Stars sparkle for Seahawks

SEATTLE -- Beware, the Seattle Seahawks’ stars are well again. And so is a remade, hard-hitting defense.

Shaun Alexander, playing without pain for the first time since he broke a foot 12 months ago, ran for 105 yards and one touchdown Sunday in the Seahawks’ 20-6 victory over Tampa Bay.

Matt Hasselbeck completed 17 of 24 passes for 222 yards and threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Maurice Morris to clinch the win. Alexander’s backup ran free down the left sideline to make it 20-6 with 7 minutes 55 seconds left.

The Buccaneers, who scored 10 points or fewer in eight games and finished 4-12 last season, couldn’t come up with a win in quarterback Jeff Garcia’s first start for them.

With Tampa Bay rallying in the second half from a 10-6 deficit, Garcia, 37, and running back Carnell “Cadillac” Williams were injured on hits at the end of runs.

By the time Garcia returned in the fourth quarter after two dead-end drives with Luke McCown at quarterback, the Seahawks led, 20-6.

Quoteworthy: “We’re coming to hit. We’re coming to hurt. We want to get that reputation around the rest of the league, because that will help our offense.” -- Julian Peterson, Seattle linebacker