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Week 3 Game Recap: St. Louis Rams 13, Seattle Seahawks 37
What you need to know
| St. Louis Rams |
Marc Bulger faced a fierce pass rush, but even with time to throw he wasn't always accurate. Even playing from behind through the entire game didn't help his numbers. Bulger only hit 18 of 31 for 184 yards and one touchdown, despite the fact that Seattle was playing deep zone coverage in the second half to prevent quick strike touchdowns. They didn't need to. The Rams offense has morphed from 'The Greatest Show on Turf' a few years ago into "The Steven Jackson Show."
Jackson led St. Louis in both rushing and receiving and accounted for 128 of the team's 240 net yards. Unfortunately, he only averaged 2.9 yards on each in his 23 attempts. He also caught five passes for 62 yards but did not score a touchdown. Rookie Donnie Avery caught three passes for 24 yards, Torry Holt caught four for 37 yards, and Dane Looker caught one pass and scored the only St. Louis touchdown.
Including this game, the Rams have been outscored 116--29. Seattle out rushed St. Louis 240 yards to 65 and dominated the game on both sides of the ball from start to finish.
| Seattle Seahawks |
There was nothing wrong with the previously winless Seahawks that a visit from the Rams couldn't cure. Seattle led 27--6 at halftime and cruised home with a lopsided victory.
Matt Hasselbeck had only completed 45% of his passes through his first two games, but hit 12 of 20 for 172 yards and one touchdown against St. Louis. In the second half Seattle ran the ball more and Hasselbeck was limited to seven pass attempts.
Julius Jones made a case for being the number one back by rushing for 140 yards on 22 carries and scoring on a 29 yard run in the first quarter. T.J. Duckett saw extended duty in the fourth quarter and posted 79 yards and two TDs. Billy McMullen led the battered Seattle receivers with four balls for 75 yards, while rookie TE John Carlson chipped in with two grabs and fellow rookie Michael Bumpus, playing for Bobby Engram, caught his first TD pass.
Seattle amassed 407 yards of offense and moved the ball seemingly anytime and anyway they wanted. No one seemed to notice that Maurice Morris, Bobby Engram, Deion Branch, or newly signed retread Koren Robinson didn't play. The Seahawks have a bye week coming up and are hoping to get back Morris, Engram, and Branch for week 5.
What you ought to know
| QB Marc Bulger, Pass: 18 - 31 - 184 - 1 TD / 1 INT |
The Rams offense is sluggish but it isn't all Bulger's fault. He isn't being called on to carry the team. He's more of a game manager, alternating between handing off to Steven Jackson and throwing mainly safe short passes. He threw a touchdown pass to Dane Looker, one interception, and earned a QB rating of 72.5.
In his last three games against Seattle Bulger totaled one TD pass and five interceptions.
| RB Steven Jackson, Rush: 23 - 66 - 0, Rec: 5 - 62 - 0 (5 targets) |
Even late in the fourth quarter when the Rams were way behind Jackson kept getting his touches. He only averaged 2.9 per carry, but took a short swing pass for 50 yards which set up their only TD. Jackson accounted for over half of the Rams total offense.
| RB Travis Minor, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0, Rec: 2 - 20 - 0 (2 targets) |
Minor's role in this offense is minor.
| RB Dan Kreider |
In the first quarter Julian Peterson beat Kreider's block, sacked Bulger, and recovered the fumble which led to Seattle's first touchdown.
| RB Antonio Pittman |
Pittman was active for this game but did not show up on the stat sheet.
| RB Brian Leonard |
Not active for this game.
| WR Torry Holt, Rec: 4 - 37 - 0 (8 targets) |
He caught Bulger's first pass of the game but most of his targets came in the fourth quarter with the game hopelessly out of reach. Holt seemed like an after thought most of the game. He was targeted just three times in the first half as St. Louis fell behind 27--6.
| WR Donnie Avery, Rec: 3 - 24 - 0 (5 targets) |
The first wide receiver taken in the 2008 draft saw limited duty but looked promising. He's quick and Bulger needs to practice getting him the ball on time.
| WR Dante Hall, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (2 targets) |
Hall has a minor role in this offense but returned two punts for 28 yards and averaged 23.2 yards on five kickoff returns.
| WR Dane Looker, Rec: 1 - 21 - 1 (6 targets) |
Looker scored a touchdown on the only catch he made.
| WR Eddie Kennison (1 targets) |
Kennison saw limited action late in the game.
| WR Drew Bennett |
Not active for this game.
| WR Keenan Burton |
The Kentucky rookie injured his knee in the opener and was not active for this game.
