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Burleson Sparks Seattle

The Associated Press

Published: October 22, 2007

SEATTLE - Nate Burleson returned the second-half kickoff 91 yards for a game-changing touchdown and the sputtering Seahawks (4-3) pulled away for a 33-6 victory against winless St. Louis (0-7), sending the Rams to their worst start in their 70 years in the NFL.

Seattle (4-3) led 10-3 at the half, even though St. Louis had just 41 total yards. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, the only constant in a skittish offense this season, was feeling the sting of a rib cage hit by Claude Wroten.

Then Burleson took the second-half kickoff, ran through a tackle near midfield and shook off Jonathan Wade at about the 20 for his first career kickoff score. Seattle took off from there.

Last November in the Rams' previous visit, Burleson's 90-yard punt return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter was a go-ahead score in a 24-22 win. Seattle has beaten its division rival five straight times.

Rams Pro Bowl quarterback Marc Bulger, playing for the first time in three weeks with sore ribs, was sacked seven times, four by Darryl Tapp. Bulger fumbled three times, lost two, and finished 21 of 40 for 225 yards passing with three interceptions.

Hasselbeck finished 18-for-35 for 195 yards in 3 1/2 quarters, his second-lowest passing output of the season.

St. Louis	3	0	3	0	-	6
Seattle	7	3	13	10	-	33

First Quarter

Sea-Heller 1 pass from Hasselbeck (J.Brown kick), 7:40.

StL-FG Wilkins 31, 1:02.

Second Quarter

Sea-FG J.Brown 38, 10:15.

Third Quarter

Sea-Burleson 91 kickoff return (J.Brown kick), 14:47.

StL-FG Wilkins 29, 10:33.

Sea-J.Brown 48, 6:29.

Sea-J.Brown 45, 4:00.

Fourth Quarter

Sea-J.Brown 43, 7:02.

Sea-Heller 11 pass from Hasselbeck (J.Brown kick), 6:08.

A-68,164.

	StL	Sea
First downs	15	19
Total Net Yards	221	289
Rushes-yards	17-53	32-100
Passing	168	189
Punt Returns	0-0	6-59
Kickoff Returns	7-171	2-117
Interceptions Ret.	1-9	3-0
Comp-Att-Int	21-40-4	18-35-1
Sacked-Yards Lost	7-57	1-6
Punts	6-52.3	5-45.8
Fumbles-Lost	2-2	0-0
Penalties-Yards	8-45	4-25
Time of Possession	26:59	33:01

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING-St. Louis, Leonard 12-44, Pittman 4-8, Minor 1-1. Seattle, Alexander 19-47, Morris 10-42, Weaver 3-11.

PASSING-St. Louis, Bulger 21-40-3-225. Seattle, Hasselbeck 18-35-1-195.

RECEIVING-St. Louis, Holt 8-82, Minor 5-37, McMichael 3-34, Bruce 2-52, Hagans 2-16, Taylor 1-4. Seattle, Engram 6-73, Weaver 3-37, Heller 3-18, Taylor 2-19, Morris 2-18, Alexander 1-18, Burleson 1-12.

MISSED FIELD GOAL-St. Louis, Wilkins 44 (WR).

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