Sept 21, 2003 Bulger vs Hasselback.... Rams lost 24-23.
Seahawks just returned to the NFC West from the AFC West in 2002, thus the game I attended was no where near the Rams / Seahawks rivalry it became , but it was a game that might have started the rivalry......
we chatting with Seahawks fans before the game and I remember the fans telling us that they were not too thrilled with Seattle moving to the NFC West.......
They were used to seeing the Seahawks play in the AFC West against legendary AFL teams..... the Raiders, Chiefs, Chargers and Broncos
Now they were seeing Seattle play against SF, STL, and Arizona.... not quite the AFC West historic legacy, they were not happy.... but lucky for us, it was not hard at all to get good seats for that game....
I've been to Candlestick many many times, the black hole in Oakland, Levi, SD, the Big A, and Coliseum. ..... that place in Seattle was the loudest NFL stadium I've been too... crazy loud, not drunk loud, but fans that would not stop yelling during the game..... very cool stadium BTW.
The town itself has great places to eat, especially seafood...... and of course the smell of roasted coffee beans everywhere...... the town reminds me of SF, in that it's sea wharf town on a hill... beautiful city... I hope to go back someday.... we stayed in Portland Oregon, about 2 hour drive from the stadium.
BTW, last year I went to the Seattle game in LA... I remember seeing 2 caravans of tour buses arriving from Seattle near our tailgate area...., they were chanting loudly as they got off the bus after their 18 hour drive from Seattle, they were even louder getting back on the bus after Kupp dropped a potential game winning TD pass from Goff....
Game recap: I remember seeing Warner warming up in the 4th qtr... I was hoping Martz would put him in........
URL = [
www.espn.com]
Sept 21, 2003
Late Hasselbeck-to-Robinson toss beats St. Louis
SEATTLE (AP) -- Mike Holmgren shuffled to the podium in the
interview room and tried to keep a straight face.
"Never in doubt," he said, making everyone around him burst
into laughter.
Question on the Rams: With this loss, any chance Warner starts in Week 4?
No, Marc Bulger did a good job and made the correct decisions. He did what he was necessary for this team to win and shouldn't lose his job.
Question on the Seahawks: So does this win now make Seattle the team to beat in the NFC West?
Definitely. Seattle has an explosive offense with a strong running game, good receivers and a quarterback who's making the correct decisions. But this team's hopes ride on new defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes and his defense's play.
Holmgren is soaking up the good cheer surrounding the Seattle
Seahawks, who rallied to beat St. Louis 24-23 on Sunday 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."
"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 referees 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. The
final drive covered 74 yards in 10 plays.
Hasselbeck completed 22 of 39 passes for 256 yards and two TDs.
The Rams couldn't match it. On third down, Bulger's deep pass to
Torry Holt went off the fingers of Seattle free safety Ken Hamlin.
Bulger tried the same play on the next down, but overthrew
everyone.
Bulger was 21-of-34 for 226 yards with one TD.
"I'm happy with Marc," Martz said. "I thought he did well. He
is still young. He's learning."
Seattle's offense, sluggish through the first 2{ quarters,
finally got on track late in the third period. Hasselbeck capped a
70-yard drive with a 15-yard TD pass to Darrell Jackson to pull the
Seahawks to 23-17 with 14:10 to play.
The Seahawks stalled with about four minutes remaining, when
Hasselbeck's throw to Jackson on fourth-and-1 at their own 41 was
incomplete. But Simmons made his interception on the ensuing Rams
possession.
"We're not a team that can make mistakes and then try to come
back late and win," Holt said.
Notes: Seattle RB Shaun Alexander arrived for the start of the
second quarter after his wife delivered a daughter, Heaven
Alexander, at 12:37 p.m. ... Young started instead of Ryan Pickett
at DT. ... Along with three victories to end the 2002 season, the
Seahawks have won six straight. It's two wins short of the
franchise record set in 1984. ... Seattle LB Orlando Huff left in
the second quarter with a high ankle sprain. ... Rams rookie RB Dan
Curley tore a calf muscle during warmups.
