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Resurgent Rams gear up for Seahawks

Nov 25, 2007 - 11:30 AM Seattle (6-4) at St Louis (2-8) 1:00 pm EST

ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- It may be too late to salvage their season, but the St. Louis Rams can play spoiler against the Seattle Seahawks.

The Rams will be aiming for their third straight victory when front-running NFC West rival Seattle comes to town Sunday.

After starting the season with eight consecutive losses, including a 33-6 drubbing in Seattle on October 21, St. Louis finally is starting to shows signs of living up to the preseason projections.

The Rams ended their eight-game skid by beating up on the New Orleans Saints, 37-29, and weathered an ugly 13-9 victory over the San Francisco 49ers this past weekend.

The biggest reason for the turnaround is a return to good health of quarterback Marc Bulger and running back Steven Jackson.

Bulger not only has been playing through a painful rib injury, causing him to miss two games, but he also has been without the team's biggest weapon in Jackson, who sat out four games with a groin injury.

Jackson has rushed 22 and 23 times for 76 and 82 yards, respectively, in the past two games, alleviating the burden on Bulger.

With no running game to rely upon, Bulger was sacked seven times and threw three interceptions in the first meeting with the Seahawks, who have won the NFC West the past three seasons.

The Rams' defense also has benefited, holding the Saints to just seven points through three quarters and limiting the punchless 49ers to three field goals.

Seattle's offense will be much more formidable, having registered 117 points in winning three of its last four contests, including the past two.

With running back Shaun Alexander ineffective all season long due to myriad injuries (wrist, ankle, knee), coach Mike Holmgren opted to put the ball in quarterback Matt Hasselbeck's hands and open up the offense.

Hasselbeck finished 30-of-44 for 337 yards and two TDs in rallying Seattle to a 30-23 victory over Chicago last week. Going to the air that often took its toll on Hasselbeck, who bruised his ribs in the contest and is not expected to practice all week.

Backup Maurice Morris has rushed for 87 yards and a touchdown in each of the past two games, while wideout D.J. Hackett has been sensational after missing six weeks due to injury.

Hackett has caught a touchdown pass in each of his last three games and is coming off a nine-catch, 136-yard effort - both career highs - against the Bears.

The Seahawks, who lead Arizona by one game in the division, swept the season series in 2006, winning both games on a last-second field goal by Josh Brown.