Seahawks | Now healthy, Alexander set to start again

KIRKLAND — Running back Shaun Alexander will start for the Seahawks when they play at Philadelphia on Sunday, coach Mike Holmgren said Friday after practice.

Alexander was able to practice all week. He had to go through an entire week of practice on his sprained knee and sore ankle before Holmgren would allow him to return to game action. Alexander also has a cracked left wrist and has missed the past three games.

Holmgren said Alexander is moving well and has no pain.

The coach said backup Maurice Morris, who also is dealing with ankle pain but fully practiced Thursday and Friday, also will be available Sunday.

"Mo will probably play a little bit more than [he did] before Shaun was hurt, and Shaun understands that. He's handling it like a real professional," Holmgren said.

Holmgren said he didn't know if the carries would come down to a 50-50 split.

"We're getting back the MVP of the league," Holmgren said, referring to when Alexander was the NFL's most valuable player in 2005. "Last year when he was hurt, we struggled just a little bit. He came back and gave us a little bit of a burst at the end there, and I'm hopeful he'll do the same thing this year."

Tatupu should play

Middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu practiced Friday for the first time this week. He has been bothered by soreness near his ribs but will play barring anything unexpected, Holmgren said.

Defensive tackle Rocky Bernard and safety Mike Green also got their first action of the week Friday, and their availability is still to be decided. Tatupu, Bernard and Green are listed as questionable.

For the Eagles, quarterback Donovan McNabb is doubtful with ankle and thumb injuries after not practicing at all this week. That means A.J. Feeley likely will be the Eagles' quarterback Sunday.

Westbrook praised

Eagles running back Brian Westbrook is the NFL leader in yards from scrimmage with 1,459 (901 rushing, 558 receiving), and his 62 catches lead Philadelphia.

Westbrook is one of only three NFL running backs to lead his team in both rushing and receptions.

"I don't necessarily try to fit into anybody else's expectations of a stereotypical running back," Westbrook said.

Eagles coach Andy Reid said Westbrook does many things well, including blocking. Reid said Westbrook "picked up the running-back position faster than any running back I've been around."

The numbers indicate Westbrook's success. He leads the NFL in first downs with 71. His 145.9 yards a game would rank as the 13th-best in NFL history for anyone who played at least 75 percent of his team's games.

Holmgren said Westbrook is the quintessential running back in the West Coast offense.

"I look at guys who are very, very important to their team. Marshall Faulk was that way with the Rams a few years ago," Holmgren said. "Great runner. Great receiver. Very good pass blocker. Kind of the whole deal. Elusive. Quick. You could flank him out and he could be a wide receiver. Those guys are rare. The really good ones are rare, and Brian is very much like that."

Notes

• Game balls from the Seahawks' victory last week went to DE Patrick Kerney for the second consecutive week, QB Matt Hasselbeck and Green for special teams.

• The weather in Philadelphia calls for possible snow flurries and 37 degrees for a high temperature. The last time the Seahawks played in Philadelphia (December 2005), the weather was very cold with snow, and the Seahawks crushed the Eagles 42-0. "I've never been in a game quite like that, ever," Holmgren said, referring to how lopsided it was.

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com