Week 7: St. Louis at Seattle

QB Marc Bulger, who has sat out the past two weeks with two broken ribs, says he’s playing in this one. The desperate Rams aren’t about to stop him, since Gus Frerotte has thrown a staggering eight interceptions in the past two games in Bulger’s place. On this injury-depleted team, RB Steven Jackson (groin) will probably miss another game, but the Rams hope to get WR Isaac Bruce (hamstring) back this week.

WR Torry Holt is quietly having a good year for St. Louis, but there’s not much else that you can say positive about a squad that, like Miami, has a small chance of going 0-16. “The Greatest No Show on Turf” is not what coach Scott Linehan had in mind, but that’s what he’s got.

Then again, Seattle isn’t exactly lighting it up. If you’re forced to watch this one, grab a cup of that good Seattle java early on to ensure you make it through three hours. The Seahawks just allowed another formerly winless team (New Orleans) to come into their house last week, grab a 28-7 lead by the second quarter and coast in from there. Could the Seahawks lay another huge egg like that for the second week in a row?

Seattle is actually tied for first in the tepid NFC West with Arizona at 3-3, but the Seahawks have lost their last two in disturbing fashion. Seattle is having with the fundamentals – RB Shaun Alexander only could eke out 35 rushing yards Sunday, and an errant punt snap turned into a New Orleans touchdown. The week before, the Seahawks got shut out by Pittsburgh. A fifth straight playoff berth isn’t going to happen in Seattle – where boos often rained down over the team last week – if QB Matt Hasselbeck and company don’t start playing better.

Coach Mike Holmgren said he understood the fans’ boos but is taking the long view. He particularly wants to get a better pass rush, and he’s playing the right team to do that against. The Rams’ offensive line has been shuffled so much due to injury that nametags might help. This should be the week where somebody for Seattle beside LB Julian Peterson actually makes a sack.

Seattle by 7