Seahawks 24, Rams 19: Gus Frerotte Taketh Away

What has to sting the most is the fact that the Rams could have beaten the Seahawks. I wouldn't go so far as to say that they deserved to win, because they did all they could (eventually successfully) to ruin a feel-good first half, but, against a division-leading team who's given them fits, the Rams did enough to be in a position to win. And then Gus Frerotte happened.

"I'd like to smash his head into the wall for him," a dejected fan behind me at the sports bar said, referring to Frerotte's penchant for self-inflicted concussions, as Frerotte lost a fourth-and-goal snap on the Seattle one with :27 left that could have won the game. All he had to do was capably turn around and hand the ball to Steven Jackson. That, apparently, was too much responsibility.

After losing Marc Bulger to a concussion in the first quarter, Frerotte found himself in relief duty (Relief Duty being the title of the 2007 Rams' team video). Between the two of them, the Rams found themselves successfully moving the ball (dopey interceptions aside). The run and pass were operating in harmony. Frerotte was spreading the ball efficiently.

The defense was getting involved, too. Will Witherspoon sacked Matt Hasselbeck twice on the Seahawks' opening possession and Brandon Chillar added another before the half was over. After sticking a punt on the Seahawks' two-yard line, Adam Carriker snuck unblocked into the backfield and stopped Maurice Morris for a safety. If it weren't for a breakdown on special teams that allowed Josh Wilson to return a kickoff for a touchdown, the Rams would have played close to a perfect half.

And then a funny thing happened -- the Seahawks made the necessary halftime adjustments, and the Rams seemed befuddled by them, almost as if they were expecting the Seahawks to stick with a formula that almost buried them in the first half.

The Rams had three possessions to add onto leads of 19-7 and 19-10 but produced two punts and interception between them. Eventually, their inability to completely bury the Seahawks when they had the chance came back to haunt them, as Seattle (after completely stifling the Rams' offense), began to chip away at the lead.

St. Louis, down by five and benefitting from good field position after a missed Seattle field goal, had almost three minutes to drive 58 yards for the game-winning score. Nobody around me (including a group of die-hard Rams fans) expected Frerotte to lead a successful drive, especially after spearheading a half that featured five punts, but he was doing it. It was all the way to the Seahawks' one, and the Rams faithful were believing. There was hope. But as has been the case all year, the Rams are flanked by failure -- Gus Frerotte ain't never seen a turnover he didn't like.