SEATTLE – The way the Seattle Seahawks defense has been opening games this season, the opposition might as well save its best stuff for after halftime.
For the third time in as many games, Seattle’s defense held its opponent without a first-half touchdown on Sunday. The dominant performance helped the Seahawks build up a 35-3 halftime lead en route to a 42-30 victory over the New York Giants.
“I think it’s a sign that we’re maturing,” defensive end Grant Wistrom said. “It doesn’t take us a series or two to get started. We just come out of the gate ready to roll.”
The Seahawks created four turnovers in the first half while also forcing three punts. The Giants didn’t even take a snap on Seattle’s side of the 50 until the final minute of the first half.
The negative, of course, was the way the defense fell apart after halftime.
“Offenses go in and make adjustments too,” Seahawks linebacker Leroy Hill said after the Giants scored 27 points in the fourth quarter, seven of which came on an interception return touchdown. “These last couple of games we’ve come out strong, but then the offenses have gone in and made some adjustments and found some weak points in our defense.
“When you’re playing like we’ve been playing in the first halves, we really don’t have to make any adjustments. Then they come out and do a couple things. It’s just about recognition.”
The Seahawks have outscored their opponents 35-3 in first quarters this season, and 55-6 in first halves. By contrast, Seattle has been outscored 40-17 after halftime and 37-10 in fourth quarters.
Alexander rests: Coach Mike Holmgren originally intended to sit running back Shaun Alexander for the entire second half because of a sore foot, but the reigning league MVP talked him out of it. Alexander remained on the field for Seattle’s lone drive of the third quarter before being taken out of the game.
“He wasn’t the happiest camper in the world when I did that,” Holmgren said of taking Alexander out, “but I believe it was the right thing to do.”
Seattle’s offense stalled after Alexander came out of the game – backup Maurice Morris had just 18 yards on 15 total carries – but Holmgren did not second-guess his decision.
“I never thought of putting (Alexander) back in the game” in the fourth quarter, Holmgren said.
Alexander finished the game with 47 yards on 20 carries, marking the third game in a row in which he’s been held under 100 yards. He’s averaging only 2.9 yards per carry this season after gaining 5.1 yards per clip in 2005.
Alexander did get his second touchdown of the season Sunday, scoring from 2 yards out in the first quarter. That was the 102nd touchdown of Alexander’s career, which is the most in team history. Steve Largent scored 101 touchdowns with Seattle.
Line dancing: The Seahawks’ offensive line continued to shuffle on Sunday, when both starting guards from the season opener were sidelined by injuries.
Left guard Chris Spencer made his first NFL start in place of Floyd Womack, who’s expected to miss about six weeks with a knee injury. Right guard Chris Gray also suffered a knee injury during the game, forcing rookie Rob Sims to come into the lineup.
Sims had been inactive for the first two weeks but might have to start if Gray’s injury lingers.
“Everything picks up a little bit” now, Sims said. “I try to be as attentive as I can even when I’m not active or starting, but now I’ll really get in the playbook. It’s hard when you aren’t getting the reps. But now everything picks up.”
The Seahawks also had a new starter at tight end, where Will Heller was filling in for Itula Mili. Heller is a solid blocker who had caught just 15 passes during the first three years of his NFL career. But he caught three passes Sunday, including a 10-yard touchdown.
“I was very nervous throwing him the ball; he is almost an ineligible receiver on the play,” quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said. “But he did a good job. I almost apologized to (Holmgren) on the sidelines because the play was supposed to go to somebody else, but he was cool.”
Mili, who suffered a minor knee injury last week, was available to play but did not see any action Sunday.
Jackson talks cash: Wide receiver Darrell Jackson has not commented on whether he is unhappy with his current contract situation, but he jokingly made reference to it after Sunday’s game.
“I want DB money,” he told reporters, referring to the six-year, $39 million contract signed by teammate Deion Branch two weeks ago. “That’s just kind of an inside joke. It’s just something to keep us focused.
“Everybody wants to make great money out here. (Branch) set the bar for us out here, and now we’ve got to match it.”
Jackson signed a six-year, $25 million contract before the 2004 season but later said that he was promised a more lucrative deal by former team president Bob Whitsitt. The receiver was so miffed with the organization that he skipped all of the 2005 offseason before eventually reporting to training camp on time.
Jackson has apparently gained a sense of humor on the subject, as witnessed by Sunday’s banter.
Later in the interview with reporters, when he was teasing 5-foot-10 teammate Bobby Engram about being short, Jackson quipped: “Deion Branch is shorter than you, and he got 39 (million).”
Not this time: When the Seahawks and the Giants played last year, New York defensive end Osi Umenyiora made a name for himself by beating Walter Jones, Seattle’s All-Pro left tackle, for two quarterback sacks. It was his breakout game, as they say, and the rematch Sunday drew considerable media attention
It was no contest as Umenyiora had just two tackles and didn’t lay a hand on Hasselbeck.
“He’s a great pass rusher,” Jones said, assuming the role of the gracious victor. “I take my hat off to him. He was coming at me pretty good. He was trying to do something.
“But you just have to stay focused,” Jones said. “Last year, that happened, but you have to have a short memory. I did. I just knew going into this game that it was a great challenge for me and him, and I was looking forward to it.”
Jones said it wasn’t about his pride or reputation, which took a bit of a hit after last year’s game.
“I don’t think so,” he said. “I don’t think if he would have got two sacks today it would have made or broken my career,” Jones said. “I just knew that he was going to come in and play me tough.”
Quick slants: Qwest Field played a part in another rough start for the Giants, who were flagged for three false-start penalties in the first half alone. It’s the same team that had 11 false-start penalties at Seattle in a game last season. … Branch was added to the roster on Saturday, when the team released defensive tackle Chris Cooper. Branch’s addition led to wide receiver D.J. Hackett being named one of seven inactives for Sunday’s game. Linebacker Kevin Bentley and defensive tackle Russell Davis were also among the inactives. … Giants kicker Jay Feely, who missed three potential game-winners in last year’s meeting, made good on his only field-goal attempt Sunday. … Hasselbeck’s throw to Heller marked the 100th touchdown pass of the quarterback’s NFL career. He also tied a club record by throwing five touchdown passes in a single game. … For the third week in a row, fullback Mack Strong turned a draw play into a conversion on third-and-long. Sunday’s run saw Strong burst up the middle for 17 yards on third-and-8 during the fourth quarter.
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