averaged more than 114—an excellent mark—but in their eight losses, his rating hovered just above a dismal 40. In 1986, Krieg played well initially, leading the Seahawks to a 5–3 record. However, he faltered in midseason, so Coach Knox benched him in favor of Gale Gilbert. When that remedy failed to avert a four-game losing streak, Knox gave Krieg another chance. Nicknamed "Mudbone" by his Seattle teammates, Krieg led the Seahawks on five-game winning streak to finish the season, during which his passer rating exceeded 126. That December, Krieg was named AFC Player of the Month. However, the 10-6 Seahawks failed to qualify for the playoffs. Despite a brief midseason slump, Krieg played more consistently during the strike-shortened 1987 season. In the year's first game, Krieg set a team record by throwing his 108th touchdown; in less than four years as a starter, Krieg had broken a record Zorn had compiled over more than seven starting seasons. Krieg proceeded to lead the Seahawks to another playoff appearance, but Krieg's performance failed to prevent a narrow loss on the road in the first round against the Houston Oilers. During the offseason, the Seahawks acquired Kelly Stouffer from the Phoenix Cardinals, and began to groom him as the franchise quarterback of the future. Perhaps due to this increased competition, Krieg's consistency increased further in 1988. Although he missed seven games with a separated shoulder, his excellent play helped propel the Seahawks to their first AFC West Division Championship. In the regular season finale, Krieg dissected the Raiders' secondary, throwing for 410 yards and four touchdowns, thereby securing the division title at 9–7 and relegating the Raiders to a wild card berth. However, Krieg's pedestrian performance on the road in the playoffs contributed to the Seahawks' swift elimination at the hands of the top-seeded Cincinnati Bengals. Nevertheless, Krieg's strong regular season showing earned him another Pro Bowl appearance. In the spring of 1989, Krieg competed in NBC's prestigious Superstars competition, a series of physical challenges pitting athletes from various sports against one another. Krieg placed third overall, behind Willie Gault and Herschel Walker. He placed first in the basketball and rowing events, beating athletes including Gault, Walker, Randall Cunningham, Evander Holyfield, and Carl Lewis. In 1989, Krieg struggled to lead an offense depleted by injuries. All-Pro Steve Largent missed several games because of a fractured elbow. The running game sputtered as injuries slowed