Alexander reaches rushing TD milestone

ATLANTA – Shaun Alexander said he’s never bothered to look at the other names on the list of running backs who have scored 100 rushing touchdowns. There are only seven of them, and Alexander has had plenty of time to peruse the record books.

On Sunday, 14 weeks after he scored his 98th rushing touchdown and almost a month since scoring No. 99, the Seattle Seahawks’ running back finally made history by adding his name to the list. His first-quarter touchdown run put Alexander on a short list that also includes Emmitt Smith (164), Marcus Allen (123), LaDainian Tomlinson (114), Walter Payton (110), Jim Brown (106), John Riggins (104) and Marshall Faulk (100).

“I don’t really play just for that,” said Alexander, who moved ahead of Barry Sanders for sole possession of eighth place on the all-time list of rushing touchdowns. “The stats are nice, but I’m much more into winning games. After you retire, that’s when you look at that stuff. I’m focused on this year, just like I do every year.”

Alexander entered this season needing just four rushing touchdowns to add his name to the list, but he’s struggled to get into the end zone. He scored on a pass play last week, and last ran for a score in a Dec. 2 game at Philadelphia, but before that Alexander went 10 scoreless games due in part to a knee injury.

Alexander scored on a 15-yard play on Seattle’s opening drive. He helped jump-start a running game that struggled for most of the first 14 games of the season.

Thanks in part to Maurice Morris’s 91-yard game, the Seahawks piled up a season-high 167 rushing yards Sunday. Morris had an 18-yard run on his first carry and added a 29-yard touchdown in the third quarter.