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Bears Lead Seahawks 34-6 in 3rd Quarter

CHICAGO (AP) - Rex Grossman threw scoring passes to Mushin Muhammad and Bernard Berrian and the Chicago Bears led the Seattle Seahawks 34-6 at the end of the third quarter Sunday night. Chicago also got its running game back, with Thomas Jones running for two touchdowns on 84 yards in the first three quarters. The Bears came into the game averaging just 2.7 yards a carry in their first three games.

Robbie Gould added two field goals and Ricky Manning Jr. picked off two passes for the Bears (3-0), who were looking to win their first four games for the first time since the 1991 season. Seattle (3-0), the defending NFC champion, was playing without reigning NFL MVP Shaun Alexander, who has a cracked bone in his left foot.

Grossman had another impressive performance for Chicago. He was 16-of-30 for 231 yards through the first three quarters.

The Bears defense had yet to allow a passing touchdown this season, and had yielded one touchdown overall. The Bears sacked Matt Hasslebeck two times in the first three quarters.

Alexander had appeared in all 104 of Seattle's games, including five playoff contests, since the team selected him in the first round of the 2000 draft, and made 49 consecutive starts.

Alexander contemplated playing against the Bears, telling coach Mike Holmgren he felt healthy enough to play after two days of prayer. But tests revealed the bone had not healed.

In Alexander's place, Maurice Morris made his fourth career start at running back and did little in the first half. He carried the ball six times for 27 yards.

Both teams scored on their second possessions.

One week after tying a franchise record by throwing five touchdown passes against the Giants, Hasselbeck connected with Deion Branch for 31 yards and Darrell Jackson for a 22-yard gain to set up a 23-yard field goal by Josh Brown.

Grossman answered for the Bears, keying a 69-yard drive by completing 6 of 7 passes for 57 yards and finding Muhammad in the end zone for a 7-3 lead.

On Chicago's next possession, Berrian beat Seattle cornerback Kelly Herndon for a 46-yard catch. The Bears got inside Seattle's 20-yard line, but had to settle for a 36-yard field goal by Gould.

Seattle drove to the Bears 30, but came up empty after Hasslebeck's pass was picked off by Manning. Hasslebeck stopped Manning from scoring by knocking him out at the Seattle 36.

Grossman and the Bears took advantage of Hasslebeck's miscue. Grossman connected with Berrian again for a 22-yard reception to put the ball at the Seattle 1, but the Seattle defense held the Bears and Gould added another field goal.

On the next Seattle possession, Hasslebeck was flushed out of the pocket and forced a bad pass into coverage. Manning picked it off and brought it back all the way, but it was called back because of a block in the back.

The Chicago penalty didn't matter. Jones scored to make it 20-3.

On Tuesday, Manning pleaded no contest to felony assault stemming from an altercation with a man in a Los Angeles restaurant.

Chicago didn't waste any time in the second half, scoring on its first possession in the third quarter. Jones set up the scoring drive with a 29-yard run. Seattle cornerback Marcus Trufant was called for pass interference on Muhammad in Seattle's end zone. Two plays later, Jones scored on a 1-yard run.

Hasslebeck, who was under constant pressure, was 14-of-33 for 183 yards with two interceptions in the first three quarters.

Source: www.intwebnews.com

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Bears Lead Seahawks 34-6 in 3rd Quarter

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