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* Attendance report. Who knows how much it will matter since the Rams just lost to the 49ers without Patrick Willis, NaVarro Bowman or Aldon Smith, but Seattle will be missing some key players for tomorrow's game:
-The heart of the defense, middle linebacker Bobby Wagner, will be out due to turf toe. His absence should be a significant help to the running game. Plus, if that pulls Kam Chancellor into run defense even more than he already is, the Rams should be able to kill Seattle with play-action tight end passes.
- With Byron Maxwell (calf injury) out, Brian Quick should have a much better time getting open than he did against the 49ers. Maxwell's injury should make Marcus Burley the next man up for Seattle. Seattle should also be much more vulnerable in the slot than usual.
- The best player on the Seahawk offensive line, center Max Unger, is out due to a foot injury. If the Rams don't get pressure up the middle on Russell Wilson tomorrow, they never will.
- And, in possibly the worst-timed trade in league history, the Seahawks traded Percy Harvin to the Jets Friday. So they didn't watch tape of the Rams from opening week at all? Harvin was set up to kill the Rams with jet sweeps tomorrow, and loosen up the field a lot for Marshawn Lynch. The Rams will be keying all over Lynch now.
The Rams' injury report:
Doubtful: Tim Barnes (shoulder, injured Monday night)
Questionable: Jo-Lonn Dunbar (groin), Trumaine Johnson (knee), Brandon McGee (foot), Ethan Westbrooks (hand)
Probable: Alex Carrington (knee), Barrett Jones (back), Austin Pettis (ankle), Chase Reynolds (hip), Zac Stacy (ankle).
The Rams are 6.5-point underdogs and Seattle is being picked to win straight up by 98% of the public.
* Referees admit they're idiots. In a rare admission, the NFL said the referees blew the call against Jared Cook in the first half Monday night. League vice-president Dean Blandino:
From the back judge's perspective, the official that threw the flag, he's got Cook extending his arms into the defender, and in his judgment, pushing to create separation. That's not the case when you look at the sideline angle. (Cook) is going to get jammed by the defender and he's going to use his hands to get that release. That's legal, that's not offensive pass interference. Not a correct call.
Unfortunately, a bad, young team like the Rams that finds plenty of ways to lose games on its own isn't going to recover from referee screw-ups.
* Alumni news. Not a lot out there this week, though I have to admit I didn't look very hard. John Greco has moved to starting center for the Browns after Alex Mack's season-ending injury last week. The Browns also suffered another season-ending injury: Armonty Bryant, the defensive lineman whose tackle blew out Sam Bradford's knee in preseason, blew out his right knee against the Steelers. Maybe Bradford was contagious?
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