Seahawks believe running game is picking up speed

RENTON — Seahawks coach Jim Mora placed Sunday's game in Matt Hasselbeck's hands when his quarterback threw 51 passes against Detroit.

The game ball, however, wound up in Julius Jones' hands.

Yes, that's right: Julius Jones, the guy who averaged 2.3 yards on his 16 carries.

Sure, he scored his first rushing touchdown since Week 1. But it was a 3-yard run, and he still hasn't run for more than 100 yards in a game since the season opener against St. Louis. So why did he get a game ball?

"There has been some real improvement in Julius that's not necessarily evident to the naked eye," Mora said.

Progress isn't the first word most people would pick to describe Seattle's rushing game. Jones has rushed for more than 50 yards just once in the past five games, and Seattle has released two veteran backup backs.

On Monday, Kansas City cut Larry Johnson, who in his best season ran for 1,789 yards in 2006. Mora was asked the possibility of adding another veteran to the backfield.

"No," Mora said. "Julius has now had two pretty good weeks in a row."

So what has Jones done so well?

"He's starting to pick up the scheme," Mora said. "He's seeing things much better. I think he's understanding where the cut's going to be much better. I feel like he's gaining more yards after contact than he was earlier in the year."

Seattle's running game has operated at something resembling a crawl this season. A slow, painful crawl.

The Seahawks have cut T.J. Duckett and Edgerrin James. They've run behind a line that has started four left tackles and three left guards, and the best lineman on the team — Walter Jones — won't play a down this season.

Running the ball is at the core of Mora's philosophy. It's what Atlanta did so well, leading the league in rushing each of Mora's three seasons as coach.

But while Mora believes in the rushing game, he's not beholden to it.

"You're stubborn to a point, but not to the point of hurting your football team," he said.

Mora is a first-year coach, but this is not a rebuilding situation. He doesn't get to install his program and then gradually accumulate the right players for it, as Mike Holmgren did when he came here as coach in 1999.

Holmgren took three years to find the right quarterback for his offense; he used first-round picks to choose a running back, guard and wide receiver; and it wasn't until the end of 2002 — his fourth season as coach — that Seattle's offense really took flight.

Mora's philosophy is more grounded.

"I want us to be able to run the football," he said, "because I think really in the long term you have to be able to run the football. But I want us to have some success, and if success means giving the ball to Matt and saying, 'Hey, here you go, go make plays,' then that's what we'll do."

Seattle is averaging 84.5 yards rushing, which ranks 30th in the league. On the other hand, Seattle's Greg Knapp is in his ninth season as an NFL offensive coordinator, and his unit ranked in the league's top 10 in rushing each of his previous eight seasons.

"We're very confident that given time in this system, with these players, that it can be a successful run scheme," Mora said. "It has proven to be."

Note

• CB Ken Lucas played just seven plays against Detroit because of a sore neck, but felt better Monday. He was replaced by Kelly Jennings as the nickel back. Josh Wilson started at right cornerback.

Danny O'Neil: 206-464-2364 or doneil@seattletimes.com