RENTON — Strike first.

The Seattle Seahawks' chances of ending their struggles on the road might come down to that simple edict.

"We've got Dallas, and they're no joke," Seahawks receiver Nate Burleson said about Sunday's game against the Cowboys. "Those boys get off the ball on defense. So we've got to swing first on the road. In a heavyweight fight, you've got to swing first."

The Seahawks, who are 2-8 on the road during the past two seasons, have followed the same predictable pattern of following behind early and having to scrape their way back into games in a hostile environment.

Seattle has been outscored a combined 170-78 during the first halves of their past 10 road games, trailing by an average score of 17-8 at halftime.

The large deficits have been tough for Seattle to overcome in the second halves. That statistic is not lost on Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.

"It would be nice to start fast," he said. "The stats say if you start fast and score first, you have a better chance to win — much like if you don't turn the ball over, you've got a better chance to win."

As much as Seattle would like to get off to a quick start, Hasselbeck also understands things don't necessarily go as planned on the road.

"Say you don't start fast," he said. "Say you do turn the ball over. It doesn't mean the game's over. You've got to keep fighting. And there's been times where you've started slow and come back and won, so you've got to play a whole game. But obviously, we can't start the way we started the last time (against Arizona)."

Like Hasselbeck, Seahawks head coach Jim Mora is aware of his team's slow starts on the road, and with Seattle coming into the game with two weeks to prepare after the bye week, he's hopeful the Seahawks will be prepared to play at the opening whistle.

"Every game, that's our emphasis," he said. "When you're on the road, if you can jump on them first, it gets your team going a little bit. So that's been a point of emphasis for us all along, so hopefully we can start seeing the results of it."

Jones back in Big D, again

Seahawks running back Julius Jones' first game against his former team, the Cowboys, was not a memorable experience. In last years' 34-9 setback on Thanksgiving Day, Jones finished with just 37 yards on 11 carries and fumbled twice, losing one.

After the forgettable performance, then-head coach Mike Holmgren benched Jones in favor of Maurice Morris for the rest of the 2008 season.

Jones is looking for a better result on this weekend's trip to Dallas.

"I want to do well this year," Jones said. "We've got two wins. We've got 10 games left. We're trying to make the playoffs. We're trying to do a lot of great things, and it starts with this weekend. And we've got to have this win."

Since rushing for 98 yards against Chicago in the third game of the season, Jones has totaled 64 yards in the past three games and has averaged a woeful 2.3 yards per carry.

Seattle's offensive coaches have placed a majority of the blame for the team's struggles running the ball on the revolving door of the offensive line up front. Seattle will start its fifth combination of offensive linemen on Sunday.

Getting back starting left guard Rob Sims should help bolster the team's effort up front. Seattle offensive coordinator Greg Knapp said Sims has been the team's best offensive lineman when healthy. Sims missed the past two games with an ankle sprain that he suffered against Indianapolis.

"That's a big help," Jones said of Sims' return. "Sims is a great player. He's a leader on that offensive line, and it's good to have him back."

Sims should make Damion McIntosh's first start as Seattle's left tackle much smoother because of his ability to communicate line calls and help out in pass blocking.

"It's going to be a tough one," said Sims, referring to a stout Dallas defensive front that includes outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware and defensive linemen Marcus Spears, Jay Ratliff and Igor Olshansky. "But we've been in tough ones before. And you've just got to go out there and play."

Injury update

For Seattle, safety C.J. Wallace (hamstring) and Sean Locklear (ankle) did not practice Friday and likely will not play. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (ribs), Robs Sims (ankle) and Patrick Kerney (groin) all practiced fully in practice and are probable for Sunday. … For Dallas, CB Allen Rossum (hamstring) is out. Ratliff (knee) was a surprise addition to the injury report. The Cowboys' Pro Bowl nose tackle did not practice Friday and is questionable, although reports out of Dallas have Ratliff as likely playing on Sunday. Ratliff injured his knee during Thursday's practice. Cowboys RB Marion Barber (thumb), S Gerald Sensabaugh (thumb) and Ware (foot) were full participants in practice and are probable.