SEATTLE (AP) -- Mike Holmgren made a decision this week: The Seattle Seahawks can make the playoffs without Joey Galloway.

Coming off an impressive victory in Pittsburgh, the Seahawks try to make it three wins in a row when they face the Oakland Raiders in the Kingdome on Sunday night. Both teams are 2-1 and are tied for first place in the AFC West with Kansas City.

Holmgren, the Seahawks' first-year coach and general manager, this week pulled the team's $35 million contract offer to Galloway. He told his top receiver that he will have to play for the amount in the final year of his contract ($1.585 million) or not at all.

With Galloway sitting at home in Columbus, Ohio, and presumably watching on TV, the Seahawks dismantled the Steelers 29-10 at Three Rivers Stadium last Sunday.

Merton Hanks ran back an interception 23 yards for a touchdown and rookie Charlie Rogers returned a punt a club-record 94 yards for a score in the game's first 3:20. But the Seahawks receivers, sans Galloway, acquitted themselves well, too.

Mike Pritchard caught six passes from Jon Kitna for 90 yards and Sean Dawkins had 105 yards on five receptions.

Through Week 3, Derrick Mayes and Dawkins were the top receivers in Holmgren's West Coast offense with 13 catches each. Mayes had a career-best seven catches, including a 34-yarder for a touchdown, in a close win the previous week in Chicago.

"As long as it (the receiving corps) keeps on working and we keep on winning, you can't really argue and stuff," said the 6-foot-4 Dawkins, signed as an unrestricted free agent by Holmgren during the offseason.

"We've just got to keep on making plays and get down the field deep and convert on third downs just like any other offense in the NFL. If the 'Big Man' (Holmgren) is happy, you've got to be happy."

And Holmgren is happy -- not with Galloway, who rejected a seven-year offer that included a $7 million signing bonus -- but with the way his offense is starting to click.

Pritchard, who had 64 and 58 catches in his previous two seasons in Seattle, missed the home opener against Detroit three weeks ago because of a knee injury, and he caught only one pass in the Chicago game. But he's close to 100 percent now.

"When Michael got hurt, we got so thin at wide receiver," Holmgren said. "Now to have him back and with Mayes and Dawkins catching passes, the group is back up."

Kitna's receivers also include Fabien Bownes, who caught the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Bears, and Charles Jordan, who left the opener with a hamstring injury. Jordan is expected back in a couple of weeks.

"If we can stay healthy, we have a pretty good group," Holmgren said.

There is a lot of optimism and excitement in Seattle, which hasn't been in the playoffs since 1988. But there are a lot of the same emotions in Oakland, where the Raiders are flourishing under second-year coach Jon Gruden. Gruden was an assistant coach under Holmgren in Green Bay.

Off to their best start since 1995, the Raiders also are trying for three straight wins.

Last year, they helped cost Dennis Erickson his job as Seahawks coach by sweeping the two games: 31-18 in Seattle and 20-17 in Oakland. Erickson was fired after the Seahawks' disappointing 8-8 record.

Oakland could easily be 3-0. The Raiders lost to Holmgren's old team, the Green Bay Packers, 28-24 on the road before winning at Minnesota and over Chicago in their home opener last week.

The Raiders have a new starting quarterback, Rich Gannon, and a new running back, Tyrone Wheatley, who is expected to play despite a slight shoulder separation. Both came to Oakland as free agents.

But Tim Brown said there won't be that many differences from last season.

"We know them, they know us, so there'll be no surprise punches this week," Brown said.

Gannon, 33, is still a threat to run as well as pass. He's averaging 9.2 yards on 11 scrambles this season.

"You'd like to be able to pick up a first down or so at a critical time in a game," he said, "but I'm getting paid to throw the football."

OAKLAND Season schedule and results

SEATTLE Season schedule and results

September 12 @Green Bay L 24-28 September 19 @Minnesota W 22-17 September 26 Chicago W 24-17 October 3 @Seattle 8:20pm ET October 10 Denver 4:15pm ET October 17 @Buffalo 1:00pm ET October 24 NY Jets 4:15pm ET October 31 Miami 4:05pm ET November 14 San Diego 4:05pm ET November 22 @Denver 9:00pm ET November 28 Kansas City 4:15pm ET December 5 Seattle 4:15pm ET December 9 @Tennessee 8:20pm ET December 19 Tampa Bay 4:05pm ET December 26 @San Diego 4:05pm ET January 2 @Kansas City 1:00pm ET

September 12 Detroit L 20-28 September 19 @Chicago W 14-13 September 26 @Pittsburgh W 29-10 October 3 Oakland 8:20pm ET October 17 @San Diego 4:05pm ET October 24 Buffalo 4:15pm ET November 1 @Green Bay 9:00pm ET November 7 Cincinnati 4:15pm ET 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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