SEATTLE – A little lobbying went a long way Sunday afternoon as the Seattle Seahawks’ complaints of dirty tactics got them a favorable call on the game’s most important play.
A failed third-down conversion with less than two minutes remaining in the game turned into a first-and-goal after game officials saddled the St. Louis Rams’ Brian Young with a rarely called defensive holding penalty.
Seattle scored the game-winning touchdown and point-after three plays later for a 24-23 victory.
What made the penalty feel extra rewarding to the Seahawks was that they had been asking for it all week. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck warned the local media of the Rams’ holding tactics last Wednesday, then offensive lineman Steve Hutchinson complained about the same thing to referees throughout Sunday’s game.
Hutchinson got particularly surly on a drive earlier in the fourth quarter, when he said a holding penalty called on teammate Chris Gray should have gone the other way.
“I let them know about it, and I probably should just keep my mouth shut,” said Hutchinson, who was upset that the Rams’ defensive linemen were helping their teammates by grabbing the Seahawk players. “But then again, if I didn’t (complain), I don’t know if (the referee) would have really been looking for it at the end of the game.”
The call came after an incomplete pass on third-and-8 from the St. Louis 13, with 1:45 remaining in the game. Replays showed that Young held left tackle Walter Jones by the jersey to free up St. Louis defensive end Grant Wistrom.
Despite the importance of the moment, the referees threw a flag on Young.
“They had already made a bad call, didn’t call it the first time, so they were looking for it,” Jones said. “And when he did it, he did it so obvious. The ref saw it, and they had to call it.”
Young, the man flagged for the all-important penalty, wasn’t exactly denying his wrong-doing afterward.
“It happens,” he said. “You try to do what you can do and get away with whatever they will let you get away with. (Offensive linemen) hold us all the time, so it is a little payback.”
Missing their man: The Rams played almost the entire second half of Sunday’s loss without the services of star running back Marshall Faulk.
Faulk suffered a fractured bone in his left hand on the opening drive of the third quarter and did not return.
Although the St. Louis offense seemed to stall after Faulk left the game, the team’s rushing numbers actually improved. Faulk rushed 15 times for 31 yards, and backup Lamar Gordon had 41 yards on eight carries.
“Obviously, you want (Faulk) there; he can make plays,” quarterback Marc Bulger said. “But I think Lamar stepped in and played well. I don’t know, if Marshall had been in there, how much of a difference it would have been today in the second half.”
Sharpie not available: Koren Robinson’s celebration of the game-winning touchdown came with a touch of deja vu.
Like San Francisco’s Terrell Owens last year, Robinson gave the ball to a man sitting in Shawn Springs’ field-level suite behind the south end zone. Unlike Owens, Robinson stopped short of signing the ball on the field.
“That’s not my style,” Seattle’s 23-year-old receiver said. “Coach (Mike) Holmgren, he would put me on the first bus back to North Carolina if I did something like that.”
Extra-special teams: The Seahawks’ special-teams units had their finest game of the year, highlighted by a touchdown on the first punt of the game.
Orlando Huff fell on a loose ball in the St. Louis end zone after the Rams’ Arlen Harris muffed a punt inside the 5-yard line.
Special-teams captain Alex Bannister added a highlight play of his own later in the first quarter, showing a knack for timing when he nailed DeJuan Groce – who had replaced Harris – a split second after Tom Rouen’s punt arrived. Groce hung on to the football.
The lowlight of the special-teams performance came during crunch time, as rookie Josh Brown missed a field-goal attempt for the first time in his short NFL career. His 35-yard attempt midway through the fourth quarter sailed wide right, leaving Seattle’s deficit at 23-17.
Margin for errors: Seattle continued to win the turnover battle Sunday, with a 3-1 advantage to improve the NFL’s best turnover margin to plus-12.
The Seahawks did give up a turnover for the first time this season. Hasselbeck’s first-quarter interception was his first of the year. That ended a string of 49 consecutive passes without a pick, dating back to the 2002 finale.
Quick slants: Bulger is now 7-2 as a starter, with both of his losses coming at Seahawks Stadium. … Seattle safety Reggie Tongue had his team-high third interception. … The Seahawks were without starting right tackle Floyd Womack and starting defensive tackle Norman Hand, who both had turf toe. Womack was replaced by Matt Hill in the starting lineup but played some on special teams. Hand was inactive, opening the door for Cedric Woodard’s first NFL start. Woodard had four tackles. Hill struggled trying to contain pass-rusher Leonard Little. The Rams’ Little had two sacks. … Seattle’s other inactives were cornerback Shawn Springs, linebacker Solomon Bates, linebacker Tracy White, center Dennis Norman, tackle Wayne Hunter and defensive end Anton Palepoi. Linebacker Orlando Huff had to come out of the game in the first quarter after suffering an ankle strain.
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