Strong Running Game Gives Seahawks First Win

Anybody who second-guessed GM Tim Ruskell's decision to cut Seattle favorite Shaun Alexander and sign Julius Jones and TJ Duckett in his place must now kiss ruskell's ring. He did a great favor for Seahawks fans everywhere. With the running game looking sharp, Seattle achieved its first win in a 37-13 blowout of the St. Louis Rams.

For starters, let's look at Julius Jones. When he first signed with Seattle, I was skeptical. I had seen his games against Seattle, and boy were they good. I also saw how he lost his job to Marion Barber,  someone who hadn't started a game all last season. During the pre-season, he was terrible. So terrible, Head Coach Mike Holmgren gave Maurice Morris the starting job in a "run by committee" backfield. Needless to say, Morris went down with a knee injury in the opener and Jones didn't do great filling in for him. Then again, no one on the roster did good in the loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Then came the home opener against the San Francisco 49ers. Jones immediately turned into a demi-god. He rushed for about 120 yards, including a long touchdown to put the Hawks up early in the game. However, Seattle faltered and gave up a 14-0 lead, losing in OT, 33-30.

Now, it was time Jones went from demi-god to god. Backed by 140 yards and a touchdown, Seattle's superman, along with bruiser TJ Duckett, paved the way for a big win against the division rival Rams. Jones's 140 yards was only second to, you guessed it, Marion Barber's 142 yards, on Sunday. Duckett also added two touchdowns on a 19 carry, 79 yard day. What does this mean for Seattle? It means that after their bye week, they can count on a strong running game to face the Super Bowl Champion Giants, along with a few healthy bodies coming back for the wide receiver position.

If you are as excited as I am to see Jones and Duckett moving the chains agaisnt the Giants, imagine Matt Hasselbeck throwing to some familiar faces he trusts. That usually adds to a Seattle win. A win against New York would give the Seahawks a 2-2 record, which was the same record they had before letting loose on an 11-1 run during the 2005 Super Bowl season. Maybe Seattle is about to have a fortunate blast from the past coming their way very soon.  

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