KIRKLAND — Already without their top two quarterbacks, the New York Jets lost All-Pro center Kevin Mawae for the season on Sunday. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost starting quarterback Brian Griese.

And the St. Louis Rams, already without ailing coach Mike Martz, might have lost quarterback Marc Bulger for at least a week after he was hurt Monday night.

That's just the latest short sampling of the teams missing key players already this season.

The long list includes the Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys, who suddenly face new challenges as they prepare to play each other in an important NFC game Sunday.

Coach Mike Holmgren said the Seahawks must view the absence of starting safety Ken Hamlin — hospitalized with head injuries suffered in an altercation early Monday morning — as though it were an on-field injury. They must handle it, he said, as they did when injuries took out Darrell Jackson and Bobby Engram, the team's top two receivers, and when a stroke sidelined defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes.

"As you look around the league, there's not a week that goes by that you don't see some team having to deal with something that's tough on them," Holmgren said. "So it's part of this business. And if you expect to win the championship, you have to be able to deal with stuff like that."

The Cowboys are dealing with the loss of left tackle Flozell Adams (right ACL) for the season and No. 3 receiver Patrick Crayton (right ankle) for about six weeks. Both were hurt during Dallas' overtime win over the New York Giants on Sunday.

The Cowboys have played the past two games without starting linebacker Dat Nguyen (pinched nerve in neck). And running back Julius Jones missed the game Sunday with a sprained left ankle.

"We really haven't been tested that badly right now," coach Bill Parcells told reporters in Dallas. "But we're getting ready to be."

Holmgren said the Seahawks have passed their early tests; they responded well to losing Jackson and Engram, as Seattle's No. 1 league ranking on offense attests.

Alexander's situation

Sure, Shaun Alexander leads the league in rushing (715) and touchdowns (12), and is on pace for 1,907 yards and 32 scores (which would be a league record).

But the numbers themselves aren't quite as surprising as the way Alexander has gotten some of them. Holmgren agrees with many observers who note that Alexander seems to be running harder — a tough attitude that is reflected in Alexander's league-leading 47 first downs, including 7 for 7 on third-and-one.

The running back's newfound edge might have something to do with the fact that he is in a contract year, or it might just be Holmgren's influence.

The coach knows better than to change Alexander's running style, which has sometimes been described as "boom or bust."

"Sometimes he'll see something ... and cut it back and get tackled. And you go, 'Oh, man,' " Holmgren said. "But then the next time he does that, he'll go 60, and I'm glad he did it.

"So what I've done with him, I want him to know situations. If he needs a yard for a first down or 2 yards for a first down, I expect him to understand that and make the decision himself and run a certain way."

Holmgren said he will often remind quarterback Matt Hasselbeck during play calls that the ball carrier needs to "hit it up in there."

Diplomatically speaking, the coach said, "I kind of narrow that down a little bit for the running back."

Notes

• Alexander was to be named the NFC offensive player of the week today for his 141-yard, four-touchdown performance in Seattle's 42-10 win over the Houston Texans on Sunday night. His honor comes a week after Hasselbeck was hailed for his play in Seattle's win in St. Louis.

• The Seahawks held physicals and workouts for several fullbacks yesterday, including veterans Joey Goodspeed, formerly with the Rams, and Jamar Martin, formerly with Miami and Dallas.

The team has already conducted workouts for defensive backs, should the need arise to sign a player to replace Hamlin. Marquand Manuel will start in Hamlin's place, and John Howell will provide depth. Other free-agent options are Terreal Bierria, a former Seahawks fourth-round draft pick released by the team in September, and Etric Pruitt, a free safety on the team's practice squad.

Chris Cluff: 206-464-8787 or ccluff@seattletimes.com. Times staff reporter Jose Miguel Romero contributed to this notebook.