National Football League

Seahawks start slow, but still rout Rams

Published Sep. 14, 2009 3:10 a.m. ET

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The feisty, new-look Seahawks of coach Jim Mora attacked on defense during plays - and scrapped after them.

On offense, they showed balance between run and pass, and did a good job of protecting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.

It was as if 2008 never happened.

St. Louis resembled the same old Rams, who went 2-14 last year and got Steve Spagnuolo his first head coaching job.

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Hasselbeck, playing his first game since Thanksgiving Day, overcame two interceptions in his first three throws Sunday to connect with John Carlson for two touchdowns in Seattle's 28-0 romp past the Rams.

Hasselbeck, who missed nine games last season with a bad back, finished 25 of 36 for 279 yards passing, his most for an opener.

Seattle's first shutout in almost two years was its ninth consecutive win over its division rivals. It was also Seattle's biggest win to begin a season since a 38-0 victory over Philadelphia in 1998.

"The whole offseason, they said our team was soft," said rookie outside linebacker Aaron Curry, the fourth overall pick who scuffled repeatedly with Rams running back Steven Jackson. "We've got to change our image."

Mora was smiling after his first game as a head coach since the end of the 2006 season for Atlanta. Nine months ago, the Seahawks were 4-12 for Mike Holmgren.

The former visiting locker room attendant for the Seahawks at the old Kingdome returned to his hometown for a day he said he'd thought of "for a long, long time."

"It was especially emotional for me, because there is some significance to it. I'd be lying if I told you there wasn't," the 47-year-old said. "It was kind of a surreal experience."

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