Seahawks Turn Colts Into Dolts Friesz Throws Three Touchdown Passes In Seattle’s 45-3 Victory

John Friesz wants to put an end to all the quarterback-controversy talk in Seattle.

Friesz finally got untracked in an exhibition game Saturday night, passing for three touchdowns in the first half as the Seahawks routed the Indianapolis Colts 45-3.

It was one of the highest scoring exhibition game for the Seahawks in their 22-year history, second only to a 55-20 victory over San Francisco on Aug. 24, 1979, in the Kingdome.

The Colts, who entered the NFL in Baltimore in 1947, suffered the worst exhibition defeat in franchise history. The previous worst was the Baltimore Colts’ 33-3 loss to Washington in Tampa, Fla., on Aug. 4, 1972.

“Everything we tried tonight seemed to work,” Friesz said. “We went out and executed.”

“I couldn’t be happier about where we’re at offensively right now,” coach Dennis Erickson said. “If we play like that when it’s for real, I’ll really be excited.”

The Seahawks’ No. 1 offense handed off a 24-0 lead to backup Warren Moon after Friesz connected with Joey Galloway for an 11-yard touchdown pass with 3:04 gone in the second quarter.

Friesz also had scoring passes of 49 and 44 yards to James McKnight. In five series, he was 8 for 15 for 157 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. They were his first three scoring passes of the preseason.

How dominating were the Seahawks? Try 434 offensive yards to 213.

Seattle (2-2) made the Colts (1-2) look like the unforgettable Dolts, who went 1-15 in 1991.

Starting quarterback Jim Harbaugh, who didn’t have much time because of a steady pass rush from Cortez Kennedy and Chad Brown, completed 3 of 9 passes for 25 yards in three series. Marshall Faulk of Indianapolis rushed for 25 yards on five carries.

“They’re very physical up front,” Harbaugh said. “They really manhandled us in every phase of the game. I really feel it was more them than us.”

Said Colts coach Lindy Infante: “We did nothing right and they did virtually everything right. We better hope the real team wasn’t out there tonight.”

But these weren’t the 1991 Colts. Indianapolis has made the playoffs the past two seasons and was in the AFC title game two years ago.

The Colts averted a shutout when Cary Blanchard kicked a 51-yard field goal with 1:46 left in the opening half.

Moon, who outplayed Friesz in Seattle’s first three exhibition games, passed 17 yards to tight end Deems May for a touchdown and a 31-0 lead with 3:33 left in the first half. He was 4 for 5 for 53 yards.

With third-stringer Jon Kitna at quarterback, Seattle got two touchdowns in the second half - on an 11-yard run by Steve Broussard in the third quarter and a 1-yard sneak by Kitna in the fourth.

Kitna, who starred for the Barcelona Dragons in the World League this summer, was 8 for 8 for 116 yards, all in the third quarter. For the preseason, he’s 28 for 32 with four touchdown passes and one TD run.

“It’s not like it’s going to happen every week,” Kitna said.

McKnight, who has eight career receptions in three seasons in Seattle, caught three passes for 110 yards.

“Our coaches expect me to make big plays. Tonight, I made them during the game instead of just on the practice field,” McKnight said.