• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Seahawks, Rams clash in battle of winless teams

Sep 16, 2008 - 6:22 PM ST. LOUIS (0-2) at SEATTLE (0-2), 4:05 pm EDT

SEATTLE (Ticker) -- The Seattle Seahawks are getting a visit from the St. Louis Rams at just the right time.

Off to an 0-2 start for the first time in six years, the Seahawks look to break into the win column against one of their favorite opponents when the Rams come to town on Sunday.

Seattle, which has not opened a season with back-to-back losses since 2002, has posted six consecutive victories over the Rams, who also are off to an 0-2 start.

Injuries have decimated the Seahawks, particularly at wide receiver, where their top five receivers are sidelined, including three - Nate Burleson, Ben Obomanu and Logan Payne - who are lost for the season.

Coach Mike Holmgren acknowledged Monday that starting wideouts Deion Branch and Bobby Engram will be sidelined until after the team's bye in Week Four.

The team is so thin at the position that the Seahawks have been in talks with Koren Robinson, a former first-round pick of Seattle whose career has been plagued by alcohol problems.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," Holmgren told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Despite a 127-yard effort from running back Julius Jones, the Seahawks blew an early 14-point lead and dropped a 33-30 overtime decision to the San Francisco 49ers last week.

Playing with a patchwork group of wideouts, Matt Hasselbeck has completed just 45.5 percent (35-of-77) of his passes with one touchdown and three interceptions.

The Rams have been even more inept, tying the Cleveland Browns with a league-low 16 points through the first two games.

St. Louis has been just as bad on the other side of the ball, surrendering 79 points - second only to the Detroit Lions.

In last weekend's 41-13 loss to the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants, the Rams were within seven points early in the fourth quarter only to see New York rattle off three touchdowns in the final 7 1/2 minutes to turn it into a laugher.

"For three-plus quarters, it wasn't perfect football by any means but we had the right state of mind and competitive nature about us to win that football game had we played a little better and obviously finished the game and that is what we didn't do," beleaguered Rams coach Scott Linehan said. "Until we figure that out we will continue to get the same result."