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 As for the St. Louis Rams, they were just glad to finally hold on
to a large lead in the Edward Jones Dome after blowing 21- and
11-point advantages in losses to Dallas and San Francisco.
Quarterback Austin Davis threw for 152 yards and a pair of
touchdowns as St. Louis snapped its three-game losing streak Sunday
with a 28-26 upset of its NFC West rivals from Seattle.
Outgained 463-272, the Rams (2-4) enjoyed a huge advantage in
special teams. A 75-yard kickoff return by running back Benny
Cunningham set up their first touchdown, a wacky, trick-play,
90-yard punt return by wide receiver Stedman Bailey gave them a 21-3
lead in the second quarter and a fake punt in the fourth quarter
helped them protect a slim advantage.
Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson became the first player in NFL
history to pass for more than 300 yards and rush for more than 100
yards in the same game. He completed 23 of 36 passes for 313 yards
and two touchdowns while rushing seven times for 106 yards and a
19-yard third quarter score.
But it was not enough to prevent the Seahawks' second straight loss.
On fourth-and-3 from its 18, St. Louis had punter Johnny Hekker
throw to Cunningham. It resulted in an 18-yard gain and a critical
first down with less than three minutes left.
"I had a touchdown against them," said Hekker, who threw for a
touchdown on a fake field goal two years ago to help beat Seattle.
"I'm not going to say that was the best play of my career, but as
far as being clutch, that's pretty sweet."
"Gutty call by (Rams coach) Jeff (Fisher)," Seattle coach Pete
Carroll said. "We've seen him do that before, but I didn't think
he'd do that from that spot on the field. If he drops the ball, we
have it at their 18. We can kick a field goal and get out of here
with a win."
Instead, St. Louis kept the ball and sealed the win when rookie
running back Tre Mason picked up 9 yards on a third-and-1 run inside
the final minute. Mason was stripped from behind by cornerback
Richard Sherman, but referee Brad Allen's crew ruled that tight end
Cory Harkey outfought free safety Earl Thomas for the ball at the
Seahawks' 32.
Perhaps frustrated by the loss and his team's 10 penalties for 89
yards, as compared to the Rams' two flags for 20 yards, Thomas
blasted the officials.
"We're not only having to play the other team, we have to play the
officials every week," he said. "That's not right. Every week, it
seems like the calls go against us."
Thomas also correctly noted St. Louis' dominance in the kicking
game, symbolized by Bailey's stunningly easy touchdown after Seattle
totally fell for a fake by punt returner Tavon Austin.
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Running to the left sideline after John Ryan punted, Austin faked
a sliding catch. The pantomime took nearly every Seahawk away from
the right side, where Bailey made an over-the-shoulder grab. Bailey
needed to elude just two defenders and had clear sailing for about
the last 55 yards.
Carroll argued unsuccessfully that Austin signaled for a fair catch.
"That was a great fake," Carroll said. "We were tracking their
blockers instead of the ball."
Seattle (3-3) tried to rally behind quarterback Wilson. Wilson drew
the Seahawks within 21-19 with 9:44 left in the game, hitting tight
end Cooper Helfet for a 19-yard touchdown pass as Helfet tip-toed
both feet along the left sideline.
However, the Rams responded with an 80-yard drive as Davis, who
connected on 18 of 21 pass attempts, hit tight end Lance Kendricks
with a 4-yard scoring strike with 5:36 remaining.
Wilson found wide receiver Doug Baldwin for a 9-yard touchdown pass
at the 3:18 mark, but Seattle never got the ball back.
"They're the defending champions, they have near everybody back on
their team," St. Louis defensive end Robert Quinn said. "To beat a
great ball club like that is a heck of a job. We all know it's a
great feeling, so we've just got to take this momentum and go build
on it."
NOTES: Four Seattle starters -- CB Byron Maxwell (calf), LB Bobby
Wagner (foot), C Max Unger (foot) and TE Luke Willson (groin) --
were inactive. Backup TE Zach Miller (ankle) also sat out and
starting FB Derrick Coleman (foot) didn't play after getting injured
in pregame warmups. ... St. Louis reactivated WR Chris Givens after
a two-week absence, but deactivated WR Austin Pettis, who was listed
as probable with an ankle injury. ... When the Rams' Rodger Saffold
started Monday night at right guard, it marked the fourth different
offensive line position that he opened a game at in the last two
years.
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