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Running Watters Seahawks avoid 0-3 start by downing Saints 20-10
SEATTLE (AP) -- Ricky Watters taught his young counterpart a thing or two about running, winning and consistency. Watters had the 31st 100-yard rushing game of his career to lead the Seattle Seahawks over Ricky Williams and the New Orleans Saints 20-10. The 31-year-old Watters ran 22 times for 105 yards and a touchdown in his 100th consecutive start. The only back in NFL history with more consecutive starts was Walter Payton, with 170. "Ricky has been unbelievable," Seahawks quarterback Jon Kitna said. "People say that he's lost a step, but I haven't seen it." Watters, who hasn't missed a start since Christmas 1993 when he was with the San Francisco 49ers, is supposed to be in the twilight of his career in Seattle, which made running back Shaun Alexander of Alabama its top draft choice this year. Alexander had five carries for 19 yards and was in the same backfield with Watters a couple of times. "It's pretty effective having those two guys in the backfield," fullback Mack Strong said. "Either one of them can come up with the big plays and that gives us an advantage." With the score tied at 10, Kitna hit tight end Itula Mili with a 1-yard touchdown pass with about nine minutes left in the game. Kris Heppner added his second field goal of the day, a 45-yarder, about five minutes later for the final margin. Williams, the 1998 Heisman Trophy winner from Texas who came to the Saints at the heavy price of eight draft choices, had 107 yards on 23 carries despite playing with a broken bone in his left foot that he sustained in the opener. It was his third career 100-yard rushing game. "What I want to do is win games," said the 23-year-old Williams, who missed four games with injuries last year. "The number of yards I get is not that important. It was frustrating just watching the second half because we didn't get on the field much." The Seahawks (1-2) took about seven minutes off the clock in the 12-play, 87-yard drive that ended with Kitna's short pass to Mili, who was all alone in the end zone. Seattle held the Saints (1-2) to three-and-out on the next series and then controlled the ball for another 4 1/2 minutes to set up Heppner's field goal. At that point, the Seahawks controlled the ball 20:35 to New Orleans' 5:38 in the second half. "I'm disappointed in our defense," Saints head coach Jim Haslett said. "We just couldn't get the offense back on the field." New Orleans linebacker Keith Mitchell credited head coach Mike Holmgren's game plan for Seattle's victory. "Holmgren attacked us at the weakness of the defense and he did it at the right time," Mitchell said. Kitna was 22-for-29 for 193 yards, one touchdown and one interception. New Orleans quarterback Jeff Blake, who took a back seat to Williams, was 14-for-24 for 159 yards, with one TD and no interceptions. Heppner tied the score at 10 in the third quarter with a 31-yarder after a drive that ate up 15 plays and 6:59. The Seahawks trailed 10-7 at halftime after Heppner hit the right upright on a 37-yard field-goal attempt in the second quarter and Doug Brien made a 26-yard field goal for New Orleans. In the first quarter, the Seahawks took advantage of a 28-yard punt by Toby Gowin. Taking over at the Saints 47, Seattle didn't have far to go before Watters' 7-yard TD run made it 7-0. Saints wideout Keith Poole beat cornerback Chris Canty badly and scored on a 49-yard pass from Blake to tie the score at 7 in the opening quarter. Notes: Randy Mueller, the Saints' general manager, and Mickey Loomis, director of football administration in New Orleans, watched the game from the Husky Stadium press box. They used to help run the Seahawks franchise when Ken Behring owned the team. Billionaire Paul Allen bought the Seahawks from Behring and brought in Holmgren as his coach and general manager. ... Seahawks punt and kickoff returner Charlie Rogers, who led the NFL with a 14.5-yard punt return average last season, did not play. Holmgren said he was held out of the game because he violated a team rule, but would not elaborate. ... Joe Horn of the Saints had seven catches for 68 yards. In three games, he's made 24 receptions for 242 yards.
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