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With veterans Andre Dyson and Kelly Herndon joining Marcus Trufant (left) in the cornerback corps, the Seahawks improved their ability to defend teams like St. Louis that feature multiple wide receiver sets.

KIRKLAND – The short version of last season’s rivalry between the St. Louis Rams and Seattle Seahawks was that one team had the numbers and the other team didn’t.

It’s not so much about the Rams’ 3-0 record, their 83-59 advantage on the scoreboard or their 871-702 edge in passing yards.

When the Seahawks and Rams got together last season, St. Louis had too many receivers, and Seattle didn’t have enough answers.

Nine months and $32.5 million later, the Seahawks believe they have evened out that imbalance.

The offseason additions of veterans Andre Dyson and Kelly Herndon have given Seattle a trio of experienced cornerbacks to withstand any multiple-receiver sets. So while Rams receivers Kevin Curtis and Shaun McDonald might do some damage again this year, they’re going to have to earn it.

“That definitely is a good thing,” Seahawks safety Michael Boulware said of Seattle’s depth at cornerback. “When we go into nickel or dime (defenses), we know that the (performance) is going to stay the same. It definitely is a big bonus to our defense.”

In three meetings last season, the Rams got typical performances from starting wide receivers Isaac Bruce (16 receptions, 222 yards) and Torry Holt (13 receptions, 193 yards, one touchdown). But it was the reserves who made the difference.

Curtis had 191 yards off nine catches, with two touchdowns. McDonald averaged 32-yards-per-catch on four receptions and caught the game-winning touchdown in overtime of the October matchup. Even University of Washington product Dane Looker had a key third-down conversion in the final 20 seconds of one game.

The Seahawks’ lack of a third corner – injured veteran Bobby Taylor and inexperienced Kris Richard were the only options – left too many opportunities for the Rams’ passing game in 2004.

This year, Seattle goes three deep at cornerback. Marcus Trufant (in Seattle last season), Dyson (Tennessee) and Herndon (Denver) all started 16 games in 2004. Despite the loss of veteran Ken Lucas in free agency, Seattle might actually be better suited for the Rams’ offense this time around.

“Anytime you have more corners, and you’re playing a passing team, it’s always good,” Trufant said. “So we should do pretty well with that.”

Further closing the schism is the likely possibility that the Rams’ Bruce won’t play on Sunday. Bruce is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game due to turf toe, meaning Curtis will likely get the start.

“I still lean on the other receivers to come up and make plays,” Holt said of being without his long-time running mate. “Last week, those guys – Sean and Dane and Kevin – they did that. They stepped in and made some tremendous plays for us and helped us out, helped us move the football.”

If anything has held back Seattle’s cornerbacks this season, it has been consistency. While Trufant has been fairly steady, he still hasn’t intercepted a pass and has been in coverage on two of the five touchdown passes the Seahawks have allowed. Herndon has played well the past three games, but he struggled in the opening-week loss to Jacksonville. And Dyson was exposed a couple of times, particularly on third downs, when defending Washington’s Santana Moss last week.

The Seahawks allowed the Redskins to converted 13 of 18 third downs in that game, most of them by Washington receivers, so that has been a key stress point this week.

“Third down is big,” Dyson said. “Even if we would have held them to one third down, we’d still be stressing it. The first three games we were good at that, and last week we weren’t, but every week we stress that. We have to be successful on third down.”

Seattle’s cornerbacks will probably play a bit differently this week against the Rams. The speed of Washington’s Moss is so deadly that Trufant and Dyson stayed off him a few yards more than usual, giving up the underneath patterns in exchange for less risk on the deep ball.

The Rams have plenty of speed, especially on the traction of the Edward Jones Dome turf, but the St. Louis offense uses its receivers differently. Seattle’s cornerbacks are more likely to favor the bump-and-run technique to slow down the Rams’ attack.

“They do a good job of mixing things up with their coverages and letting those guys have some plays there at the line of scrimmage,” said Holt, who has caught 36 passes for 517 yards and two touchdowns in seven career meetings with the Seahawks. “You have to watch some film there and try to pick up on some of their tendencies, some of the things they like to do and don’t like to do.”

While Holt called Trufant “one of the better young corners in the National Football League right now,” Seattle’s two new corners could be the key to containing the Rams’ high-potential offense.

The Seahawks gave Dyson and Herndon five-year contracts worth a combined $32.5 million to give their secondary some depth. It has already paid dividends – injury and illness have cost all three cornerbacks some playing time this season – but should be an even bigger factor against the receiver-rich Rams.

“The more receivers they’ve got,” Herndon said, “the more people we need out there covering them. Of course, we’ve got to be ready to go.”

Notes: Defensive tackle Marcus Tubbs was added to the injury report with a strained quadriceps. He did not practice Thursday but is probable for Sunday’s game. … Right tackle Floyd Womack will be in Mississippi today and Saturday to attend to a family matter, but he’s expected to join the Seahawks in St. Louis on Saturday night. … The Rams re-signed tight end Cam Cleeland this week. The University of Washington and Sedro Woolley High School product was the hero of last January’s playoff game against Seattle, catching the game-winning touchdown pass with 2:11 remaining.