SEATTLE – The official game book will show that quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was the only starter returning to the Seattle Seahawks’ offense on Monday night, but that’s not entirely true.
The NFL’s most valuable player also was back.
Shaun Alexander finally looked like the Pro Bowl running back he is, rushing for 201 yards on a franchise-record 40 carries as the Seahawks beat Green Bay 34-24 at snowy Qwest Field.
Alexander was making his second start since returning from a broken bone in his left foot, and this time he was back to his usual form.
“Last week was kind of like my warm-up game,” said Alexander, who was held to 37 yards on 17 carries in a loss to San Francisco nine days ago. “You hate to take a game that counts and warm up in it, but it was. Our line got into a groove early (on Monday), and we put up some good numbers.”
On a night that saw Hasselbeck give away four turnovers in the first half alone, the Seahawks rallied from a nine-point deficit early in the third quarter to outlast the Packers and expand their lead atop the NFC West to two games. Seattle (7-4) is tied with New Orleans and Dallas for the second-best record in the conference.
Hasselbeck overcame his rough first half to throw three touchdown passes over the final two quarters. He helped rally the Seahawks from a 21-12 deficit early in the third quarter. Seattle outscored the Packers 22-3 over the final 21:19.
While Hasselbeck turned in an inconsistent performance, Alexander was steady all night long. He became the first Seahawks running back to carry the ball 40 times in a game, breaking the former record of 36 carries (Chris Warren, 1993).
“That was not the plan coming into the game,” Seattle coach Mike Holmgren said. “We wanted to be more balanced, but things were happening – tipped passes and things like that. So Shaun carried the load.”
Said Alexander: “I used to always joke about wanting to get the ball 50 times a game. I’ve changed my mind now. Forty is good.”
Alexander had 104 rushing yards in the first half, but the Seahawks couldn’t get into the end zone. Kicker Josh Brown’s four field goals kept Seattle in the game, but the Packers went into halftime leading 14-12 after rookie linebacker Abdul Hodge scooped up a Hasselbeck fumble – the quarterback’s fourth turnover of the first half – and ran 29 yards for a touchdown with 1:51 remaining in the second quarter.
Things didn’t get much better early in the second half, when Green Bay’s Brett Favre hit Donald Driver for a 48-yard touchdown to open up a 21-12 lead with 12:39 remaining in the third quarter.
After that, the Seahawks’ offense dominated the game. Seattle scored touchdowns on three consecutive possessions – one in the third quarter, and two more in the fourth – to pull ahead and, eventually, pull away.
Hasselbeck hit D.J. Hackett for a 23-yard touchdown pass with 6:19 remaining in the third quarter to cut the difference to 21-19. Hasselbeck hit Darrell Jackson for a touchdown a few minutes later, adding a pass to Jerramy Stevens to convert the two-point conversion for a 27-21 lead 49 seconds into the fourth quarter.
Green Bay responded with a field goal to get within three points before Hasselbeck benefited from a controversial personal-foul call on the next drive.
As he threw an incomplete pass on third-and-long, Hasselbeck took a blow to the back of the head from Green Bay defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins. The 15-yard penalty kept the drive alive, and Hasselbeck eventually threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Jerramy Stevens to give Seattle a comfortable 10-point lead with 6:13 remaining.
“I was trying (to hold up),” Jenkins said. “(The referee) told me when (Hasselbeck) hit the ground, my wrist hit the back of his head. … It was third down, and we were only down by three. It was a huge play.”
Packers teammate Ryan Pickett was more blunt about his feelings.
“It was a bad call,” he said. “(Jenkins) didn’t even hit him. He pulled off. It’s just unfortunate. It was a bad call.”
While that play proved pivotal, the Packers (4-7) can blame their run defense for the loss. After not allowing a 100-yard rusher in any of its first 10 games of the season, Green Bay had no answer for Alexander.
And Alexander was looking and feeling more like himself.
“He’s an All-Pro back,” teammate Walter Jones said. “That’s why they brought him back (after the 2004 season). That’s why they paid him. Guys like that don’t need that much time. He’s confident that he can still do his thing.
“When we open the holes for him, he makes plays.”
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