The Associated Press

SEATTLE — Ricky Watters taught his young counterpart a thing or two about running, winning and consistency.

Watters had the 31st 100-yard rushing game of his career to lead the Seattle Seahawks over Ricky Williams and the New Orleans Saints, 20-10.

The 31-year-old Watters ran 22 times for 105 yards and a touchdown in his 100th consecutive start. The only back in NFL history with more consecutive starts was Walter Payton, with 170.

”Ricky has been unbelievable,” Seahawks quarterback Jon Kitna said. ”People say that he’s lost a step, but I haven’t seen it.”

Watters, who hasn’t missed a start since Christmas 1993 when he was with the San Francisco 49ers, is supposed to be in the twilight of his career in Seattle, which made running back Shaun Alexander of Alabama its top draft choice this year.

Alexander had five carries for 19 yards and was in the same backfield with Watters a couple of times.

”It’s pretty effective having those two guys in the backfield,” fullback Mack Strong said. ”Either one of them can come up with the big plays and that gives us an advantage.”

With the score tied at 10, Kitna hit tight end Itula Mili with a 1-yard touchdown pass with about nine minutes left in the game. Kris Heppner added his second field goal of the day, a 45-yarder, about five minutes later for the final margin.

Williams, the 1998 Heisman Trophy winner from Texas who came to the Saints at the heavy price of eight draft choices, had 107 yards on 23 carries despite playing with a broken bone in his left foot that he sustained in the opener. It was his third career 100-yard rushing game.

”What I want to do is win games,” said the 23-year-old Williams, who missed four games with a variety of arm and ankle injuries last year. ”The number of yards I get is not that important. It was frustrating just watching the second half because we didn’t get on the field much.”