Seahawks overcome Rams to end 6-game losing streak
Monday, December 15, 2008 10:16 AM PST
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| Tom Gannam | Associated Press
Seattle Seahawks’ Jordan Babineaux (right) celebrates with teammate Craig Terrill after recovering a St. Louis Rams fumble and scoring a touchdown in the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday in St. Louis. |
ST. LOUIS (AP) — In the first half, the St. Louis Rams were bulking up Jim Haslett’s resume in a meeting of downtrodden teams. At the finish, the Seattle Seahawks gave Mike Holmgren a rare reason to smile during a nightmare final season.
Completing a second-half turnaround, the Seahawks scored 10 points in the final 2:47 in a 23-20 victory on Sunday that gave them a season sweep against a fellow former NFC West power. Seattle (3-11) ended a six-game losing streak and showed it’s not quite as hopeless as St. Louis, which has lost eight straight.
‘‘I don’t think we came out ready to play early in the game and Mike got on us a little bit at halftime,’’ quarterback Seneca Wallace said. ‘‘We came out and played a heck of a second half.’’
Held to 76 yards and behind 17-7 at the break, the Seahawks outgained the Rams 257-99 the rest of the way. Holmgren has his worst record by far heading into his self-described sabbatical, but it beats 2-12. Seattle has won eight straight against the Rams.
Coming close was no consolation for the Rams (2-12), who won their first two games after Haslett replaced Scott Linehan but have mostly been blown out since. Haslett said the Rams should have been ahead 24-0 or 30-0 at halftime with the Seahawks’ lone score coming on a 27-yard fumble return by Jordan Babineaux and a costly lost fumble by tight end Joe Klopfenstein at the Seattle 15.
‘‘When we’re up, we have to learn to punish teams, to finish teams,’’ wide receiver Torry Holt said. ‘‘They definitely were due to be finished, and we didn’t do that.’’
T.J. Duckett’s 1-yard run tied it and Olindo Mare’s chip-shot 27-yard field goal, set up by Deion Branch’s 45-yard reception, completed the comeback. Branch was wide open on the play that led to the deciding kick.
‘‘It’s always good, though I’d rather just get the win,’’ Branch said.
Steven Jackson ran for 91 yards on 24 carries and a touchdown and Jason Craft led an energized defense with two fumble recoveries in the first half for St. Louis. The second half was a completely different story, with St. Louis totaling four first downs and Jackson limited to 10 yards on seven carries.
Jackson missed time after taking a blow to the head and wasn’t on the field for the first of three consecutive incomplete passes in the Rams’ final possession after Duckett’s TD. The Rams used only 18 seconds, leaving the Seahawks with plenty of time for the deciding six-play, 60-yard drive.
‘‘I took a shot and wasn’t really feeling all the way there, so we decided to rotate me in and out to see if I would come to,’’ Jackson said. ‘‘When I finally did, the clock was really running out on us.’’
The Rams’ 17-point first half topped their total from all but two entire games. They reverted to bumbling form the rest of the way while losing to an injury-ravaged team without Matt Hasselbeck and tackle Walter Jones.
The game was the Rams’ fifth to be blacked out on local TV the last three seasons, with the 65,000-capacity Edward Jones Dome about two-thirds full although 56,123 tickets were sold. The fans who showed up seemed interested mostly in booing excitable guard Richie Incognito after one of his four penalties.
The Seahawks had targeted Incognito in the buildup to the game, accusing him of dirty play in the previous meeting.
The Rams’ two first-half touchdowns matched their total from the previous five games. Jackson’s 6-yard run in the second quarter capped an 18-play, 97-yard march — their longest drive of the year in both plays and yards.
Notes: Rams WR Derek Stanley (sprained left knee) was the ballcarrier on an end around on Babineaux’s fumble return. Haslett said he’ll have an MRI exam on Monday but thought the injury was serious. ... Seahawks LT Sean Locklear (dislocated left toe) was carted off after the game-winning field goal when Rams lineman Adam Carriker fell on him. ... Babineaux sustained a mild concussion but played in the Seahawks’ nickel package throughout.
