Football - Alexander Out at least two more weeks

Shaun Alexander has everything to feel happy. He is now able wearing flip-flops instead of a walking boot protecting his broken left foot. And doctors who initially warn him he may be out until December, informed Alexander he could be back earlier than expected. Indeed X-rays made on Monday revealed that the bone he cracked on Sept. 24th had an outstanding healing.

Coach Mike Holmgren and the team are now expecting that Alexander will be back perhaps in only two more weeks. Alexander is tentatively scheduled to return ion Nov. 6th to play the Oakland Raiders. He would return only after the first four missed games of his seven-year career. Alexander considers that two more weeks is better than over two months previously scheduled. He will not rush into playing a week earlier such as the game on Oct. 29th. The coach and the player prefer to wait in order to avoid any exaggeration of the injury.

Alexander had never missed any of his first 99 NFL games before this injury on his left foot. Last season, he recorded a league-record 28 touchdowns. However this season, he has just two scores and 187 yards rushing in three games, with an average of 2.9 yards per carry. His career average is 4.5 yards per rush and it was 5.1 last season.

The Seahawks (4-1), leading the NFC West, are now 1-1 without Alexander following their 30-28 win on the last play Sunday at St. Louis. Backup Maurice Morris ran for 74 yards, but lost a shot at the Rams 11 with 2:54 remaining wasting what could have been a clinching drive. St. Louis took a 28-27 lead five plays later.