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Winless in Seattle: Rams hope to end decade-long losing streak
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_87df535b-c4e3-5192-a442-4f2042017e35.html
The last time the Rams won in Seattle, they were in the playoffs. Just that statement alone tells you it was a long time ago.
In fact, that 27-20 wild-card triumph on Jan. 8, 2005 marked the Rams’ last playoff victory, in what was their last playoff season.
Running back Steven Jackson was a rookie. Jerry Rice — yes, Jerry Rice — started for the Seahawks at wide receiver. He didn’t catch a pass in what would be his last NFL game.
Rams tight end Cam Cleeland caught a 17-yard pass with 2 minutes 11 seconds remaining to snap a 20-20 tie. The place was then known as Qwest Field.
That’s all just a couple of weeks shy of being 11 years ago.
“So I was 7,” Rams defensive end Chris Long quipped. “Do the math.”
Actually, he was 19.
Defensive end Michael Brockers didn’t want to do the math either, or even hazard a legitimate guess on what he was doing in January 2005.
“I was watching TV or something,” Brockers said. “I was probably in high school watching ‘SpongeBob.’ That’s how lame I was.”
On the subject of lame, the Rams have lost 10 straight in Seattle since that playoff game. That’s their longest road losing streak to any team since the move to St. Louis in 1995.
In fact, that’s their longest losing streak, period, in that time. They lost eight in a row — home and away — to San Francisco from 1995-98, part of a 17-game losing streak to the 49ers that stretched back into the Rams’ final five seasons in southern California.
From 2006-10, they lost eight in a row — home and away — to Arizona, with six of those losses coming with former Rams hero Kurt Warner at quarterback for the Cardinals.
The Rams haven’t beaten Kansas City since setting up shop in St. Louis in 1995. They’re 0-6 against their cross-state rivals during the regular season in that span, losing three times in St. Louis and three times in KC.
But nothing approaches the decade-long futility in the Pacific Northwest, and more often than not the games haven’t been close. The Rams have scored more than 16 points only once in those 10 games — in a 24-22 loss in 2006. Only two of the 10 games were decided by seven points or less. The composite score over the past eight meetings is Seahawks 203, Rams 66.
To a degree, the Rams have been more competitive lately, but the outcome has remained the same.
“I just hope it won’t be the same kind of narrative that it’s been every time we go up there,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “We fight ’em. Great for a half. It seems we’re tied, or we’re up, and then something happens. The game goes haywire.”
Last season, the Rams led 6-0 at halftime before fading in a 20-6 loss.
In 2012, the Rams led 7-3 at the half and were tied 13-13 before a Russell Wilson touchdown run with 1:39 to play snapped the tie in a 20-13 loss.
In 2010, under rookie quarterback Sam Bradford, the Rams trailed 10-6 early in the fourth quarter before the Seahawks tacked on a couple of field goals in what became a 16-6 loss. The game was “flexed” to Sunday night primetime status because the winner won the NFC West and the loser’s season was over.
Although this isn’t the last game of the season, as so often has been the case in recent Rams games in Seattle, Sunday’s contest marks the fifth time in six seasons that the Rams are visiting the Seahawks after Christmas.
Kickoff is 3:25 p.m. (St. Louis time).
So it’s become a holiday tradition of sorts. Take the long flight to the Pacific Northwest, take your bitter medicine for three-plus hours from the Seahawks, get back on the plane and take the long flight home.
Only this time, there will be no long flight home regardless of the outcome. At least not for a while. In an organizational decision made months ago, the Rams are staying on the West Coast all week following the game. The team will fly to the San Francisco area afterward, spend the week practicing in nearby Napa Valley — at the Oakland Raiders’ training camp site — then close its season Jan. 3 at San Francisco.
The idea was to save some jet lag as the team approached the playoffs. Alas, at 6-8 the playoffs are up in flames complements of a five-game losing streak that stretched from Minnesota (Nov. 8) through Arizona (Dec. 6). The Rams were eliminated from playoff contention by virtue of Seattle’s 30-13 triumph over Cleveland last Sunday.
“Our goal these last four (games) was to go 4-0,” Laurinaitis said. “We’re halfway there (with wins over Detroit and Tampa Bay). We know we’re not going to the playoffs. So why not treat this like a playoff game? Get our minds set. Treat it that way. Go out there, and really it’s gonna be that kind of atmosphere.”
Failing that, as Brockers points out, it’s still football.
“This team loves to play football,” Brockers said. “If you see us practice, we go out there and grind every day. So long as there’s a football, there’s a field, there’s cleats and pads — I think we’ll be ready.”
Despite the yearly results, the Rams enjoy playing in Seattle. It’s hard to beat the atmosphere at the league’s loudest venue.
“It’s till gonna be fun,” Long said. “It’s gonna be loud. It’s gonna be cold and probably rainy.”
In terms of approach and style of play, the Rams and the Seahawks are a lot alike. Both teams are built on strong defense, strong running games, and a physical style of play. But the Rams are like the Seahawks’ little brother in the sense that Seattle — currently one of the league’s hottest teams at 9-5 — does basically everything better than the Rams.
Until the losing streak is snapped, there’s not much for little brother to do but cry “uncle” at the end of the day.
