• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Seahawks look to open some breathing room atop NFC West

Nov 8, 2006 - 12:59 AM St Louis (4-4) at Seattle (5-3) Sunday 4:15 pm EST

SEATTLE (Ticker) - With a win over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday, the Seattle Seahawks could take a major step toward winning their third straight NFC West title.

The Seahawks enter the contest with a one-game lead over the Rams. However, they already own a win over their divisional rivals.

In what was a wild first meeting, the Seahawks emerged with a 30-28 victory at St. Louis on October 15.

Matt Hasselbeck led the way in the victory, throwing for 268 yards and three touchdowns. He also directed a late drive that Josh Brown capped with a 54-yard field goal as time expired.

Brown almost didn't get the chance to kick the field goal. The Seahawks were flagged for illegal formation as Hasselbeck attempted to spike the ball with four seconds remaining. The Rams players spilled onto the field thinking they had won the game as the penalty would result in a 10-second runoff since it was in the final minute. But the 10-second runoff does not apply to an illegal formation call.

Seattle was able to escape despite St. Louis Pro Bowl wide receiver Torry Holt catching eight passes for 154 yards and three touchdowns. His juggling 67-yard TD with 1:44 left had given the Rams a 28-27 lead.

The Seahawks will not have Hasselbeck for the rematch. The Pro Bowler will miss his third straight game with a sprained right MCL.

Seneca Wallace, who has split his two starts in place of Hasselbeck, will again get the call.

The Seahawks again are expected to be without Pro Bowl running back and reigning MVP Shaun Alexander.

"He is healing. I think he'll do some running at the end of the week," Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said. "But I wouldn't expect him to be able to play this week. Now, I suppose there's an outside chance, but that's how they are looking at it."

Alexander, who won the rushing title with 1,880 yards and set a single-season record with 28 touchdowns in 2005, has missed the last five games with a cracked bone in his left foot. Seattle is 2-3 in his absence.

Maurice Morris had struggled since replacing Alexander. However, he produced a career-high 138 yards on 30 carries in last Monday night's 16-0 victory over Oakland.

The Seahawks also collected nine sacks against the anemic Raiders, including three by defensive tackle Craig Terrill, who had two in his first 25 career games.

Under first-year coach Scott Linehan, the Rams won four of their first five games. But they have lost three straight since, starting with the defeat to the Seahawks.

The Rams' problems center around their struggling defense, which has allowed 99 points during their skid. Last week, the Rams allowed 186 rushing yards in a 31-17 home loss to Kansas City.

Marc Bulger and Steven Jackson both had huge games against the Chiefs. Bulger threw for 354 yards and a touchdown, while Jackson rushed for 86 yards and a score to go along with 13 catches for 133 yards.

Seattle has scored at least 30 points in beating the Rams in each of the last three meetings.