Alexander says he’s trying to be too perfect

KIRKLAND — As hot topics go, the Seattle Seahawks’ lack of a running game is kind of like a flaming jalapeno in the desert. Turn on talk radio, and you’re likely to hear a rant about Shaun Alexander’s running style. Flip on the news and there may well be images of Mike Holmgren talking about his mistake-prone offensive line.

And take a quick trip through the Seahawks’ locker room, and you may notice a few players who are tired of talking about it.

“It’s frustrating,” right tackle Sean Locklear said about the never-ending queries about what’s wrong with the run game. “But they’re going to be there unless we fix it. If we take care of our business the way we’re supposed to, then we won’t have to answer questions like that.”

In what is quickly becoming a sore subject around the Seahawks’ practice facility, the lack of a running game is an obvious topic of conversation. Seattle ranks 22nd in the league in rushing yards per game (91.3) and 25th in yards per carry (3.6).

In his past three games, Alexander has rushed for 78 yards, 25 yards and 35 yards. Things got so bad last Sunday that he was booed on just about every carry that went for less than five yards.

Afterward, even the loquacious Alexander was at a loss for words.

“I don’t really get into excuses. I can’t play that game, because then we’ll find one for everything,” he told reporters after a game in which seven of his 14 carries went for two yards or less. “We just have to play hard, and we’ll figure it out.”

One day later, guard Rob Sims stood in front of several television cameras and tried to provide some form of explanation.

“I think we’re close,” he said. “We made a lot of improvements this week, even though it didn’t show up on film.”

On Wednesday, Holmgren chimed in: “I will restate the obvious: It would be nice to get the running game going a little bit. It changes the whole program.”

And so it has gone this week. Every day, someone new is asked to answer questions about Seattle’s running game — or lack thereof.

On Thursday, Alexander was offering more excuses. During a sometimes odd, nine-minute question-and-answer session with the media, Alexander said that his problem is that he’s been trying to be too “perfect” in hitting the right gaps and that he hasn’t shown enough patience on his runs.

“When you watch the film, I’ve probably tried to hit more holes this year than I have all of the other years put together — already — and it’s been just six games,” he said. “I need to just get back and play hard, like I always have, and not worry about being perfect.”

Alexander added that his former style was a better fit.

“With a new team, you want to go back and do the basic stuff. If that means run in the A gap, then run in the A gap,” he said. “That hasn’t really been working for our group, so I’m going to go back to making the plays happen. This week at practice has been really, really good, so hopefully it works.”

Holmgren has continually maintained that Alexander is only a part of the problem, adding that he has no plans to change starting running backs. The coach also said that Alexander’s running style does more good than harm in the long run.

“Instinctually, his vision and stuff — as with any great back I’ve coached — you kind of have to be careful of (altering) that,” Holmgren said on Monday. “They are great backs for a reason, they see things differently than most people, and they’re pretty good at it.”

While everyone seems to have a theory as to what’s wrong with Alexander and the running game, the Seahawks are confident that things will turn around.

“We were pressing because we went into an early panic mode,” offensive lineman Chris Spencer said, “and I don’t think we should have been.

“This week, everybody needs to think about doing their job and not worrying about making the big block. (Alexander) knows how to set up his blocks, so we’ve just got to cover them up and do it. We just need to relax and play.”

Said Alexander: “All it’s going to take is one big game for everybody to be like, ‘Oh, (the past three games) were flukes.’ We’re practicing hard for that big game to happen. We don’t know when it is, but it’s going to come.”

Notes: Because of Thursday’s forecast for an afternoon windstorm, the Seahawks moved their practice back two hours. … Wide receiver D.J. Hackett saw limited practice time Thursday, and his status for Sunday’s game will be announced today. Hackett has missed the past five games with a high ankle sprain.

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