Strong Pro Bowl showing for Seattle
Fullback and first-timer Mack Strong joined four expected members of the NFC-leading Seattle Seahawks as selections for the Pro Bowl in February.
League rushing leader Shaun Alexander, NFC passing-efficiency leader Matt Hasselbeck plus perennial Pro Bowl offensive linemen Walter Jones and Steve Hutchinson were Seattle’s other four selections. All are members of the NFL’s top-ranked offense.
The five selections tie for second-most in Seattle’s 30-year history. The 1984 team (12-4) had seven. A Seahawks win either Saturday against Indianapolis or Jan. 1 at Green Bay would eclipse that ‘84 squad for most Seattle wins over a regular season.
This will be the third consecutive Pro Bowl for Alexander. He leads the league with 1,668 yards rushing through 14 games and is 29 yards away from breaking his franchise record and career high for a single season set in 2005. Alexander, the only player with 15 or more touchdowns in five straight seasons, also needs three scores in his final two games to tie Priest Holmes’ NFL record of 27 touchdowns rushing in a season.
The majority of Alexander’s yards for the last three seasons have come while running behind Jones and Hutchinson on the left side of Seattle’s bludgeoning offensive line. Jones, a tackle, will be in his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl. Hutchinson, a guard, earned his third straight selection.
Perhaps the most meaningful Seattle selection was Strong’s. The 13-year veteran from Georgia was an undrafted free-agent signing for the Seahawks in 1993. Since then, the 34-year-old has gone relatively unnoticed while plowing paths for eight consecutive 1,000-yard rushers for Seattle, beginning with Ricky Watters in 1998.
The Seahawks also had three alternates selected for the Feb. 12 all-star game in Honolulu: kicker Josh Brown, center Robbie Tobeck and rookie middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu. Tatupu, a second-round draft choice and primary candidate to win the league’s defensive rookie of the year award, has led a resurgent and, at times, dominant Seattle defense this season.
Colts lead way with seven picks
There will be only one brother act in the Pro Bowl this season: the Barbers.
The Mannings? Only Peyton made it, hardly a surprise because brother Eli has had an up-and-down second season with the New York Giants.
So Eli, one of the leaders in the fan vote, ended up as a third alternate in the NFC when the players and coaches added their say.
Peyton Manning was one of an NFL-high seven Indianapolis Colts who made the group of 42 players from each conference; the seven Pro Bowlers befit the Colts’ 13-1 record. San Diego, which handed Indianapolis its first loss last Sunday, had six.
Chicago and Atlanta led the NFC with six selections each.
One noteworthy selection was Minnesota’s Koren Robinson, chosen as the NFC’s kick returner. Robinson, the ninth overall pick in the 2001 draft by Seattle, has had a series of off-field problems that included a guilty plea to drunk driving and a suspension last season. He was cut by the Seahawks before the season.
Harrington will start for Lions
Joey Harrington is getting at least one more chance with Detroit.
He will start at quarterback over Jeff Garcia this week against the New Orleans Saints, Lions interim coach Dick Jauron said.
Harrington, the third pick in the 2002 draft, began the year as the starter, then lost his job as soon as Garcia recovered from injuries in late October. After two games as a backup, Harrington was a starter again until Jauron replaced fired coach Steve Mariucci and went with Garcia for the previous three games.
Rams’ Bulger done for year
St. Louis Rams quarterback Marc Bulger was placed on injured reserve and will miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.
The Rams also placed middle linebacker Chris Claiborne on injured reserve, raising the number of St. Louis players on IR to nine.