Surprising Rams begin difficult stretch
Associated Press
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/6054814
ST. LOUIS (AP) - The St. Louis Rams' surprising 4-1 start is not a source of overconfidence. Not with the treacherous stretch the team is facing.
First-year coach Scott Linehan scoffed at the suggestion his team's tight 23-20 victory over the Packers last week might have been a result of the Rams looking ahead to Sunday's game against the Seattle. The Seahawks have supplanted the Rams atop the NFC West and made it to the Super Bowl last year.
Linehan needs only two more victories to equal last year's total for St. Louis. Yet his team has been fortunate, clinching two games on late fumbles by opponents, and all the victories hung in the balance late in the game.
"It's not like we're coming off a Super Bowl hangover," Linehan said. "We have to approach this thing daily and every week. Half of our team is a new team that's trying to figure out how to play each week."
A crash course is heading their way. The Rams built their early-season victory total against teams that are a combined 7-17.
The next five games, two against the Seahawks, are against teams that are a collective 14-7.
Linehan said the records are irrelevant and that the Rams need to keep taking things one step at a time.
"I think it's very important that we stay with that frame of mind and don't get ahead of ourselves and think about who we're playing and what their records are," Linehan said. "I've been in this long enough now to say that the records really don't matter.
"If we approach them the way we've been approaching them, I think it'll be more effective."
The Seahawks (3-1) have a chance to regain control in the division, although they're again likely to be without star running back Shaun Alexander (broken foot). Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said it's a challenge comparable to last season, when the Seahawks won in St. Louis despite losing two starting wide receivers.
"That was a crushing blow, and we needed to come together," Hasselbeck said. "We needed guys to step up and play the best football they've ever played and that's what we did."
The Seahawks are coming off their bye following a loss at Chicago.
"The bye came at a good time because we were nicked up," coach Mike Holmgren said. "I hope they come in refreshed and ready to go."
Holmgren said the game plan is no different with or without Alexander.
"Do we miss Shaun? Sure we do," Holmgren said. "He's an MVP. We've always had the philosophy around here the next guy in line has to stand up and be ready to play."
Playing the Seahawks will serve as a measuring stick for the Rams, even if Alexander isn't ready.
"I think you always look forward to playing the team that sets the bar," Linehan said. "That's kind of the way the league works. It goes in cycles, but they're certainly the team to beat, not only in our division, but in the entire NFC."
The Rams lead the NFL with a plus-12 turnover margin. They hope to build on that against Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who has thrown five interceptions the last two games.
"I've got to do better," Hasselbeck said. "Fantasy football owners hate me. I hear that on the street every day.
"I've got to pull out a
Marc Bulger tape to see how it's done."
Bulger has thrown a franchise-record 214 consecutive passes without an interception. He's the only quarterback to start the entire season without getting picked off.
Rams special teams player and backup linebacker Isaiah Kacyvenski will face his old team after being released and quickly signing with the Rams - even after Holmgren assured him the team wanted to re-sign him. Linehan said he's talked with Kacyvenski about general impressions of the Seahawks.
"It's different, though, because they haven't played us this year," Linehan said "A lot of it was based on what he knows on how the Rams played before. I think it's valuable to a point."
Holmgren said Rams vs. Seahawks is becoming a rivalry game.
"When we entered the NFC West, the Rams were winning the division," Holmgren said "It was up to us and other teams to go get them.
"It's turned into a rivalry from the beginning. It's all what the NFL is about."
GO RAMS 
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