Week 10 Game Recap: St. Louis Rams 22, Seattle Seahawks 24

What you need to know

St. Louis Rams

RB Steven Jackson put together a strong effort, carrying the ball 18 times for 93 yards and adding six catches for 40 yards. He showed incredible strength and second effort when he dragged four Seattle defenders across the goal line for his fourth quarter touchdown. Jackson has now scored in five of the Rams’ last six contests after being blanked in their first three games.

QB Marc Bulger was kept out of the end zone for only the second time this year and posted his worst fantasy stats of the season. He completed 26 of 40 passes, but averaged just over eight yards per reception. He was forced to use his safety valve receiver Steven Jackson often, targeting Jackson eight times in the game.

When these teams met back in mid-October, WR Torry Holt posted a career day with 154 yards and three scores. He hasn’t topped 100 yards receiving or crossed the goal line since. He caught a two point conversion, but it was nullified by a holding penalty. Holt finished the game with seven catches for 73 yards.

First year HC Scott Linehan may have cost his team the game when he took a fourth quarter field goal off the score board by challenging the previous play. Linehan threw the red flag just before the snap of the ball to challenge a ruled incompletion to WR Kevin Curtis. Curtis was awarded the catch, but it was short of a first down bringing up fourth and one. The Rams failed to convert and turned the ball over on downs.

Veteran tackle Orlando Pace left the game near the end of the first half with a torn triceps muscle. This will be a significant blow to the Rams’ offense as he is done for the season.

Seattle Seahawks

RB Maurice Morris and the Seahawks did an excellent job of establishing the running game, racking up 65 yards in the first quarter and finishing with 124 yards on 21 carries. This was Morris’ sixth game starting in relief of the injured Shaun Alexander and his second consecutive with 100+ yards rushing. Morris has still not found the end zone this season.

Seattle’s offensive line really struggled with pass protection. Veteran tackle Tom Ashworth in particular was beaten often, allowing DE Leonard Little and the Rams’ many free runs at QB Seneca Wallace. Wallace used his mobility to escape on a handful of occasions, but suffered six sacks.

QB Seneca Wallace didn’t post terrific numbers, but he did just enough to keep his team in the game. He looked strong in the first half, leading three long drives that resulted in a pair of passing touchdowns. Wallace used his feet to keep drives alive and did not throw an interception, but fumbled twice leading to ten St. Louis points. Wallace and the Seahawks’ offense were very quiet in the second half, gaining only 45 total yards and scoring only the game-winning field goal.

WR Nate Burleson hasn’t been an active part of the Seahawks’ offense, but may have found his niche as a punt returner. He took a fourth quarter punt that many would have fair caught and returned it 90 yards for a touchdown.

What you ought to know

QB Marc Bulger, Pass: 26 - 40 - 215 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - 8 - 0

Bulger had a very tough outing, completing 26 of 40 passes for 215 yards and no touchdowns. In an offense known for stretching the field, his longest completion went for 22 yards and he averaged only 8.25 yards per completion. He moved the ball well between the 20s, but stalled out in the red zone and settled for Jeff Wilkins’ field goals on three occasions.

RB Steven Jackson, Rush: 18 - 93 - 1, Rec: 6 - 40 - 0 (8 targets)

Jackson touched the ball on 12 of the Rams’ 22 first half offensive plays, solidifying his status as a workhorse back. He was targeted eight times and caught six passes for 40 yards. His fourth quarter score was the Rams’ only offensive touchdown of the game and he showed great strength in dragging four Seattle defenders across into the end zone with him.

RB Madison Hedgecock, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets)

The fullback had one catch out of the backfield for seven yards.

RB Stephen Davis, Rush: 1 - 7 - 0

Davis had only one carry spelling Steven Jackson.

WR Isaac Bruce, Rec: 7 - 66 - 0 (14 targets)

Bruce was the most targeted receiver for the Rams in this game and reeled in seven passes for 66 yards. No Rams’ receiver found the end zone.

WR Torry Holt, Rec: 7 - 73 - 0 (12 targets)

Holt was the Rams’ leading receiver on the day with 73 yards on seven catches. He caught a pass for two point conversion, but it was nullified by a holding penalty. Holt hasn’t recorded a touchdown or 100 yard receiving game in three consecutive contests.

