, with a bulging disc knocking him out of five games and jeopardizing his chances to play today. He aggravated the injury on Thanksgiving when he was sacked seven times by the Cowboys.

The struggles of the 2-10 Seahawks have prompted some to wonder if Hasselbeck could be on the chopping block. He has two years remaining on a six-year, $47 million deal and will carry a $9.5 million cap number next year.

``Matt Hasselbeck is a fine quarterback,'' Holmgren said last week. ``Just think about all the nice things you wrote about him last year. He has been hurt. He has battled like crazy to come back and play. I mean, that's a big deal.

``Matt's a very confident young man and he's worked very hard to get into the position he's in right now. He doesn't really need any affirming from me anymore.''

Hasselbeck recently labeled this season an aberration. After surviving the fallout of a gambling scandal and a so-so college career at The Heights, he knows what real adversity is.

If Anthony DiCosmo didn't have good hands, he might not be here at all.

Kent statement

Dean Pees was probably the least surprised person in Gillette Stadium to see Steelers linebacker James Harrison record two sacks against the Patriots last Sunday.

Pees was Harrison's college coach at Kent and remembers his former team leader vividly, particularly his final game.

Kent was playing Miami of Ohio and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in the 2001 season finale. Kent led, 24-20, in the closing seconds with Miami driving. On fourth down, Pees called timeout and summoned Harrison, who had already recorded four sacks that day.

``I remember calling a pressure where I pulled Harrison over to the side and put him on the left side and said, 'Look, you've got to get this guy,' '' Pees said. ``They were in the shotgun and by the time the ball got to the quarterback, to Roethlisberger, Harrison had him sacked. So, I've seen that on the good side and I've seen it on the bad. He was a really excellent player for me.''

That sack of Roethlisberger was Harrison's fifth of the game, which was a fitting way to end his college career. He nevertheless went undrafted in 2002 and was cut multiple times before sticking with the Steelers for good in 2004.

He didn't become a Pro Bowler until 2007, but he had long ago secured his place in Pees' pantheon.

``It was the first time Kent had beaten Miami in who knows how long,'' Pees said. ``We ended up with a winning season, so it was a big play and obviously he was a very big part of that whole year.''

Men of the Year

Patriots players Matt Cassel and Vince Wilfork don't make a show out of their charity work, which is why they were partly embarrassed to be feted as the Champion Award recipients at last week's Champions for Children's dinner and auction.

With ESPN's Chris Berman emceeing and no shortage of local athletic luminaries on hand, Cassel and Wilfork were honored for their efforts on behalf of Children's Hospital.

``It's not about the award,'' Cassel said. ``It's not about people recognizing what we did. I'd rather have it be completely discreet, something my wife and I do for the kids because it means more. It's not about anyone else knowing about it. It's about the reward we get for going down there and making a difference, even for just a few hours, in a kid's life. It's about helping their family realize we're with them, behind them, and that they should keep fighting and working and doing whatever they need to do to get out of the hospital and keep living their life.''

Wilfork was touched by the story of a child he went to visit who hadn't gotten out of bed in two months, at least until Wilfork walked into the room.

``To me he looked normal, laughing, having fun like a little kid,'' Wilfork said. ``Just to be able to do something like that, you don't know how far it can go. Seeing these kids with a smile on their face, there's so much to be thankful for. You can't understand it until you see these kids on a day to day basis and spend time with them. It's very touching to see how they react and you get a good feeling about it, because you know you're making a difference.''

At the end of the day, Wilfork believes the work he does outside Gillette Stadium is as valuable as anything he does inside it.

``Everyone knows us on the Football field, but in the community we don't have the TV spotlight on us like we have on Sundays,'' he said. ``We do more behind closed doors than anything. For Matt and I and our wives to be recognized for this is nice, but we do it because we love people and want to see them happy. To make a kid smile, that's priceless.''

Peyton's place

There are three members of the 2007 University of Arkansas backfield carrying the ball in the NFL this year. Two of them -- Darren McFadden and Felix Jones -- were first-round picks. The third has just as many 100-yard games in the NFL as the other two combined.

Meet Peyton Hillis, a jack-of-all-trades in college who is literally the last running back standing in Denver, but has quickly become a favorite of coach Mike Shanahan.

