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WR Branch to make debut with Seahawks on Sunday

Sep 19, 2006 - 11:06 PM NY Giants (1-1) at Seattle (1-1) Sunday 4:15 pm EDT

SEATTLE (Ticker) -- The Seattle Seahawks need a jolt to their offense. Maybe Deion Branch can provide that.

Branch will make his debut for the Seahawks on Sunday when they host the New York Giants.

The MVP of Super Bowl XXXIX with the New England Patriots, Branch set career highs with 78 receptions, 998 yards and five touchdowns last season, his fourth in the league.

But after holding out through the preseason and the first regular-season game, Branch was traded by the Patriots to Seattle for a first-round pick in 2007. The Seahawks then gave Branch a six-year contract worth $39 million.

After scoring just 30 points in their first two games, the Seahawks hope that Branch will provide a much-needed lift.

Seattle led the NFL in scoring last season, averaging 28.3 points per game. Matt Hasselbeck threw for 3,459 yards and 24 touchdowns and Shaun Alexander won the rushing title with 1,880 yards and set a single-season record with 27 rushing touchdowns.

But the Seahawks failed to get into the end zone in their season-opening 9-6 win at Detroit and Hasselbeck completed just 12-of-27 passes in a 21-10 victory over Arizona last week.

Seattle has missed Pro Bowl guard Steve Hutchinson, who signed as a free agent with Minnesota. No longer with the combination of Hutchinson and Walter Jones on the left side, Alexander has been held to 140 yards on 45 carries in Seattle's first two games.

Also, Floyd Womack, Hutchinson's replacement at left guard, suffered a knee injury in the win over Arizona and is expected to miss up to six weeks.

Alexander rushed for 94 of his 110 yards after halftime in the Seahawks' 24-21 overtime win over the Giants here last November. Seattle went 10-0 at Qwest Field, including playoffs, last season.

No team came closer to beating the Seahawks here than the Giants. But Jay Feely missed three chances to kick the winning field goal before Seattle's Josh Brown capitalized on his opportunity with 2:45 left in overtime.

Feely missed a field-goal attempt from 40 yards out on the final play of regulation and two chances in overtime from 54 yards and 45 yards.

Two plays after Feely's third miss, Hasselbeck connected with D.J. Hackett on a 38-yard pass to the New York 38. Alexander then broke off runs of eight and 13 yards before Brown drilled the winning kick.

The Giants tied the game at 21-21 when Eli Manning hit Amani Toomer with an 18-yard touchdown pass with 1:59 left in the fourth quarter and then connected with Jeremy Shockey on the two-point conversion. Shockey finished with 10 catches for 127 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown, and Plaxico Burress added six receptions for 109 yards.

Manning threw for 344 yards and Tiki Barber also enjoyed a big game for the Giants, rushing for 151 yards on 26 carries.

But the Giants self-destructed with the three missed field goals and 16 penalties for 114 yards, including 11 false starts.

Last week, Manning passed for a career-high 371 yards and three touchdowns as the Giants (1-1) rallied from a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit and defeated Philadelphia, 30-24, in overtime. After being sacked eight times, Manning lofted a 31-yard touchdown pass to Burress with 3:11 left in overtime.

Toomer finished with a career-high 12 catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns.

But the Giants yielded 451 total yards in the win at Philadelphia and have just two sacks in two games.

The Seahawks have allowed just one touchdown this season and have eight sacks in two games, including two by linebacker Julian Peterson.