Alexander scores five times in first half of rout

SEATTLE (AP) -- Shaun Alexander strolled into the interview room

and stepped behind the microphone.

"My name is Shaun Alexander. How's everyone doing?'' he asked

with a smile.

Yeah, right. As if he needed an introduction.

Alexander set an NFL record with five first-half touchdowns,

scoring three times within a span of 1:05 as the Seattle Seahawks

beat the Minnesota Vikings 48-23 on Sunday night.

"I don't know if it was adrenaline,'' Alexander said. "You

know when everyone's watching, your mom and dad, your friends in

high school who thought they were better than you. You get your

chance to get in the spotlight and shine.''

Alexander scored on runs of 2, 20, 3 and 14 yards and took a

screen pass from Trent Dilfer for an 80-yard TD, igniting the

offense after the Seahawks (1-3) had averaged 54.7 yards rushing in

three losses.

"He's a touchdown machine,'' Dilfer said. "That's what we've

got to do to be successful, get the ball in his hands.''

Standout receiver Randy Moss started for the Vikings (0-4) five

days after his arrest and a night in jail. He was charged with

pushing a Minneapolis traffic officer with his car.

But he wasn't a factor, with six receptions for 50 yards, and he

dropped four passes in the end zone. The Vikings' 0-4 start is

their worst record since Bud Grant's first season in 1967.

"The balls touched my hands. I really don't have a word,'' Moss

said. "The balls came off my fingertips. They bounced off my

chest. I think the more I dropped, the more I got down on myself.''

Moss was booed all night, and his frustration showed when he

exchanged gestures with Minnesota quarterback Daunte Culpepper

after the Vikings couldn't score on one series in the third

quarter.

"I thought we got him open a bunch,'' Minnesota coach Mike Tice

said. "For some reason tonight, he didn't make those plays.''

After another series, fans taunted Moss by chanting "Ran-dee,

Ran-dee.''

Culpepper, who had a career-high four interceptions in last

week's loss to Carolina, was 29-of-53 for 273 yards with two

interceptions against Seattle.

"It seemed like every ball bounced their way,'' Culpepper said.

"Crazy things happen like that sometimes. It's definitely

demoralizing.''

After rushing for 36, 37 and 37 yards in Seattle's first three

games, Alexander eclipsed that with a single 43-yard run in the

first quarter. He finished with 139 yards.

"He's got to feel pretty good about his performance, but

running the football is more than just running,'' Seahawks coach

Mike Holmgren said. "You've got to block, too. I think we just

blocked better for him.''

Alexander missed a chance at the NFL record of six TDs in one

game, set by Ernie Nevers in 1929 and matched by Dub Jones in 1951

and Gale Sayers in 1965. He was stopped for a 1-yard gain inside

the 5-yard line with three minutes to play.

"I had it in my mind,'' Alexander said. "I knew six was the

number, but I didn't know who it was by. We were just trying to

move the ball and end our drives in the end zone.''

Seattle led 17-10 after Minnesota's Gary Anderson kicked a

35-yard field goal with 3:13 to play before halftime, But then

Alexander took over. He caught a short pass from Dilfer, eluded a

pair of defenders and weaved downfield for the longest receiving

play of his three-year career.

"I don't think the sun or stars or moon has anything to do with

it,'' Holmgren said. "We made some plays. You have to have some

belief that you can do it.''

Minnesota's Nick Davis fumbled the ensuing kickoff when he

collided with Seattle's Tim Terry and Terreal Bierria. Reggie Tongue recovered, setting up Alexander's 3-yard run through a

gaping hole.

D'Wayne Bates caught the next kickoff 2 yards into the end zone

and hesitated before running it out. Terry forced another fumble at

the 15, and Alex Bannister recovered for Seattle.

On the next play, Alexander went 14 yards up the middle for a

38-10 lead. Tongue put the Vikings away when he intercepted

Culpepper's throw to Moss and ran 46 yards down the right sideline.

The loss spoiled a return to Seattle for first-year Vikings

coach Mike Tice, who played 10 seasons at tight end for the

Seahawks during the 1980s and early 1990s.

Game notes

The last player with five TDs in one game was

Jacksonville's James Stewart in 1997. ... Holmgren won his 100th

regular-season game in 11 seasons as an NFL head coach. He's

100-64. ... The Seahawks' record for points in a game is 56 against

Buffalo in October 1977. ... Vikings LB Lemanski Hall left after

the first series with a sprained ankle and didn't return. ... TE

Jerramy Stevens, the Seahawks' first-round draft pick, left in the

second period after spraining his left ankle. ... Seahawks G Steve Hutchinson broke his right

leg and went into surgery immediately after the game.