With injuries knocking out Denver's top five ball carriers, Shanahan had no choice but to turn his running game over to Hillis, a pass-catching fullback in college who also lined up at tailback, H-back, wide receiver and tight end, while also returning the occasional punt or kickoff.

Hillis responded by catching seven passes for 116 yards against the Dolphins on Nov. 2 before watching his carry totals increase over the next four weeks. He topped it off with a punishing 129-yard effort against the Jets that made him the first back to top the century mark against New York this year.

``I am not surprised at all at Peyton's success,'' Arkansas running backs coach Tim Horton wrote in an e-mail. ``He was a very productive player here, but we had just one Football and three outstanding players at the same position. He filled the role as our fullback and leading receiver very well. I do think he is a great fit for Denver's system.''

On the day he was drafted, Hillis held a conference call with the Denver media that lasted about two minutes. But he uttered words that proved prescient when asked about slipping to the seventh round.

``Teams probably thought I was in between and a guy that was not heavily recruited,'' he said. ``I think a lot of teams will be disappointed they passed me up.''

He'll be running against the woeful Chiefs today and could have another huge week, which will only add to that disappointment.

- jtomase@bostonherald.com

John Tomase's NFL power rankings

1. Giants (11-1)

Only Dick Cheney shooting a guy in the face will be butt of more jokes.

2. Titans (11-1)

Just have this weird feeling they're going to get bounced early.

3. Steelers (9-3)

That defense truly is frightening, particularly on the pass rush.

4. Cowboys (8-4)

Might be the second-best team in Football now behind the Giants.

5. Buccaneers (9-3)

Is there a quieter 9-3 team in Football?

6. Panthers (9-3)

Oh, wait. Maybe these guys.

7. Colts (8-4)

How long can they keep this up? Last week was hideous.

8. Ravens (8-4)

Their schedule is way too tough for them to win out.

9. Falcons (8-4)

Matt Ryan's deservedly on the cover of ESPN the Magazine.

10. Jets (8-4)

They had a chance to put the division away and blew it.

11. Redskins (7-5)

Pats fans thank them for getting tonight's game flexed to afternoon.

12. Broncos (7-5)

Maybe they actually deserve to win their lousy division after all.

13. Patriots (7-5)

Twelve teams make the playoffs. Do the math.

14. Cardinals (7-5)

They're going to enjoy Foxboro in December.

15. Dolphins (7-5)

They've still got a real shot at the AFC East and an easy schedule.

16. Vikings (7-5)

Shhhh. The Vikings are quietly one of the hottest teams in Football.

17. Eagles (6-5-1)

An NFL tie is like getting beaten up by your sister.

18. Saints (6-6)

This Drew Brees-as-MVP talk is misguided -- his team's .500.

19. Bears (6-6)

Ever watch Devin Hester run a pass route? He looks clueless.

20. Bills (6-6)

From feel-good story of the league to coach have his job in jeopardy.

21. Packers (5-7)

OK. They miss Brett Favre after all.

22. Chargers (5-7)

Too little too late for the most disappointing team in the NFL.

23. Texans (5-7)

These guys will be a factor in 2009. We were off by a year.

24. 49ers (4-8)

Don't look now, but the Niners are playing everyone tough.

25. Browns (4-8)

Romeo Crennel deserves better.

26. Jaguars (4-8)

What happened to these guys? They used to be good.

27. Raiders (3-10)

The wheels came off so long ago, they've rolled halfway to Reno.

28. Chiefs (2-10)

Give Herm Edwards credit. His freshman team plays hard.

29. Rams (2-10)

The same cannot be said for the Rams, who have given up.

30. Seahawks (2-10)

Just what the doctor ordered after a tough loss.

31. Bengals (1-10-1)

NFL ties are like trying to kiss your sister and getting slapped.

32. Lions (0-12)

Can they make history? Someone call the 1976 Bucs.

GRAPHIC: BAY STATE BOMBERS

It should come as little surprise that the NFL has never been rife with Massachusetts natives. But even by that paltry standard, the quarterback position has been particularly under-represented.

