Holmgren backing Alexander
One day after getting into a spirited sideline discussion with running back Shaun Alexander, Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren had another target on Monday.
The public.
Using some of the sternness that he once displayed as a high school teacher, Holmgren cautioned outsiders not to put too much blame on Alexander for the Seahawks’ running woes.
“Shaun Alexander seems to be the lightning rod,” Holmgren said of the criticism, “and I am here to tell that there are times that there is nothing there. We are not blocking very well at this particular point. That must improve. And he has been a little unfairly criticized, in my opinion.”
Alexander has been criticized for most of the season, on talk shows and in the newspaper, for his lack of success. Holmgren has continued to defend him by saying that the running game is a team-wide problem, but on Monday the coach seemed more animated than usual.
“We’ve been forced to analyze it because of people – (reporters), our families, everybody – what they say is: ‘What’s going on with Shaun?’ ” Holmgren said Monday. “Because Shaun (was) the MVP (two years ago), Shaun’s a great running back: ‘What’s going on with Shaun?’
Holmgren would not get specific about where the assignment breakdowns were happening in terms of run blocking.
On Monday, Holmgren was acting as Alexander’s lead blocker. And quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was also coming to his running back’s defense.
“There’s no way it’s all him,” Hasselbeck said. “There’s no way. This is as big of a team sport as there is, and especially on offense. You get one guy not doing his job properly, and your chances of success go way down.
“(Alexander) should not feel the burden of all that because it’s definitely not one guy.”
Possible schedule change
The NFL will move up the kickoff of the Monday night game next week in Denver by 30 minutes if there is a Game 5 of the World Series.
Around the league
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Tarvaris Jackson has a broken finger on his throwing hand, an injury suffered in Sunday’s defeat at Dallas. … Houston QB Matt Schaub will be listed as day to day this week after X-rays of his injured right hip were negative. … Miami Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown will need surgery to repair a torn ACL causing him to miss the remainder of the season. … Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence early Monday in Englewood, Colo. … Jim Mitchell, a Pro Bowl tight end for the Atlanta Falcons in the ‘60s and ‘70s, died Saturday in Shelbyville, Tenn., after suffering an apparent heart attack. He was 60.