Official Slip Puts Rams in a Clinch

The pivotal stop during the St. Louis Rams’ NFC West-clinching victory over the Seattle Seahawks was delivered by an official.

Running a deep pass pattern in the final minute of the Rams’ 27-22 victory Sunday, Seahawk wide receiver Bobby Engram tripped over a back judge who had fallen and was rolling. Instead of having a chance to throw the go-ahead touchdown pass, Seahawk quarterback Matt Hasselbeck barely avoided having his pass intercepted by Tommy Polley in the end zone.

“I thought I had it,” Hasselbeck said. “We liked the matchup, one on one, Bobby on a middle linebacker who’s kind of turned around. It’s just a real bad break for us.”

Back judge Greg Steed said his feet got tangled as he cut across the field.

“What I did was I looked up, and as I turned, my feet got caught,” Steed said. “I went down to the ground and began rolling, and that is all that I remember on the play.”

It was tough luck for the Seahawks.

“We are just part of the field, and unfortunately if we get in the way, we just get in the way,” referee Walt Coleman said. “We try not to, but if we do, it is just part of what happens.”

The Seahawks (8-6) stalled on the Rams’ 34-yard line as St. Louis (11-3) clinched its third division title in the last five seasons.

The Rams have won 13 in a row at home, tying a franchise record set from 1998-2000, and are 7-0 this season.

Marshall Faulk, who had 85 yards in 28 carries, carried the ball eight times during a final, clock-killing march. Until that point, he had been limited to 34 yards in 20 carries.

“I just carry the ball, there’s no secret to it,” Faulk said. “If my number was going to be called, that was fine. That’s my mind-set.”

Shaun Alexander had 126 yards in 25 carries and a touchdown for the Seahawks, 1-6 on the road.

Seattle took the early advantage when Orlando Huff sacked Marc Bulger in the end zone for a safety on St. Louis’ first possession. The Rams answered with a five-yard scoring run by Faulk and Bulger’s touchdown passes to Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce for a 21-12 lead at halftime. Holt had six catches for 100 yards to help the Rams compensate for the loss of Bruce, who left in the second quarter because of a sprained ankle. Holt has nine 100-yard receiving games this season, tied with Bruce for the franchise record.

Bruce expects to play next week. “I’ll just roll with it,” he said. “No big deal.”

Darrell Jackson caught his ninth touchdown pass, a career best, for the Seahawks.