ATLANTA — Shaun Alexander said he’s never bothered to look at the other names on the list of running backs who have scored 100 rushing touchdowns. There are just seven of them, and Alexander has had plenty of time to peruse the record books.
On Sunday, 14 weeks after he scored his 98th rushing touchdown and almost a month since scoring No. 99, the Seattle Seahawks’ running back finally made history by adding his name to the list. His first-quarter touchdown run put Alexander on a short list that also includes Emmitt Smith (164), Marcus Allen (123), LaDainian Tomlinson (114), Walter Payton (110), Jim Brown (106), John Riggins (104) and Marshall Faulk (100).
“I don’t really play just for that,” said Alexander, who moved ahead of Barry Sanders for sole possession of eighth place on the all-time list of rushing touchdowns. “The stats are nice, but I’m much more into winning games. After you retire, that’s when you look at that stuff. I’m focused on this year, just like I do every year.”
Alexander entered this season needing just four rushing touchdowns to add his name to the list, but he’s struggled to get into the end zone. He scored on a pass play last week, and last ran for a score in a Dec. 2 game at Philadelphia, but before that Alexander went 10 scoreless games due in part to a knee injury.
Alexander scored on a 15-yard play on Seattle’s opening drive. He helped jump-start a running game that struggled for most of the first 14 games of the season.
Thanks in part to Maurice Morris’s 91-yard game, the Seahawks piled up a season-high 167 rushing yards Sunday. Morris had an 18-yard run on his first carry and added a 29-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
“It’s definitely been coming along the past couple weeks,” quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said. “We had a couple big runs by Mo Morris (Sunday), one for a touchdown. The guys are picking it up, and that’s good.”
Alexander finished with 31 rushing yards, including a 15-yard touchdown on the opening drive. He bruised his ribs on his first carry and temporarily came out of the game, but he returned to have seven more carries.
One record set, another missed: On his second pass of the game, Hasselbeck set a franchise record for passing yards in a season. His eight-yard completion to Nate Burleson wiped out his record of 3,841 passing yards, set in 2003.
Hasselbeck finished Sunday’s game with 147 yards to push his season total to 3,966.
Seattle’s defense also had a chance at a record, but came up empty.
Heading into the game, the Seahawks needed to hold Atlanta to 13 points or less to break the franchise record for points allowed in a 16-game season (261, set in 1991). The Falcons scored 44 points Sunday, leaving Seattle’s 2007 defense with a season total of 291 points allowed.
The Seahawks also had a chance to go where just two other Seattle teams have gone had they won their 11th game. Two other teams have won 10 games in a season, while only the 2005 squad (13-3) and the 1984 team (12-4) have won more.
Burleson shines: On a day when the Seahawks found themselves playing from behind, Burleson nearly sparked a remarkable comeback.
The Seahawks receiver scored two touchdowns in the final eight minutes, including a 13-yard reception that pulled Seattle within three points with 54 seconds left. After that, Burleson recovered an onside kick — only to have it called back because he was offsides.
“I was disappointed when I heard them call my number,” he said of the penalty that led to an unsuccessful re-kick. “So regardless of what I did previous to that, I felt like I let the team down (Sunday). It’s going to be a tough flight home.”
Kerney loses sack title: For only the third time in the final eight games, Seahawks defensive end Patrick Kerney was held without a sack Sunday.
This time, it cost him a crown.
Kansas City’s Jared Allen had two sacks on Sunday to move him ahead of Kerney’s season total of 141/2. Allen, with 151/2 sacks, is the NFL’s leading sacker in 2007.
Kerney’s total led the NFC.
Saving the day: Kicker Josh Brown made two touchdown-saving tackles on kickoff returns Sunday, and he wasn’t overly happy about it.
“It’s never a good thing when your safety (man) is making a tackle, especially when it’s the kicker,” he said.
Brown wrapped up Atlanta return man Jerious Norwood at the Falcons’ 46-yard line on the final kickoff of the first half, saving a possible touchdown. In the third quarter, Falcons return man Adam Jennings broke a tackle and got across midfield before Brown pushed him out of bounds at the Seattle 37-yard line.
Both Atlanta drives resulted in field goals.
The Seahawks were playing without linebacker Niko Koutouvides, the leading special teams tackler who suffered a knee injury at practice last week.
Quick slants: Seattle’s inactive list included starters Walter Jones (shoulder), wide receiver Deion Branch (calf) and defensive tackle Rocky Bernard (groin). Also sitting out were safety Mike Green (knee) and Koutouvides (knee). Asked last week whether any of those players were in jeopardy of missing the playoffs, Holmgren said that Koutouvides had the most serious injury. … Seattle’s season-high total of 501 yards marked the first time the Seahawks have gone over 500 since Dec. 2004 (507 in a loss to Dallas). The team record for yards in a game is 591, set in a 2002 game against San Diego. … The Seahawks, who host Washington in a first-round playoff game this Saturday, are 5-2 at home in the playoffs.
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