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<< Previous   of   Next >> LM Otero / Associated Press  (click to enlarge) Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (8) is leveled by Cowboys defensive end Jason Hatcher (97) in the second half.   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   Published: Monday, November 2, 2009 Seahawks’ Trufant struggles after missing first six games By John Boyle Herald Writer ARLINGTON, Texas — The Seahawks and Marcus Trufant both had been waiting all season for this day. Sunday was the day the Pro-Bowl cornerback was finally returning to the field from the back injury that sidelined him for Seattle’s first six games. It wasn’t quite the return Trufant was hoping for, however. Playing for the first time since last season, Trufant was flagged for pass interference three times, and was beaten for a touchdown in the third quarter by Dallas receiver Miles Austin. “I could have played a lot better,” said Trufant, who was on the physically unable to perform list until last week. “I strive for perfection and I didn’t play as well as I could have for my teammates and my team.” Both Trufant and his coach admitted that he was not all the way back in terms of conditioning. That didn’t stop Trufant from playing extensively for most of the game, mostly in nickel packages. “His legs got a little heavy, like I thought they would, seeing his first live action,” Seahawks coach Jim Mora said. “We’ve talked about this a lot, practice and conditioning is different than being in a game. . . . He had some spurts where he felt good and then he started to say at the end of the game that his legs started to feel tired, so that’s why you saw Kelly (Jennings) in there late. It was catching up to him.” All three of Trufant’s pass interference penalties came on Dallas touchdown drives, though one in particular riled Seahawks defenders and their coaches. The Cowboys’ last touchdown drive of the first half was kept alive when, on third-and-nine, Austin appeared to run over Trufant on a deep ball. Trufant was diplomatic about the call after the game. “It happens,” he said. “Some calls are 50-50, and sometimes you don’t to get a call, but as a professional you’ve got to keep playing and play through it and that’s what I did.” Costly penalties The Seahawks committed six penalties, not an outrageous number, but they certainly impacted the game. As mentioned already, all three pass interference penalties aided touchdown drives. The Seahawks’ defense was flagged for a neutral-zone infraction and offsides on back-to-back plays to turn second-and-10 into first-and-10. Those penalties also aided a scoring drive. Facing third-and-nine in the third quarter, the Seahawks had 12 players in the huddle, leading to third-and-14 and another punt. Edge in the top-10 Seahawks running back Edgerrin James had just 17 yards on six carries, but that modest rushing total placed the 11th-year pro in some elite company. James now has 12,246 yards, which moves him into the top-10 in career rushing. James passed Marcus Allen, who has 12,243 yards in his career, and is now 33 yards behind Marshall Faulk on the all-time list. Hawthorne shines at home Linebacker David Hawthorne, who is from Corsicana, Texas, about 45 minutes south of Dallas, made his second career NFL start Sunday. And playing in front of family and friends, Hawthorne was again solid filing in for the injured Lofa Tatupu. Starting in place of Tatupu earlier this season, Hawthorne had 16 tackles and an interception in a loss to Chicago. On Sunday against the Cowboys, he had a team-high eight tackles, two sacks and forced a fumble that set up a Seattle touchdown. Rough day at home Unlike Hawthorne, Justin Forsett didn’t have strong showing in his home state. The second-year running back, who is from Arlington, made a poor decision to catch a punt at his own 5-yard line, giving the Seahawks bad field position on their first possession. A few minutes later, he fumbled on Seattle’s second possession after picking up a first down, giving Dallas a short field. The Cowboys took advantage with a touchdown to take a 14-3 lead. Injury report Ken Lucas left the game after taking a hard hit while tackling Felix Jones and did not return. Mora had no update on the cornerback after the game, but Lucas was shown on TV having trainers test his eyes with a light, which is frequently a test used for players who potentially have concussions. Matt Hasselbeck took a hard hit in the third quarter and stayed down briefly, but returned to the game. “I’m OK,” he said. “I got hit really hard, just needed like seven seconds to just catch my breath.” Overall it appears that Sunday was the least damaging of the year, in terms of injuries, for Seattle. “We’re hopeful that none of them are serious, which would be a good thing if we can get through a week without some injuries,” Mora said. Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com. For more Seahawks coverage, check out the Seahawks blog at heraldnet.com/seahawksblog READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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