• By Jim Thomas
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/foot...cle_87df535b-c4e3-5192-a442-4f2042017e35.html
The last time the Rams won in Seattle, they were in the playoffs. Just that statement alone tells you it was a long time ago.
In fact, that 27-20 wild-card triumph on Jan. 8, 2005 marked the Rams’ last playoff victory, in what was their last playoff season.
Running back Steven Jackson was a rookie. Jerry Rice — yes, Jerry Rice — started for the Seahawks at wide receiver. He didn’t catch a pass in what would be his last NFL game.
Rams tight end Cam Cleeland caught a 17-yard pass with 2 minutes 11 seconds remaining to snap a 20-20 tie. The place was then known as Qwest Field.
That’s all just a couple of weeks shy of being 11 years ago.
“So I was 7,” Rams defensive end Chris Long quipped. “Do the math.”
Actually, he was 19.
Defensive end Michael Brockers didn’t want to do the math either, or even hazard a legitimate guess on what he was doing in January 2005.
“I was watching TV or something,” Brockers said. “I was probably in high school watching ‘SpongeBob.’ That’s how lame I was.”
On the subject of lame, the Rams have lost 10 straight in Seattle since that playoff game. That’s their longest road losing streak to any team since the move to St. Louis in 1995.
In fact, that’s their longest losing streak, period, in that time. They lost eight in a row — home and away — to San Francisco from 1995-98, part of a 17-game losing streak to the 49ers that stretched back into the Rams’ final five seasons in southern California.
From 2006-10, they lost eight in a row — home and away — to Arizona, with six of those losses coming with former Rams hero Kurt Warner at quarterback for the Cardinals.
The Rams haven’t beaten Kansas City since setting up shop in St. Louis in 1995. They’re 0-6 against their cross-state rivals during the regular season in that span, losing three times in St. Louis and three times in KC.
But nothing approaches the decade-long futility in the Pacific Northwest, and more often than not the games haven’t been close. The Rams have scored more than 16 points only once in those 10 games — in a 24-22 loss in 2006. Only two of the 10 games were decided by seven points or less. The composite score over the past eight meetings is Seahawks 203, Rams 66.
To a degree, the Rams have been more competitive lately, but the outcome has remained the same.
“I just hope it won’t be the same kind of narrative that it’s been every time we go up there,” linebacker James Laurinaitis said. “We fight ’em. Great for a half. It seems we’re tied, or we’re up, and then something happens. The game goes haywire.”
Last season, the Rams led 6-0 at halftime before fading in a 20-6 loss.
In 2012, the Rams led 7-3 at the half and were tied 13-13 before a Russell Wilson touchdown run with 1:39 to play snapped the tie in a 20-13 loss.
In 2010, under rookie quarterback Sam Bradford, the Rams trailed 10-6 early in the fourth quarter before the Seahawks tacked on a couple of field goals in what became a 16-6 loss. The game was “flexed” to Sunday night primetime status because the winner won the NFC West and the loser’s season was over.
Although this isn’t the last game of the season, as so often has been the case in recent Rams games in Seattle, Sunday’s contest marks the fifth time in six seasons that the Rams are visiting the Seahawks after Christmas.
Kickoff is 3:25 p.m. (St. Louis time).
So it’s become a holiday tradition of sorts. Take the long flight to the Pacific Northwest, take your bitter medicine for three-plus hours from the Seahawks, get back on the plane and take the long flight home.
Only this time, there will be no long flight home regardless of the outcome. At least not for a while. In an organizational decision made months ago, the Rams are staying on the West Coast all week following the game. The team will fly to the San Francisco area afterward, spend the week practicing in nearby Napa Valley — at the Oakland Raiders’ training camp site — then close its season Jan. 3 at San Francisco.
The idea was to save some jet lag as the team approached the playoffs. Alas, at 6-8 the playoffs are up in flames complements of a five-game losing streak that stretched from Minnesota (Nov. 8) through Arizona (Dec. 6). The Rams were eliminated from playoff contention by virtue of Seattle’s 30-13 triumph over Cleveland last Sunday.
“Our goal these last four (games) was to go 4-0,” Laurinaitis said. “We’re halfway there (with wins over Detroit and Tampa Bay). We know we’re not going to the playoffs. So why not treat this like a playoff game? Get our minds set. Treat it that way. Go out there, and really it’s gonna be that kind of atmosphere.”
Failing that, as Brockers points out, it’s still football.
“This team loves to play football,” Brockers said. “If you see us practice, we go out there and grind every day. So long as there’s a football, there’s a field, there’s cleats and pads — I think we’ll be ready.”
Despite the yearly results, the Rams enjoy playing in Seattle. It’s hard to beat the atmosphere at the league’s loudest venue.
“It’s till gonna be fun,” Long said. “It’s gonna be loud. It’s gonna be cold and probably rainy.”
In terms of approach and style of play, the Rams and the Seahawks are a lot alike. Both teams are built on strong defense, strong running games, and a physical style of play. But the Rams are like the Seahawks’ little brother in the sense that Seattle — currently one of the league’s hottest teams at 9-5 — does basically everything better than the Rams.
Until the losing streak is snapped, there’s not much for little brother to do but cry “uncle” at the end of the day.
