• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Seahawks-Rams Preview

Nov 28, 2009 - 1:13 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

It's been almost a year since the Seattle Seahawks won a game on the road. That came against the St. Louis Rams, who have gone even longer without a victory at home.

The struggling Seahawks look to snap a six-game road losing streak while trying for a 10th consecutive win over the lowly Rams on Sunday.

While St. Louis (1-9) is tied with Tampa Bay for the worst record in NFC and has already clinched a third straight losing season, Seattle is not playing much better.

The Seahawks (3-7) are trying to avoid a third straight loss overall after falling 35-9 at Minnesota last Sunday. Seattle's six straight road losses have all come by double digits, and it has allowed an average of 32.5 points in those games. Its last road win came Dec. 14, 23-20 at St. Louis.

"We can't get used to this," quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said. "We can't get used to losing."

Unfortunately for the Seahawks, losing has been the norm the last two seasons. Seattle is 7-19 since its last playoff appearance in January 2008.

"There's no magic potion. We've just got to perform (better)," said Hasselbeck, who was 19 of 26 for 231 yards and one interception against Minnesota.

The Seahawks, however, are averaging 29.7 points during their nine-game winning streak over the Rams. St. Louis, which has lost 10 in a row at home since beating Dallas in October 2008, last beat Seattle 23-12 on Nov. 14, 2004.

In order to continue dominating this series, Seattle must find a way to bounce back from another blowout loss.

Last in the NFL with 84.4 rushing yards per game, the Seahawks gained a franchise-low 4 yards on 13 carries against the Vikings.

Replacing the injured Julius Jones, Justin Forsett had rushed for 123 yards on 17 carries in a 31-20 loss at Arizona the previous week, but was held to 9 yards and a touchdown against Minnesota.

"We tried to stick with it, but there was a point where we were beating our head against a wall," coach Jim Mora said.

Jones, who suffered a lung contusion two weeks ago against Arizona, will be a game-time decision for Sunday.

Whether Jones or Forsett is running the ball, the Seahawks have a chance for a big game on the ground against the Rams, who are giving up 146.4 rushing yards per contest. Seattle ran for a season-high 167 yards in a 28-0 season-opening win over St. Louis on Sept. 13.

Hasselbeck, who's been playing with broken ribs and a sore shoulder for about a month, was 25 of 36 for 279 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions against the Rams earlier this season. He's thrown for 2,915 yards and 19 TDs with nine interceptions while going 9-3 as a starter versus St. Louis.

St. Louis won't have quarterback Marc Bulger available Sunday, but should have star running back Steven Jackson in the lineup.

Despite missing practice Wednesday due to lower back spasms, Jackson should be ready as he tries for a fifth consecutive 100-yard rushing game.

"Oh, he's going to play," Mora said. "Big deal. That's not unusual for a running back who's carrying the ball as much as he has, to miss a day of practice."

Second in the NFL with 1,031 rushing yards, Jackson had 116 and a TD on 24 carries in a 21-13 home loss to Arizona last Sunday. Jackson, who became the first Rams player to post five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, has rushed for 721 yards in 10 games against the Seahawks, but has failed to reach 100 yards in any single one of those contests.

Kyle Boller will make his third start of the season in place of Bulger, expected to miss three to six weeks with a broken left shin bone suffered last Sunday. The Rams have lost two in a row by a combined 13 points since beating Detroit 17-10 on Nov. 1.

Boller has thrown for 481 yards and thrown two TDs with three interceptions this season, but hasn't played since a 38-10 loss to Minnesota on Oct. 11.

"I think our offense has made huge strides," he said. "It's one of those deals where I'm excited to be in there with these guys."

Boller has never faced Seattle.