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AP STORY: Rams rally to beat Seattle in OT
SEATTLE (AP) -- Never count out Marc Bulger and the quick-strike St. Louis Rams.
Bulger threw a 52-yard touchdown pass to Shaun McDonald less than 3 minutes into overtime, leading the St. Louis Rams to a thrilling 33-27 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
The Rams (3-2) ended Seattle's 10-game home winning streak, with Bulger leading a 17-point rally by throwing two TD passes in the final 5:34 of regulation. Jeff Wilkins kicked a 36-yard field goal with 8 seconds left, forcing overtime.
The Seahawks (3-1), trying to open 4-0 for the first time ever, appeared to have things in control, leading 24-7 at halftime and 27-10 midway through the third period.
Bugler led St. Louis back and the Rams kept their momentum going when they won the coin flip to start overtime and took over at the 29. They needed six plays and 3:02 before McDonald beat safety Terreal Bierria on third-and-8 near midfield and raced to the end zone.
The Rams ran off the bench and celebrated as Seattle's stadium-record crowd of 66,940 went away stunned.
Bulger completed 24 of 42 passes for 325 yards with three TDs and three interceptions.
Seattle's Matt Hasselbeck was 20-of-35 for 216 yards and two scoring passes. The Seahawks wasted a 150-yard rushing effort by Shaun Alexander.
Bulger didn't get off to a good start, and the Seahawks were in control most of the day. Seattle's defense had three interceptions, two by Ken Lucas in the first half and another by Marcus Trufant in the fourth.
Those turnovers, however, led only to six points: A 48-yard field goal by Josh Brown in the second quarter and a 34-yarder in the fourth that put the Seahawks ahead 27-10 with 8:42 left.
Brown was wide left on a 43-yard try after Lucas' second interception, which turned out to be a huge miss.
The Rams pulled to 27-17 with 5:34 remaining when Bulger threw an 8-yard TD pass to Brandon Manumaleuna, who grabbed the ball with two defenders blanketing him.
St. Louis forced a punt, and McDonald returned it 39 yards to Seattle's 41. On the next play, Kevin Curtis beat two defenders and Bulger found him in stride for a 41-yard scoring strike that made it 27-24.
Leonard Little nearly came up with a big play on Seattle's ensuing series, sacking Hasselbeck for a 12-yard loss and forcing a fumble. Center Robbie Tobeck fell on the loose ball.
Brown then kicked a 35-yard punt because regular punter Tom Rouen sustained a late hamstring strain. That gave the Rams possession at the their own 36 with 1:14 to play and no timeouts remaining.
Bulger found Isaac Bruce for a 26-yard gain to Seattle's 37, then added a 16-yarder to Dane Looker that got the ball out of bounds at the 18.
Wilkins kicked a 36-yard field goal on the next play, tying it at 27.
Seattle sputtered offensively after a solid start and led 24-7 at halftime after Hasselbeck threw a 24-yard TD pass to tight end Jeremy Stevens and found Darrell Jackson wide open for 56-yard catch-and-run score just before the break.
Hasselbeck wasn't quite as sharp after a helmet-to-helmet shot by linebacker Robert Thomas midway through the second period.
It was a rough day for Seattle's defense, which started strong but wilted.
The Rams were the first team since New Orleans in the opener to reach the end zone against Seattle. Bulger's 9-yard bootleg in the second quarter got St. Louis to 10-7, a score that was set up by Steven Jackson's 48-yard run.
By Tim Korte
Associated Press
10/10/2004SEATTLE (AP) -- Never count out Marc Bulger and the quick-strike St. Louis Rams.
Bulger threw a 52-yard touchdown pass to Shaun McDonald less than 3 minutes into overtime, leading the St. Louis Rams to a thrilling 33-27 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
The Rams (3-2) ended Seattle's 10-game home winning streak, with Bulger leading a 17-point rally by throwing two TD passes in the final 5:34 of regulation. Jeff Wilkins kicked a 36-yard field goal with 8 seconds left, forcing overtime.
The Seahawks (3-1), trying to open 4-0 for the first time ever, appeared to have things in control, leading 24-7 at halftime and 27-10 midway through the third period.
Bugler led St. Louis back and the Rams kept their momentum going when they won the coin flip to start overtime and took over at the 29. They needed six plays and 3:02 before McDonald beat safety Terreal Bierria on third-and-8 near midfield and raced to the end zone.
The Rams ran off the bench and celebrated as Seattle's stadium-record crowd of 66,940 went away stunned.
Bulger completed 24 of 42 passes for 325 yards with three TDs and three interceptions.
Seattle's Matt Hasselbeck was 20-of-35 for 216 yards and two scoring passes. The Seahawks wasted a 150-yard rushing effort by Shaun Alexander.
Bulger didn't get off to a good start, and the Seahawks were in control most of the day. Seattle's defense had three interceptions, two by Ken Lucas in the first half and another by Marcus Trufant in the fourth.
Those turnovers, however, led only to six points: A 48-yard field goal by Josh Brown in the second quarter and a 34-yarder in the fourth that put the Seahawks ahead 27-10 with 8:42 left.
Brown was wide left on a 43-yard try after Lucas' second interception, which turned out to be a huge miss.
The Rams pulled to 27-17 with 5:34 remaining when Bulger threw an 8-yard TD pass to Brandon Manumaleuna, who grabbed the ball with two defenders blanketing him.
St. Louis forced a punt, and McDonald returned it 39 yards to Seattle's 41. On the next play, Kevin Curtis beat two defenders and Bulger found him in stride for a 41-yard scoring strike that made it 27-24.
Leonard Little nearly came up with a big play on Seattle's ensuing series, sacking Hasselbeck for a 12-yard loss and forcing a fumble. Center Robbie Tobeck fell on the loose ball.
Brown then kicked a 35-yard punt because regular punter Tom Rouen sustained a late hamstring strain. That gave the Rams possession at the their own 36 with 1:14 to play and no timeouts remaining.
Bulger found Isaac Bruce for a 26-yard gain to Seattle's 37, then added a 16-yarder to Dane Looker that got the ball out of bounds at the 18.
Wilkins kicked a 36-yard field goal on the next play, tying it at 27.
Seattle sputtered offensively after a solid start and led 24-7 at halftime after Hasselbeck threw a 24-yard TD pass to tight end Jeremy Stevens and found Darrell Jackson wide open for 56-yard catch-and-run score just before the break.
Hasselbeck wasn't quite as sharp after a helmet-to-helmet shot by linebacker Robert Thomas midway through the second period.
It was a rough day for Seattle's defense, which started strong but wilted.
The Rams were the first team since New Orleans in the opener to reach the end zone against Seattle. Bulger's 9-yard bootleg in the second quarter got St. Louis to 10-7, a score that was set up by Steven Jackson's 48-yard run.
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