Offensive line a gift to Alexander and the rest of Seahawks
KIRKLAND, Wash. – The sight was as rare as blue-collar grinders wearing three-piece suits: The five towering members of the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive line, shoulder-to-shoulder on the sports section cover of a national publication.
“It’s nice,” Pro Bowl left guard Steve Hutchinson said of the recent attention in USA Today. “I’ve had people come up to me saying they’ve never seen anything like it.”
That’s because plumbers typically rate more notice than offensive linemen.
But plumbers don’t get multimillion-dollar NFL running backs buying them ultra-luxurious Christmas gifts and then paving their way to Hawaii and the Pro Bowl each winter.
“They never get the credit that they deserve,” running back Shaun Alexander said of Walter Jones, Hutchinson, Robbie Tobeck, Chris Gray and Sean Locklear – the left-to-right vanguard that has led Alexander to a league-leading 1,339 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns through 11 games.
The big five are the main reason Seattle has had the league’s top offense for most of this increasingly magical season. The Seahawks (9-2) lead the NFC entering their Monday night game at Philadelphia (5-6). They are quickly closing in on at least one playoff home game, if not their first postseason win since 1984. A first trip to a Super Bowl is no longer a pipe dream.
Not only is the line good, it is one of the rare NFL units that has been the same year after year. All of Seattle’s linemen have started alongside each other since 2001, except for Locklear. The 2004 third-round draft choice entered the group when incumbent Floyd Womack injured his left triceps in the preseason.
“I have been really blessed to have a line like this for all these years,” Alexander said.
But last Sunday against the quick, athletic New York Giants’ defensive front, this fab five didn’t live up to its own high standards. Jones, who has been to five consecutive Pro Bowls, allowed Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora to beat him twice for sacks of quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. Jones also had a holding penalty late in the fourth quarter of what was then a tie game.
That’s three more errors than he normally has in a month.
“It surprises you. You kind of never expect that to happen. But Walter is human, too,” coach Mike Holmgren said. “But if you grade the whole game, I still like having Walter Jones there. He’s OK. I don’t worry too much about Walter there.”
On the other side, Locklear had what Holmgren called “an interesting day” trying to block Giants’ Pro Bowler Michael Strahan. Locklear had two holding penalties, but didn’t allow Strahan a sack. Gray and Tobeck also had holding penalties.
But last Sunday isn’t going to stop Alexander, who still managed 110 yards rushing, from once again stuffing his linemen’s holiday stockings. It’s not going to stop the blockers from lobbying Alexander for preferred Christmas gifts, either.