Favre, Packers rout Seahawks

GREEN BAY, Wis. – For all of Brett Favre’s questions about the readiness of some of his younger teammates, only one question mattered Saturday night: To leap or not to leap?

Rookie receiver James Jones did a “Lambeau leap” into the grandstands after scoring a touchdown early in Green Bay’s 48-13 preseason rout of Seattle. But rookie running back Brandon Jackson passed, choosing instead to jog back to the sideline to celebrate with his teammates.

“I thought about the Lambeau leap,” Jackson said. “But I was winded, and it was wet and slippery.”

Favre directed the Packers to 17 points in their first four drives after declaring earlier this week that their dismal showing in its preseason debut at Pittsburgh – they failed to gain a single first down with Favre under center – left him as frustrated as he had ever been after a preseason game.

“I think we executed better,” Favre said, in comments issued through the Packers’ public relations department after halftime. “Last week, we didn’t execute very well. Guys made some plays.”

The Seahawks weren’t exactly poised to put up much of a fight, as cautious coach Mike Holmgren sat quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and both of his starting offensive tackles.

“It shouldn’t matter,” Holmgren said. “Those are three very good players, but it shouldn’t make that kind of a difference. We got injured last year and guys had to come in and play. I just didn’t think we played very well. We didn’t execute at all.”

At least the Seahawks didn’t come away from the game with any major injuries.

“Why would we?” Holmgren said. “We didn’t hit anybody.”

It was the most prolific preseason scoring output since the days of leather helmets for the Packers, who beat the Cedar Rapids Crush 75-0 in 1938.

Favre showed increased comfort with two rookie teammates, handing off to Jackson for a 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and connecting with Jones for a 16-yard touchdown pass to begin the second quarter. Jones also caught a touchdown pass from backup Aaron Rodgers later in the quarter.

Meanwhile, backup Seneca Wallace struggled in Hasselbeck’s place. Without starting tackles Walter Jones and Sean Locklear, Wallace spent most of the first half on the run.

“We’ve played well without those guys before,” Wallace said. “We just didn’t play well. We have no excuses.”

Jones is coming off right shoulder surgery and Locklear has a sore right knee.

“It’s preseason,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said. “Sometimes you run into games like that. I don’t think the score really tells the whole story about the Seattle Seahawks and it doesn’t really tell the whole story about the Green Bay Packers. You have different agendas going on on both sides of the ball.”

Packers defensive end Kabeer-Gbaja Biamila sacked Wallace in the second quarter and forced a fumble, allowing linebacker Nick Barnett to recover and run for a 62-yard touchdown. With the extra point, the Packers led 24-3.

The Packers scored another defensive touchdown late in the second quarter when safety Atari Bigby pounced on Wallace and forced a fumble, allowing linebacker Tracy White to pick up the ball and run 34 yards.

Wallace was replaced late in the second quarter by third-stringer David Greene – who threw three interceptions, including two to Jarrett Bush.

Hasselbeck, who played only one series in the Seahawks’ preseason opener against San Diego, had surgery on his non-throwing shoulder in January.

Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander played less than a quarter, carrying only three times for 3 yards. Backup Maurice Morris gained 31 yards on six carries, including a 15-yard touchdown run.

Favre was 7 for 12 for 74 yards and a touchdown. Jackson, a second-round pick from Nebraska who started in place of injured back Vernand Morency, gained 54 yards rushing on 13 attempts.

Jones, a third-round pick out of San Jose State who is solidifying his spot as the Packers’ No. 3 receiver, caught four passes for 58 yards.

“Once you get your first TD here, you have to do a Lambeau leap,” Jones said. “It was exciting.”

Rodgers was 10 for 16 for 97 yards and two touchdowns but fumbled twice.

Notes

Packers defensive end Cullen Jenkins had a sack and two tackles for loss in the first quarter. … Bubba Franks, who has been working as the Packers’ No. 2 tight end after the worst season of his career, caught four passes for 30 yards. … Three Seahawks players were called for holding on a kickoff return late in the second quarter: Michael Boulware, Deon Grant and Omowale Dada.