Seahawks vs Rams

St Louis Rams QB Marc Bulger has the higher QB rating, the higher completion percentage and threw for more yards during the ’04 regular season. But Seattle’s Matt Hasslebeck tossed one more TD (22) and just one more INT (15) than Bulger while completing 42 fewer passes.

Since yards and completion percentages don’t win games, but TD’s do, I have to conclude that Hasslebeck is the deadlier weapon.

And while the Rams put up a lot of yards during the regular season they were only the 19th best team in the league at scoring points (19.9 per game).

Seattle was less flashy, but scored more (23.2 pts per game).

Thought it didn’t matter very much in their two regular season meetings (Seattle lost both), the Rams also have the weaker scoring defense (24.5 pts per game vs 23.3 for Seattle).

The Rams also have a problem defensively that Seattle does not. Because, while the Rams may have a running game that equals Seattle’s, nut-job Mike Martz refuses to use it.

That means that the Seahawks only have to worry about defending the passing game and can do that fairly well even if they allow a lot of yards (because the Rams poor scoring offense mentioned above).

But the Rams have to defend against a passing game that is more effective than the one they practice against, AND have to focus on stopping the Seahawks excellent run game.

Seattle’s running game will keep Bulger and his crew off the field. Bulger will still have a nice day and throw for lots of yards vs Seattle’s weak passing D, but with the Rams at –24 vs the Seahawks +8 in turnovers it doesn’t seem like putting the ball in the air all day long will pay the dividends Mike Martz expects it to.

This is a partial entry. For the full post, go HERE.