Seahawks edge Rams in battle of NFL bottom feeders

In what could be called the NFL’s “Futility Bowl” (or less charitably the “Toilet Bowl”), the 2-11 Seattle Seahawks traveled to St. Louis for a game against the 2-11 Rams on Sunday.  Certainly not a classic, the contest was won by Seattle thanks to a furious fourth quarter comeback that earned the Seahawks a 23-20 win. 

The two teams traded touchdowns in the first quarter with the Rams scoring first on a 31 yard TD pass from Marc Bulger to Torrie Holt.  The Seahawks answered when Jordan Babineaux returned a fumble 24 yards to tie the score at 7-7.  The second quarter was all St. Louis as the Rams tacked on ten points via a 6 yard run by Steven Jackson and a Josh Brown 36 yard field goal.  The Seahawks were held to a total of 76 yards in the first half, and were lucky to be down only 17-7 at the break—a fact not lost on Rams coach Jim Haslett:

"It should have been 24- or 30-nothing at halftime. You have a chance to really take care of it in the first half and you don't do it. Hopefully, this team will learn."

The Rams not only “didn’t take care of it” in the first half but gave the game away entirely in the second.  The Seahawks chipped away in the third quarter, using two Olindo Mare field goals to draw within four points entering the final period.  Josh Brown extended the St. Louis lead with a FG early in the frame, but Seattle scored 10 points in the final 2:47 seconds to steal the victory.  T.J. Duckett started the rally with a short TD run just before the two minute warning, and kicker Brown sealed the victory with a 27 yard FG as time expired.

In the aftermath of yet another disappointing loss caused by bumbling execution, Rams QB Bulger had nothing but sympathy for Coach Haslett who may end up being the scapegoat for the disastrous season.:

"I'm sure he wishes he could go out there and play and help his own fate. I know he would do a good job turning this place around."

The loss was St. Louis’ eighth straight and also their eighth straight setback to Seattle.  The Seahawks ended a six game losing streak of their own with the victory.  St. Louis will host San Francisco and travel to Atlanta to end their miserable season.  Seattle has a more difficult road to nowhere, returning home to host the New York Jets before concluding their season in Tempe, Arizona against the Cardinals.