Nothing about the Seahawks’ slip-slidin’ away season has gone as expected.

But this week, the Seahawks are stepping into another team’s misery as they prepare to face the 49ers in San Francisco. The 49ers’ abrupt firing of coach Mike Nolan on Monday is a situation the Seahawks helped create, and one they eventually could resolve.

One of Nolan’s biggest problems during his 18-37 tenure with the club was his mishandling of former first-round draft choice Alex Smith — a once-promising quarterback prospect who went down, and out, with a separated shoulder while being sacked by Seahawks defensive tackle Rocky Bernard in the teams’ Week 4 game in San Francisco last season. Nolan prodded Smith to return too early last season, which led to his having season-ending surgery last month.

The perceived answer to everything that continues to ail the franchise, meanwhile, will be standing on the opposite sideline Sunday in the looming — and luminous — presence of Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren.

The buzz in the Bay Area is that the Seahawks’ outgoing coach is just what is needed to massage the mess that has been created by Nolan, and Dennis Erickson before him, as well as owner John York.

Be it as coach, or general manager, or a combination role, it doesn’t matter — just as long as Holmgren is on the horizon after his final season with the Seahawks.

In the San Jose Mercury News on Tuesday, columnist Ann Killion wrote: “Here’s what I’d like to see the Yorks do: Hire Mike Holmgren as the general manager. Holmgren is clearly burnt out as a coach and his lame-duck status has been a disaster in Seattle. In my perfect world, I’d like to see (secondary coach) Jim Mora take over the Seahawks right now so Holmgren can spend some recharging time with his wife, Kathy.”

In the Contra Costa Times, NFL writer Cam Inman offered: “In an ideal scenario, the 49ers play this season out under (interim coach Mike) Singletary, show progress and gain momentum for a fresh start in 2009 under different leadership. Ideally, they bring in Mike Holmgren to either coach or oversee the football operations (a la Bill Parcells’ role with the Miami Dolphins).”

This clamoring in the City by the Bay for Holmgren is nothing new. In 2002, when it appeared Holmgren might be fired by then-Seahawks club president Bob Whitsitt, the San Francisco Chronicle sent a reporter to the Seahawks’ final home game because speculation was rampant in the Bay Area that Holmgren was bound for the 49ers.

It’s also understandable.

Holmgren grew up in San Francisco and then grew into a Hall of Fame coach while serving as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for the 49ers during one of the most impressive stretches in NFL history — 1986-91, when they averaged 12 victories a season and won two Super Bowls.

Holmgren is even building a new home near Santa Cruz.

One problem: Holmgren promised his wife and family he would sit out at least one year before returning to the NFL in any capacity. It was part of the deal he made with Kathy that got her to sign off on him returning for a 10th and final season with the Seahawks.

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