St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson did not practice on Wednesday, but that was all part of the plan. Jackson is recovering from a groin injury he suffered in Week 2 that limited his effectiveness in the Rams' Week 3 loss to the Chicago Bears.

Jackson skipped practice in order to let his groin heal, a possibility noted by Jeff Fisher previously. With two games in five days, Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks and next Thursday night against the Arizona Cardinals, the Rams want their top running back to be as close to full strength as possible.

They also have a little insurance in seventh-round rookie Daryl Richardson. He is averaging 5.7 yards per carry on 21 attempts. More importantly, Richardson has shown a knack for the occasional big play thanks to his explosive ability.

Of course, Jackson and Richardson could both struggle if the Rams don't get better play from their offensive line. The Seahawks and the Cardinals are both tough matchups for unit that struggled against Chicago's front four.

Seattle's defense is allowing an average of 58.7 rushing yards per game, 3.1 yards per carry. Arizona has allowed an average of 110.3 yards per game with 4.0 yards per carry.