Unbeaten Seahawks go 2-up in NFC West
By Tim Korte
Associated Press
SEATTLE — Mike Holmgren shuffled to the podium in the interview room and tried to keep a straight face.
Associated Press
"Never in doubt," he said, making everyone around him burst into laughter.
St. Louis' Jerametrius Butler, bottom, breaks up a pass intended for Seattle's Koren Robinson in the fourth quarter. The Seahawks won, 24-23, to improve to 3-0.
Holmgren is soaking up the good cheer surrounding the Seattle Seahawks, who rallied to beat St. Louis, 24-23, yesterday to start 3-0 for only the second time since the Reagan administration.
Matt Hasselbeck threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Koren Robinson with 1 minute remaining and Josh Brown made the PAT as the Seahawks erased a 13-point deficit.
"Unbelievable," Hasselbeck said. "It really is. We were talking at the start of the year that we could be 3-0 going into our bye week. To actually do it is another thing."
Brown, a rookie, missed a 35-yard field goal earlier in the fourth quarter but helped win the game with his crucial PAT.
"We went out and played hard, and it shows the character of this team," Robinson said. "Matt put it down where I could make the catch, make the play. It came out as the game-winner."
The Rams may have lost more than the game. Running back Marshall Faulk, held to 31 yards on 15 carries, left in the third quarter with what is believed to be a broken left hand. He was to be examined again after the team returns home.
"I don't know what the situation is," coach Mike Martz said. "They suspect that it's a broken hand."
Meanwhile, the Seahawks are undefeated after three games for the first time in five years and only the second time since 1986.
"We are real," linebacker Chad Brown said. "If we continue to work like we are, then we will be one of those teams contending for it at the end."
St. Louis (1-2) led 23-10 after Jeff Wilkins kicked a 33-yard field goal with just under four minutes to play in the third quarter. Marc Bulger fell to 7-2 as St. Louis' starting quarterback, with both of those losses coming in Seattle.
The Seahawks went on their winning drive when linebacker Anthony Simmons intercepted a tipped pass that Rams receiver Dane Looker couldn't haul in.
"Bulger was staring his receiver down," Simmons said. "He thought we were going to bring some people that we were showing in the line. He popped up to throw a quick slant and we were right there on it."
Seattle, listless through the first half, took over with 3:15 remaining.
On the very next play, Hasselbeck found Robinson for a 32-yard gain across midfield. He also made a third-down pass to Bobby Engram for a 13-yard gain to the Rams' 29, and got a break after an incomplete pass on third-and-8 at the 13.
Rams defensive tackle Brian Young was flagged for holding after the officials apparently listened to complaints throughout the fourth period by Seattle guard Steve Hutchinson.
"It happened earlier in the game," Hutchinson said. "I colorfully let the ref know about it a few series before that. I made a point of having him look for it. He saw it, and he called it. It was a crucial call."
That gave the Seahawks a first down at the 8, and it took three plays before Hasselbeck found Robinson for the game-winner.
Hasselbeck completed 22 of 39 passes for 256 yards and two TDs.
Bulger was 21 of 34 for 226 yards with one TD.