WR Kevin Curtis, Rec: 3 - 22 - 0 (5 targets)

Curtis caught three of his five targets for 22 yards. QB Marc Bulger looked his way twice in the red zone.

WR Shaun McDonald, Rec: 2 - 7 - 0 (2 targets)

McDonald caught both of his targets in the game, but netted only seven yards.

TE Joe Klopfenstein (1 targets)

The rookie TE was targeted once in the end zone, but was well covered and did not make the catch.

PK Jeff Wilkins 3 - 3 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 10 points

Wilkins scored the majority of the Rams’ offensive points and was perfect on the day, hitting from 40, 42 and 35 yards out. Wilkins had a successful field goal attempt pulled off the score board when the Rams’ won a challenge and elected to go for it on fourth down.

STL Rush Defense

The Rams’ defense gave up 160 yards on the ground to Seattle, 124 of those going to back-up RB Maurice Morris on 21 carries. They were very porous in the first quarter as Morris picked his way into the secondary almost at will, recording 65 yards on a pair of Seahawks' drives.

STL Pass Defense

The Seahawks’ back up QB Seneca Wallace picked the Rams apart on three drives in the first half, but was silenced in the second half. DE Leonard Little recorded a pair of crucial sacks, causing Wallace to fumble on both occasions. The Rams finished with six sacks on the day.

QB Seneca Wallace, Pass: 15 - 23 - 161 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - 30 - 0

Wallace made the job look easy early on, driving the Seahawks into the Rams’ red zone on three of his first four offensive drives. Two of those drives resulted in touchdown passes to WR Darrell Jackson and TE Jerramy Stevens, but the other ended in a Wallace fumble and 90 yard return for touchdown by the Rams. Wallace and the Seahawks’ offense were virtually silenced in the second half with only 45 total yards. Wallace finished with 161 yards, completing 15 of 23 passes for a pair of touchdowns and no interceptions.

RB Maurice Morris, Rush: 21 - 124 - 0

Seattle established the running game early by feeding Morris eight times for 65 yards in the first quarter. He picked his way through some decent holes and gained yardage in chunks. He topped the 100 yard mark for the second consecutive week, but still hasn’t scored a touchdown this season.

RB Mack Strong, Rush: 3 - 6 - 0, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (1 targets)

Strong had four touches for 11 yards in this game.

RB Shaun Alexander

Alexander is still sidelined with a broken bone in his foot.

WR Darrell Jackson, Rec: 5 - 85 - 1 (9 targets)

Jackson was the Seahawks’ leading receiver with 85 yards on five catches and a first quarter touchdown. He had quietly been a very consistent producer for Seattle this season with seven touchdowns in nine games.

WR Deion Branch, Rec: 3 - 22 - 0 (6 targets)

Branch had a quiet game, catching half of the six passes thrown his way for 22 yards. He took an end around wide right and looked to throw a pass, but was sacked before he could get the ball out.

WR D.J. Hackett, Rec: 3 - 20 - 0 (3 targets)

Hackett was relatively quiet in this game, catching all three of his targets for only 20 yards.

WR Nate Burleson

Burleson’s contributions lately have been primarily on special teams as a punt returner and Sunday he ran one back 90 yards for a touchdown. He has seen very little WR action since the emergence of WR D.J. Hackett.

WR Bobby Engram

Engram sat out another game, still recovering from his thyroid related illness.

TE Jerramy Stevens, Rec: 3 - 29 - 1 (5 targets)

Stevens was QB Seneca Wallace’s favorite red zone target in this game getting three looks inside the 20 yard line. He finished with three catches for 29 yards and a 15 yard touchdown.

PK Josh Brown 1 - 1 FG, 3 - 3 XP, 6 points

Brown notched only one field goal in this game, but it was the game winner from 38 yards out. He was perfect on extra points.

SEA Rush Defense

Seattle gave up 93 yards on 18 carries, including a 14 yard touchdown, to RB Steven Jackson. Jackson’s longest rush of the game was a 30 yard jaunt off left tackle, but he found success attacking the line of scrimmage at all points. He was stopped for a loss only once in the contest.

SEA Pass Defense

The Seahawks’ secondary did an admirable job in keeping QB Marc Bulger and his fleet of talented receivers out of the end zone. Bulger threw for 215 yards, was intercepted once and sacked four times.