With Norfolk native Matt Hasselbeck facing his hometown Patriots in Seattle today, here's a look at the eight NFL quarterbacks hailing from our fine Commonwealth to throw for at least 1,000 yards in their careers.

Name Years Hometown Com.-Att. Yards TDs Int.

Matt Hasselbeck 1999-present Norfolk 2,013-3,347 23,549 147 94

Doug Flutie 1986-2005 Natick 1,177-2,151 14,715 86 68

Jack Concannon 1964-1975 Boston 560-1,100 6,270 36 63

Butch Songin 1960-1962 Walpole 327-694 4,347 38 31

Todd Collins 1995-2007 Walpole 369-651 4,335 22 19

John McCormick 1962-1968 Boston 214-555 2,895 17 38

Boley Dancewicz 1946-1948 Lynn 96-238 1,110 12 29

Tim Hasselbeck 2002-2007 Norfolk 95-177 1,012 5 7

Quick hits

Could this Plaxico Burress story be any more messed up?

Less than a year after catching the winning touchdown in Super Bowl XLII, Burress could be headed to jail for shooting himself in the leg with an unregistered handgun.

I've never fired a gun before, but something tells me there are better ways to hide an illegal one then shooting yourself with it in a nightclub full of people. It begs the question of why Burress felt he needed the gun in the first place.

A pretty good rule of thumb would seem to be if the club you're hanging out in requires you to pack a gun, you should probably find a new club.

Failing that, at least invest in a holster ... or some Travis Bickle ``you talkin' to me?'' gizmos up each sleeve. Stowing the gun in the band of your sweatpants is how accidents happen.

Give credit to the Giants for suspending Burress for the rest of the season and the playoffs. With New York mayor Michael Bloomberg demanding the book be thrown at Burress, it would have appeared pretty bad for the Giants to look the other way.

* With Burress and possibly teammate Antonio Pierce gone -- the Giants linebacker was there and may face charges if police determine he tried to cover up the shooting -- there's suddenly the possibility of a new sheriff in the NFC.

The Dallas Cowboys.

Remember them? Team Dysfunction nearly imploded in a Texas-sized crater while Tony Romo was out with a broken finger, but since he has returned, they once again look like a legit contender.

You've got to hand it to owner Jerry Jones. He guaranteed a playoff berth when the season appeared at its most dire, and his Cowboys are doing their best to prove him right.

* The fall of the Chargers has to be the biggest disappointment of the season.

Yeah, losing Shawne Merriman hurt, but come on -- more than Tom Brady?

The Bolts lost a pair of heartbreakers to open the season and never really recovered. Who knew that their 30-10 victory over the Patriots in October would end up being the season highlight.

With the Broncos playing like dung for the middle third of the season, the Chargers had a chance to stay in contention despite being below .500. But consecutive losses to the Steelers, Colts and Falcons have dropped them to 4-7 with virtually no hope of the postseason.

Coach Norv Turner appears to be on borrowed time.

* Should the Miami Dolphins improbably win the AFC East, today's game ``at Buffalo'' should have a lot to do with it.

Instead of playing outdoors at freezing Ralph Wilson Stadium, the game will be contested at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, home of the Blue Jays. It's part of a lucrative deal the Bills have struck with their neighbors to the north, but it robs them of their homefield advantage.

The Pats get no such break and will be playing in the cold come December. That's hardly fair.

* Stepping away from the NFL for a moment, three cheers for the injunction that allowed Mansfield High to play Bishop Feehan in a Division 2 playoff Wednesday.

The MIAA rule that forced the Hornets to forfeit because they unknowingly used an ineligible fifth-year senior for seven plays in a pair of easy victories is an example of bureaucracy at its worst. Common sense says if there was no intent and no gain, then the punishment didn't fit the ``crime.''

Making matters worse was the MIAA's reason for not hearing an appeal -- because the 17-member board could not be convened on short notice. Talk about being out of touch. Why does that panel even exist if it won't discuss such a relatively important matter in time to render a decision?

In the interests of disclosure, this writer attended Mansfield High and played basketball for Hornets head man Mike Redding, the rare educator/coach who's actually equal parts of that equation.

Mansfield deserved better and thankfully the judge agreed.

--JOHN TOMASE