"In terms of pure emotion, it was difficult to discern who had more – T.J. Houshmandzadeh or the crowd of 67,228 at Qwest Field, because both had been waiting for that moment for so long.

With just under five minutes to go in the first half and Seattle leading 6-0, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck hit a wide-open Houshmandzadeh along the sideline for a 34-yard touchdown pass.

Houshmandzadeh threw a nasty fake on 2006 Pro Bowl cornerback Rashean Mathis, who bit on a short route only to see Houshmandzadeh go by.

"Rashean is a corner that likes to take chances," Houshmandzadeh said. "He took a chance and he was wrong."

It was the much-anticipated first touchdown as a Seahawk for Houshmandzadeh after signing a five-year, $40 million contract in the offseason.

That it finally came in the fifth game was a matter of some consternation for fans, who'd listened to Houshmandzadeh do a lot of talking as a Seahawk, and for Houshmandzadeh, who admittedly hadn't done much backing up for all the talking.

"I would say it's a relief of frustration," he said. "I don't know – since I've been a starter in this league – that I've gone so many games without scoring a touchdown to start the season."

When Houshmandzadeh finally crossed the goal line, all those frustrations came out . The touchdown ball that he waited so long to get was flung with fury at the wall of the south end zone and Houshmandzadeh added some primal screams to the chorus of "Hooooouuuuusssshhh" that Hawks fans were yelling.

Of course, Houshmandzadeh made sure he was getting that touchdown ball back, but it was going to someone special – his daughter, Kennedi, who was celebrating her seventh birthday on Sunday.

"I'm going to go give her one outside," he said. "My first touchdown here, she turns seven, it couldn't happen any better."

Actually it could because early in the third quarter, Houshmandzadeh ran a slant-and-go route – starting to the inside at an angle and then breaking out to the front corner of the end zone. Houshmandzadeh easily snared Hasselbeck's pass for his second score. This time there was no outpouring of emotion from Houshmandzadeh, who instead bathed in the emotion of the fans. "