As the Rams left the Pacific Northwest with their tails between their leagues after a 28-0 loss to the Seahawks, first-year coach Steve Spagnuolo refused to acknowledge that this was the same ‘ol Rams.
“I’m not going there,” Spagnuolo said when asked about this game looking like many of the team’s 27 losses over the last two seasons. “This was the first game of the 2009 season. That’s what it is, we didn’t win. We will play the second game of the 2009 season next week.”
That game will be in Washington, another difficult place to play for a team that was penalized 
10 times for 85 yards against Seattle, eight of which were against the offense.
The offensive woes included four false starts, several penalties that wiped out good gains and a woeful conversion rate of 2-for-12 on third down. Much of that was traced to a 10.7-yard average to go on third down.
Quarterback Marc Bulger noted how mistakes prevented the offense from establishing any rhythm.
Said Bulger, “We’d drive the ball and then shoot ourselves in the foot. There was holding or offsides or personal fouls. We have to find a way to get past that 30 and start handing the ball to Jack (running back Steven Jackson). He’s too good of a player to not be able to use. That’s on all of us.”
Right guard Richie Incognito was briefly benched following his second personal foul. He also had a false start on the first play from scrimmage. The first 15-yard penalty turned a third-and-7 into third-and-22, while the second resulted in second-and-22 instead of second-and 5.
Spagnuolo defended Incognito, who has had similar issues in the past. Said Spagnuolo, “When that happens to anybody, they get wrapped up in the moment. I talked with Richie. We have a lot more games to go, and we’ll go from here. I told him that I still had confidence in him. I don’t lose confidence in a guy on one game. I think Richie is one of our passionate guys, I really do. I think he plays his butt off. Sometimes you have to temper that a little bit, that’s all.”
Spagnuolo said it will be his job heading to Washington to get the team to play smarter.
He said, “I’m obviously disappointed in the result, but I’m not disappointed in the effort. Sometimes it’s hard to see, but I can feel it on the sideline, and I can see it. I know the passion in those guys’ eyes. I told them that there are passionate football players 
on this team, and that’s a good thing. If we turn that passion into productive play, we’ll be ok. What we can’t do is let the passion get the best of us and sometimes that happened today.”
In a chippy game, Jackson said this will be a team that battles.
Said Jackson, “Would you rather us just get our tail kicked and walk back (to the huddle). I think you saw some fight in this team. We are talking about the Rams. We lost the game, but it’s a lot different around here. I’ve been around here for six years and this team is intense and I love it. I love it.”
AMAZING NUMBERS
On the Rams' 12 third-down plays, the average yards to go was 10.7. The two they made were third-and-2 and third-and-6, the two shortest of the game. The 10 misses averaged 12.0. Five of them had 11, 12, 14, 20 and 22 yards to go.
Now, hear this: The Rams ran 57 plays, 22 of which were first-and-10. Of the other 35 plays, there were two of first-and-15, eight of second-and 10 or more (10, 10, 10, 12, 15, 15, 20, 20) and the five third-and-10 or more. On those 15 plays, the average yards to go was 14.3. But think of that: 15 of 35 plays (42.9 percent) were 10 yards to go or more.
Conversely, the Seahawks were 8 of 15 on third down, and were 7 of 11 before missing on three of their last four when the outcome was decided. On their third-down plays, the average to go was 5.0 yards, and they had no second- or third-down plays of longer than 10 yards.
Seattle had 30 first-and-10 plays. Of their other 40 plays, just eight (six second-and-10 plays and two third-and-10 plays) were 10 yards or more. That's 8 of 40 for 20 percent compared to the Rams' 42.9 percent.
SIMPLY NOTING
Last season, the Rams averaged 4.7 yards per play and only two teams in the league were worse. Sunday against Seattle, they averaged 4.3. Long-yardage situations have to be avoided.
David Vobora started at strong-side linebacker following the release of Chris Draft. He had eight tackles, but struggled in coverage against Seattle tight end John Carlson. With Larry Grant coming back from a knee injury, he could compete for playing time with Vobora.
Defensive end Victor Adeyanju was a surprise inactive for Sunday’s game against Seattle. C.J. Ah You was active instead. Ah You was the extra man on the field for a field goal that was blocked and returned for a touchdown by the Rams. And, it was Ah You that blocked the kick. The subsequent penalty gave the Seahawks a first down, and they then scored a touchdown to take a 14-0 halftime lead.