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The St. Louis Rams came into their Week 4 game against the Seattle Seahawks with plenty of questions to answer. First and foremost, could they handle a big, physical defense that had carried the Seahawks to the unlikeliest of winning records. Jeff Fisher's teams have done a remarkable job answering questions at critical moments, and they did it again in Week 4 with a __ win over their division rivals, it was only the second time in 15 games that St. Louis has topped Seattle, but things are much different in St. Louis these days.
Fisher's formula was in full effect this week. A tough defense, one that picked off quarterback Russell Wilson twice, held firm and the Rams offense moved the ball just enough to put on the magic leg of rookie kicker Greg Zuerlein. The leg kicked a 58-yarder and a 60-yarder on the way to victory.
Coming into the game, the biggest question was whether or not the Rams offensive line could hold against a fearsome Seattle front. They did a good enough job, which when you consider the matchup probably leaned toward the impressive side of the scale. Bradford was sacked twice, and invited some of the pressure himself by holding the ball too long.
Special teams don't get enough credit, but the changes the Rams have made there are essential to this season's success. Greg the Leg has been nothing short of amazing. The fake field goal was exactly the injection of umph the Rams needed, and it proved to be the difference.
It wasn't the best game from Bradford, but he did manage to connect on this beautiful deep strike to Chris Givens for a 53-yard gain.
The important thing for Bradford is that he didn't cause himself any extra trouble. He helped keep drives alive with some solid passing. The receivers were severely limited by the coverage. We saw some nice moments from Brian Quick and Austin Pettis, some key catches to extend drives. This was a pretty conservative game plan, and that's not a surprise. The Rams couldn't take many chances against a defense like Seattle.
It was the St. Louis secondary that stood out today, not the much heralded Seattle secondary with whatever ridiculous nickname they have now. Three picks. That makes it eight for the year. The only surprise is that Cortland Finnegan had his first game without a pick. Janoris Jenkins had a helluva game, and would have been the top rookie if not for Greg the Leg.
Marshawn Lynch cleaned up yardage and scored an early touchdown, but the Rams made key stops when they needed to make them. That can't be overlooked in the stats.
What was most impressive of all is how well they contained Russell Wilson. This team has a real knack for shutting down play action, and that showed today. They were able to limit the damage that Wilson could do with his legs, keeping him contained in the pocket and smothering his receivers.
The Rams are 2-2. It's a very good feeling.