Groz’s ’05 Seahawks Rewind: Seattle solves its post-bye woes thanks to Alexander

Nov 3, 2021, 3:36 PM

Seahawks RB Shaun Alexander carries the ball in the first half against the Arizona Cardinals on November 6, 2005 at Sun Devil Stadium. The Seahawks defeated the Cardinals 33-19. (Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)

(Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)

BY DAVE GROSBY

Seattle Sports Host Emeritus

With Mike Holmgren and Matt Hasselbeck having been inducted into the Seahawks Ring of Honor this year, we look back at their finest hour: the 2005 Super Bowl season.

One thing that had vexed Mike Holmgren during his time with the Seahawks was a maddening inability to win after a bye week. But with a hard-fought win over Dallas in the rearview, Holmgren tried something new: He gave the Seahawks the full bye week off and presto, the Seahawks emerged victorious in Week 9.

Of course, it didn’t hurt that the opponent was the Arizona Cardinals, a team they’d handled earlier, or that Shaun Alexander was in perfect form. His 23-carry, 173- yard day included two touchdown runs, one of which was an 88 yarder.

Matt Hasselbeck had a turnover-free performance as the Seahawks began to turn some heads with their fourth win a row, tying them at 6-2 atop the NFC standings. The Seahawks had overcome a 2-2 start and were beginning to find out how good they could be. Alexander in particular was having a season to remember and both coaches Holmgren and Denny Green suggested he was the best back in the game after this one.

This Arizona game was the first of three straight against division foes. Put them away and you could start thinking about not just breaking the playoff drought, which had stretched to 20 years without a victory, but things like homefield advantage if you were fans, for the first time in a long time.

For the team, it was the first of three straight in the division with the Rams up next.

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