Trufant targeted in return to field

ARLINGTON, Texas – Seattle Seahawks cornerback Marcus Trufant’s 2009 debut did not go as planned on Sunday.

Seattle’s top corner returned to the active roster this week after spending the first six weeks of the regular season on the physically unable to perform list with a disk issue in his back.

Trufant was targeted early and often by Dallas quarterback Tony Romo and his cadre of young receivers. The result was three defensive penalties committed by Trufant, all of which contributed to touchdowns by Dallas.

Only one of the calls was questionable. On a first-and-goal from Seattle’s 8 with his team down 21-10 early in the third quarter, Trufant was called for pass interference against Roy Williams on a play where it appeared the two got tangled up while the Dallas receiver ran the wrong route.

However, the veteran corner took responsibility for the calls.

“There is no explanation,” Trufant said. “The referee made the call and you’ve got to live with it, and that’s how it is. … You just live with the call, and you move on and try to get better.”

Heading into the game, Seahawks head coach Jim Mora said Trufant would play only in nickel situations defensively. But as the game wore on and Trufant got more comfortable, he found himself out on the field more, until late in the game when Mora said Trufant began to get tired. Mora then took Trufant out in favor of Kelly Jennings.

“This will help him, though, playing in this game,” Mora said about Trufant. “He’ll be much better next week for what he went through – for both the situations he was in on the field and then the endurance and conditioning”

McIntosh solid in debut

The Seahawks’ fourth starting left tackle this season, 10-year veteran Damion McIntosh, had a solid game in his first start with Seattle. McIntosh was picked up two weeks ago when it appeared that veteran left tackle Walter Jones was bound for the injured reserve list with a knee issue while his successor, Sean Locklear, was still nursing a high ankle sprain. McIntosh stepped in to fill the void nicely.

Facing one of the league’s best pass rushers in DeMarcus Ware, McIntosh gave up just one sack . It came late in the game, after the outcome was decided. Seattle actually had more trouble containing the Cowboys’ pass rush from the interior than from the edge.

“I would have loved to get a pitcher’s shutout,” McIntosh said. “But all in all, I competed out there. I felt as the game was going on I started to get into a rhythm. I haven’t played a full game like that since December of last year.

“So I’m up for improving and getting into what this team expects out of me, and what I expect out of myself.”

James reaches top 10

Veteran running back Edgerrin James ran six times for Seattle for 17 yards, passing Marcus Allen for 10th on the all-time NFL rushing list. James has 12,246 rushing yards in his career. He needed 15 yards to pass Allen on Sunday

Extra points

Linebacker David Hawthorne played a solid game in his return to Texas, finishing with eight tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble. Hawthorne played in college at Texas Christian, and he comess from nearby Corsicana, about an hour’s drive south of Dallas. … Julius Jones played better in his second season playing against his former team. The ex-Cowboys running back finished with 56 yards on 11 carries. He also had two catches for 32 yards. … Mora did not provide an update on injuries. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck took some hits and needed attention from the trainers at one point, but said he was fine after the game. Cornerback Ken Lucas left the game with a shoulder stinger and did not return.

Eric D. Williams: 253-597-8437

eric.williams@thenewstribune.com

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