KIRKLAND, Wash. -- Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander spent Wednesday watching as his teammates practiced without him yet again.
So on Sunday, the 2005 league MVP will miss his third consecutive game when NFC West-leading Seattle (6-4) goes to St. Louis (2-8). Alexander is out because of a sprained knee he injured in a Nov. 9 loss at Cleveland.
Coach Mike Holmgren has said Alexander will not return to a game until he practices consecutively on a Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
After saying before practice that he didn't expect Alexander to take part in drills, Holmgren was asked if that meant he was sticking by his statements last week that no practice means no playing time for a star who is quickly becoming forgotten in Seattle.
"Have you been in attendance in my press conferences?" Holmgren asked.
So Maurice Morris will again start for Alexander. Morris has rushed for 89 and 87 yards in his first two starts.
Alexander, who played seven games with a cast on his broken wrist until his knee injury, has gained just 139 yards total in his past four games. His lack of production prompted Holmgren to ditch much of the rushing game in favor of a more wide-open offense that emphasizes the throwing of Matt Hasselbeck, who is having one of his best seasons.
Hasselbeck also missed practice to rest sore ribs. Seneca Wallace ran the offense through drills. The coach again said Hasselbeck will likely miss drills Thursday and Friday, too, but will start against the Rams.
"He has a pretty good grasp of things. ... He is in a little better position to handle it because he knows our stuff and he has been with the same coaches for a while," Holmgren said.
"It is not the ideal. I'd like him to practice but he can't."
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
