SEATTLE — With three of their five starting offensive linemen on injured reserve, the Seahawks are approaching a tipping point.
And for half of Monday’s 30-13 win over St. Louis, it appeared Seattle had reached it. Playing with Paul McQuistan at left tackle for the first time, and Lemuel Jeanpierre at right guard also for the first time, Seattle struggled to run the ball in the first half, averaging just 2.8 yards per carry. Tarvaris Jackson was also sacked twice and hit a few more times as McQuistan at times had trouble with rushers off the edge.
Fortunately for the Seahawks, things got better in the second half. Seattle rushed for 103 second-half yards to finish with 145 for the game, and the protection was much improved.
“We just made adjustments,” said center Max Unger. “We weren’t playing very well, and that happens. We weren’t running the ball and we weren’t protecting in the first half, and it was pretty obvious. But we finished the game out.”
The turnaround and overall solid night was a testament not only to the players filling in, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said, but also the work being done by offensive line coach Tom Cable.
“To do a nice job up front, with all the change we’ve had, really good job by the O-line,” Carroll said. “… That’s a really good statement about the system and the commitment and these kids answering the call when they get a chance.”
One year later
It happened without much fanfare, but it was a big moment for Seahawks wide receiver Deon Butler.
One year since his last reception, Butler snagged an 8-yard pass from quarterback Tarvaris Jackson late in the first quarter. The play led to a 42-yard field goal by Seattle’s Steven Hauschka and an early 10-0 Seahawks lead.
It was Butler’s only catch of the game, but it was memorable nonetheless because of what happened exactly one year ago.
Butler suffered a dual fracture in his lower leg — he broke both the tibia and fibula — while making a touchdown catch in a Dec. 12, 2010 game against the 49ers in San Francisco. He underwent subsequent surgery and a rehabilitation that continued through the start of this season.
Butler spent the first nine weeks of the season on the physically unable to perform list before being moved to the 53-man roster in mid-November, but he remained inactive until a Dec. 1 game against Philadelphia. He played against the Eagles, but did not have a reception.
“Just to feel like I helped contribute to the win is great,” Butler said. “I’ve been watching on the sideline for a long time, and I’ve been practicing and waiting my turn. I’ve definitely been anxious to help out and show what I can do.
“Once you lose football for a bit and you don’t really know how you’re going to play once you do get back, you look at it differently. It was a long rehab process … so for me this (game) was definitely a big thing. Obviously it was a good start tonight and now I’m looking forward to bigger things.”
Jackson slowed again
Rams running back Steven Jackson has had a terrific career, and he is on his way to his seventh consecutive 1,000 yard rushing season with three games yet to play.
But for all his success in eight NFL seasons, Jackson has never had a 100-yard game against the Seahawks. And that string continued on Monday night as Jackson, in his 15th career appearance against Seattle, was held to 63 yards on 20 carries, a 3.2 per-carry average.
“Our main objective was to stop (Jackson),” said Seahawks defensive end Chris Clemons. “We knew their team ran through him. … And then we did a pretty good job of getting after the quarterback once we slowed the run game down.”
Penalties return
The Seahawks, who struggled for so long with penalties this season, cut it down to five flags last Thursday, but were back to their old ways with nine penalties Monday. The biggest offender was cornerback Richard Sherman, who drew four penalties, including a taunting penalty in the end zone after the Rams failed to convert on third-and-one. With a fresh set of down, the Rams scored their only touchdown.
“The thing in the end zone, that’s a dumb play,” Carroll said. “That’s not us and that’s not what should happen. But making plays and the mistakes they’re making because they’re aggressive, that’s different than yapping at somebody after a play. That we want cleaned up.”
Injury update
Linebacker Leroy Hill suffered a stinger on the game’s penultimate play, but Carroll said Hill “felt OK in the locker room. Left guard Robert Gallery sat out Seattle’s final touchdown drive with a hip injury, but Carroll said Gallery could have finished the game if needed. Instead, left tackle Paul McQuistan moved to guard and rookie Jarriel King made his debut at left tackle.
Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com. For more Seahawks coverage, check out the Seahawks blog at heraldnet.com/seahawksblog
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