State football champions crowned
Published 12:00 am Saturday, November 29, 2003
SEATTLE - Matt Hasselbeck has the Seattle offense on a roll. And the Seahawks turned in a great defensive performance against the Cleveland Browns, too.
''We're rolling, and we're not done yet,'' Shaun Alexander said. ''This is getting exciting for us.''
Hasselbeck threw for 328 yards and three touchdowns and Alexander rushed for 127 yards and another TD, leading Seattle to a 34-7 victory Sunday over the reeling Browns.
''We feel like we can do a lot better, and this is not our final goal,'' Hasselbeck said. ''We have a final goal - and we don't talk about it a lot - but we want to be playing at the end of the year.''
The Seahawks (8-4) had 463 yards one week after getting 426 in an overtime loss at Baltimore. Hasselbeck completed 26 of 35 passes with one interception, and Seattle was a remarkable 11-of-15 on third-down conversions when he was in.
''That is a very key statistic in any game, next to turnovers,'' Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said.
Darrell Jackson, whose troubles catching the ball earlier this fall were well documented, had eight receptions for 102 yards and two touchdowns, while Koren Robinson caught six passes for 122 yards.
It was the first game in franchise history where the Seahawks had a 300-yard passer, a 100-yard rusher and two 100-yard receivers.
''We have so many weapons and everybody is peaking right now,'' Robinson said. ''On any given play, we can hurt you.''
Seattle improved to 7-0 at home for the first time since 1984, matching a club home-field record that year en route to a 12-4 mark. Going back to last season, the Seahawks have won eight straight home games and nine of 10.
Seattle remained one game behind St. Louis in the NFC West while sending the Browns (4-8) to their fifth loss in six games.
It was Cleveland's most lopsided loss in three seasons under coach Butch Davis, eclipsing a 23-point loss at Green Bay on Dec. 23, 2001.
''We got beat by a good football team today,'' Davis said. ''We didn't play very well at times.''
The only blemish on Seattle's solid performance came on special teams. For the second straight week, the Seahawks had a punt blocked and returned for a TD. Andre King ran one back 28 yards with 3:23 to play.
Seattle's defense allowed only 47 yards rushing. Cleveland finished with 204 total yards, much of it coming on late passes.
The Browns got inside Seattle's 20 only once, and Ken Lucas intercepted a pass by Kelly Holcomb to highlight Seattle's best defensive effort since a 38-0 win at Arizona in Week 2.
''We know we've got to come out and play 60 minutes,'' cornerback Marcus Trufant said. ''We know we can't play for a half or even a quarter. We've got to play the whole game.''
That was the lesson from last week, when the Seahawks blew a 17-point fourth-quarter lead in a 44-41 overtime loss at Baltimore.
''When you get humbled, that's when you're dangerous. It helped us,'' safety Reggie Tongue said.
Holcomb completed 22 of 31 passes for 186 yards with one interception. He was 13-of-17 for 102 yards in the first half, but fumbled once, leading to Josh Brown's 36-yard field goal.
Tim Couch, seeing his first action in four weeks, took over to start the third quarter, but left with a sprained knee on his second series.
Notes: Couch will be re-evaluated Monday. … Holmgren won his 123rd game, moving into a tie with Sid Gillman for 20th place on the NFL's career coaching victories list. … Cleveland WR Quincy Morgan left with a concussion after colliding with Seattle LB Anthony Simmons. ''I was out for a while,'' Morgan said. ''I don't know what happened.'' … Seahawks reserve LB Orlando Huff started for Randall Godfrey, inactive with a bruised chest. … Cleveland DT Gerard Warren was ejected after punching Seahawks C Robbie Tobeck on Hasselbeck's 26-yard TD pass to Jackson. ''He landed a blow. I won by not fighting,'' Tobeck said. … Alexander has 1,034 yards rushing, his third straight 1,000-yard season.