Seahawks Running Game (Week 13) (1 Viewer)

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Seahawks' Alexander returns to practice, expects to play Eagles By Gregg Bell, AP Sports WriterKIRKLAND, Wash. — Shaun Alexander was back practicing Wednesday afternoon for the first time since he sprained his ankle 3 1/2 weeks ago.Alexander looked rested and lively while getting most of the running back plays with the offense, his first work since he sprained his left knee Nov. 4 in a loss at Cleveland."Everyone kept saying, 'Man, it looked like you're fresh'," Alexander said."This is the best I've felt probably since the second week of the season."So does all fresh mean all healed?"Uh, no," the 2005 league MVP deadpanned. "This is football. Nothing's healed. But it's definitely something I can play with."Alexander said he will play Sunday when the Seahawks (7-4) take their two-game lead in the NFC West to Philadelphia (5-6). Coach Mike Holmgren was less definitive."We have our fingers crossed, as he does," Holmgren said before practice, wary of how sore Alexander might be Thursday.Maurice Morris, who has averaged 85 yards rushing per game in three starts for Alexander, hurt his ankle late in last weekend's win at St. Louis and missed all but a few plays of practice Wednesday. Holmgren said Morris may not practice much before Sunday.Asked whether Morris or Alexander, or both, will play against the Eagles, Holmgren said: "That's a good one. Anything I say probably won't happen. So we'll just let it happen ... and see how that goes."Alexander is still wearing a cast over a broken left wrist. Holmgren said he met with Alexander on Tuesday and explained that upon his return, Morris will continue to play.Alexander said he was fine with that. It will be the first time since Alexander became Seattle's lead runner in 2001 that he hasn't been the sole, featured back in the offense.The 30-year-old Alexander has 492 yards rushing in eight games. He has two touchdowns, the same as Morris has in the last three games.

Shaun Alexander (knee, wrist) will practice on Wednesday, but Maurice Morris (ankle) will not take part in the workout.Morris was hurt in the fourth quarter during Week 12, but is expected to be available for practice later in the week. If both are healthy enough to face the Eagles, it's uncertain how the 'Hawks would divvy up the workload. Neither should be counted on as more than a flex in fantasy leagues. Nov. 28 - 4:17 pm et

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck also practiced Wednesday despite a sore quadriceps. He didn't practice until Friday last week because of sore ribs, then rallied the Seahawks to 17 points in the second half Sunday to beat the Rams.Lofa Tatupu watched practice with an electrical stimulation machine taped to his sore ribs. Holmgren said his Pro Bowl middle linebacker may not practice all week, but will likely play against the Eagles.

 

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Seahawks RB Alexander to start vs. Eagles, but Morris will share more of the load By Gregg Bell, AP Sports WriterKIRKLAND, Wash. — Running back Shaun Alexander will start in the Seahawks' game Sunday at Philadelphia after practicing for a third straight day following a 3 1/2-week absence with a sprained knee.Exactly how much the NFL's 2005 MVP will play remains unclear. Alexander also has a broken left wrist and will wear a cast in the game."He is really moving well. He has no pain and he wants to play," coach Mike Holmgren said Friday before the team flew east.Holmgren reiterated that backup Maurice Morris will get more carries than he usually would when Alexander starts. Morris has averaged 85 yards rushing while starting the last three games - all Seahawks wins - for Alexander, who has struggled this season and been booed at home.Morris scored two touchdowns in those three games, as many as Alexander has in eight games this season.FIND MORE STORIES IN: NFL | Sunday | MVP | Eagles | Seahawks | Seattle Seahawks | Alexander | Maurice Morris "We're going to play them both. Mo will probably play a little bit more than before Shaun was hurt," Holmgren said. "I think Shaun understands that. He's handling it like a real professional."Alexander also understands this is not the same offense in which he ran for a team-record 1,880 yards and set the NFL single-season record with 28 touchdowns two seasons ago. Seattle has taken control of its division by largely abandoning a stalled running game and relying more than ever on Matt Hasselbeck's passing.Alexander missed six games last season with a broken foot then averaged 112 yards per game over the final six weeks of the regular season. Holmgren would welcome a similar boost now."Think of this now: We're getting back the MVP of the league," Holmgren said. "Last year when he was hurt we struggled just a little bit. He came back and gave us a little bit of burst at the end there, remember. I'm hopeful it will be the same thing this year."Alexander said he feels better than he has since Week 2 and is just happy to be back on the field, however his role has changed."I'm just excited," he said. "I'm like a kid in a candy store right now."Seattle's defense welcomed Lofa Tatupu back to practice for the first time in a week. The two-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker had missed the previous two days with a strained oblique muscle he injured last weekend at St. Louis.He will play Sunday at the scene of perhaps the greatest game of his three-year career. As a rookie he returned an interception 38 yards through the snow for the only touchdown of his career and had nine tackles on Dec. 5, 2005, when the Seahawks beat the Eagles 42-0 on a Monday night.Starting defensive tackle Rocky Bernard also returned to practice after sitting out two days to rest his sore groin. Bernard, who hasn't missed a start this season, is expected to play.

 

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