| TE Randy McMichael, Rec: 2 - 12 - 0 (2 targets) |
McMichael caught two passes for 12 yards, but has been the Rams' top receiver through two games.
| TE Joe Klopfenstein |
Klopfenstein was active for this game but did not show up on the stat sheet.
| PK Josh Brown 2 - 2 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 7 points |
The former Seahawks kicker, who signed a rich contract to play in St. Louis, was loudly booed as he made 43 and 29 yard field goals and converted his only PAT.
| STL Rush Defense |
Seattle rushed for 245 yards. Julius Jones gained 140 on 22 attempts for a 6.4 yard average and scored one touchdown, while short yardage specialist T. J. Duckett added 79 yards on 19 carries and scored twice.
| STL Pass Defense |
While the Rams' pass defense might look good on paper, limiting Hasselbeck to 172 yards and one touchdown, Seattle raced out to a 27--6 lead halftime lead. In the second half Hasselbeck was only called on to attempt seven passes.
| QB Matt Hasselbeck, Pass: 12 - 20 - 172 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - 19 - 0 |
Hasselbeck loves playing St. Louis. While his final stats only showed 12 completions for 172 yards and one touchdown, his QB rating was 104.6. After they built a big lead in the first half he only attempted seven passes in the second half. He hopes to get Engram and Branch back into the lineup week five after Seattle's scheduled bye week.
He entered this game with a 48.6 QB rating, but in his last four games against the Rams he threw eight touchdowns.
| RB Julius Jones, Rush: 22 - 140 - 1, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (2 targets) |
Julius Jones made a case to be the number one back by averaging over 6.4 yards per carry as he ran for 144 yards. His one touchdown came on a 29 yard tackle breaking dash up the middle in the first quarter, but his workload decreased in the second half after Seattle built a big lead.
| RB T.J. Duckett, Rush: 19 - 79 - 2 (1 targets) |
Duckett scored one touchdown in the second quarter and another in the fourth, but in this game he was more than just a short yardage specialist. He carried 19 times, mostly in the second half, and averaged 4.2 yards per rush. His role will be reduced when Maurice Morris returns, but Duckett will continue to be the goal line guy.
| RB Leonard Weaver, Rush: 2 - 5 - 0 |
Weaver is the blocking back and his carries came in the first half.
| RB Owen Schmitt, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0 |
The big rookie from West Virginia saw limited action in the fourth quarter.
| RB Maurice Morris |
Morris was not active but Seattle hopes to get him back week five after their scheduled bye.
| WR Billy McMullen, Rec: 4 - 76 - 0 (8 targets) |
Seattle's leading receiver, McMullen averaged 19 yards per catch. Keep an eye on him when Branch and Engram return to see if he continues to have a role in this offense.
| WR Michael Bumpus, Rec: 2 - 29 - 1 (3 targets) |
The Washington State rookie scored Seattle's first touchdown, but his role in the offense was limited. He played in Bobby Engram's slot and may see even less playing time when Engram returns. He also fumbled a punt that resulted in a Rams field goal. He averaged 5 yards on his four other punt returns.
| WR Keary Colbert, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (2 targets) |
Colbert, obtained from Denver in a trade this past week, saw limited duty and caught one pass for eight yards.
| WR Courtney Taylor, Rec: 1 - 11 - 0 (1 targets) |
Taylor got into the game in the fourth quarter and caught his only target.
| WR Deion Branch |
Branch was limited in practice during the week as he recovers from knee surgery. He was not active for the game but Seattle hopes to get him back week five after their scheduled bye.
| WR Bobby Engram |
Engram was not active but Seattle hopes to get him back week five after their scheduled bye.
| WR Koren Robinson |
The prodigal son returned to Seattle when he signed a free agent contract this past week. He was injured before the game, however, and was not active.
| TE John Carlson, Rec: 2 - 38 - 0 (3 targets) |
The big Notre Dame rookie has been a pleasant surprise for Seattle so far. He averaged 19 yards for both first half receptions but Seattle put the passing attack on the back burner in the second half.
| TE Will Heller, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (1 targets) |
Heller caught his single target in the fourth quarter.
| PK Olindo Mare 3 - 3 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 13 points |
Mare remains perfect on field goal attempts, hitting two from 38 yards and another from 28. He converted all four extra points.
| SEA Rush Defense |
Seattle limited Stephen Jackson to just 2.9 yards per carry and held him out of the end zone.
| SEA Pass Defense |
Bulger was sacked once and fumbled which led to Seattle's first touchdown. The Seahawks allowed 184 passing yards but 50 came on one play, which started out as a short swing pass to Stephen Jackson. Dane Looker scored the only touchdown for the Rams on a third and goal from the 21 yard line. Bulger's QB rating was 72.5.
