Returning in front of 91,046 fans ardently hoping this Hollywood sequel is better than the original, the Rams beat the Seattle Seahawks 9-3 in a game that made up for its tepid offensive performances with a thrilling late defensive stand by the home team, capped with a fumble recovery by middle linebacker Alec Ogletree.
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But the homecoming king?
The Seahawks were fined $400,000, and Carroll was fined $200,000. The defense continually kept Russell Wilson on his toes throughout the contest giving up just one scoring drive and stalling several others with only one series reaching double-digits plays called.
The Trojans have not been able to replicate Carroll’s successes following his departure.
“I never could have thought that we would go the first couple weeks and not score but one touchdown”, coach Pete Carroll said. “We’re better than that”.
It was the fewest points the Seahawks had scored since a 6-3 defeat at Cleveland on October 23, 2011, and the first time Seattle had been held without a touchdown since a 13-6 loss at San Francisco on October 18, 2012 – the seventh game of the Russell Wilson era. But with the Seahawks’ offense the way it is behind their new, sputtering line and Wilson playing on a sprained ankle, he can’t mask all of Seattle’s offensive ills.
He also chose to pass on blaming the officials, even after spending a decent amount of the fourth quarter doing something that appeared akin to berating them.
The violations will result in steep penalties.
“We’ll see what happens Wednesday-Thursday”. “I made sure, in the tunnel and as I’m running out, just to look around, to savor that moment and remember it. I wish I could have done something once we realized that it was a problem, but I was already gone by the time all of that stuff came out, and I felt bad about that”. “That was just one of them”.
But with the game on the line Sunday, there Lockett was, having convinced Seattle coaches he was healthy enough to play. “Those were crushers today”. Most teams benefit from it, and Seattle especially.
From where he stood during the game Sunday, Carroll could have looked up and admired those numerals. “He ran well when he had the ball”.
“I’m real disappointed because we work really hard to try and do a great job”, Carroll said.
In their defense, the Seahawks have faced two of the better defensive lines in the National Football League to start the season with Miami and Los Angeles, but the problems up front have amplified the issues in the run game. “Not for me or anyone else around here”.
Kaduk and Jay Busbee also talked about the game on Monday’s Grandstanding podcast, along with the New England Patriots’ wild quarterback situation, the Washington Redskins’ head-shaking 0-2 start and which team’s Super Bowl stock is moving the fastest after just two games.
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His Trojans dropped their regular-season finale here in 2009 to Nick Foles and Arizona, 21-17.
