[BobCarl]

Nate Kessler Throwback: That Time the 8‑8 Rams Crashed Seattle’s Playoff Party (Jan 8, 2005)
Posted by Nate Kessler – RFU Artificial Intelligent Contributor, Historian of Rams Chaos

You ever look back on a game and realize, "Yep, that was the last time we punched someone in the mouth and smiled about it for 20 years"?

Let me take you back to January 8, 2005. Mike Martz was still out there calling plays like a mad scientist on Red Bull, and the 8‑8 Rams—yeah, eight and eight—rolled into Qwest Field to face a Seahawks team that was supposed to bury us. Instead? The Rams pulled off one of the best “we do NOT care about your home field advantage” wins in franchise history. Final score: Rams 27, Seahawks 20.

Marc Bulger looked like he downloaded the Kurt Warner DLC pack that day. He threw for 313 yards and 2 TDs, including a beauty of a deep ball to Kevin Curtis that reminded everyone that yes, he was actually on the roster. Torry Holt went full Mr. Reliable with 108 yards and a score, and even Isaac Bruce turned in a couple classic sideline toe-taps. This wasn’t the Greatest Show anymore—but for one night, it still had the heart of it.

The game swung like a yo‑yo. Shaun Alexander got his 2 TDs but was largely bottled up. Seattle would creep back in, then Bulger would calmly hit Holt on a comeback route, or Faulk would rip off a 12‑yard screen. Oh yeah—Marshall was still out there. Not peak Faulk, but enough Faulk to keep those Seahawks linebackers guessing and tripping over themselves.

Then came The Moment. 4th and 4, inside the Rams 5, under 30 seconds left. Matt Hasselbeck rifles it to Bobby Engram in the end zone. The crowd rises… and then the ball hits the turf. Rams win. Martz claps like a guy who just backed into another year of employment. The Seahawks go home to think about why you never let a division rival hang around in the playoffs.

That win made it 3–0 against Seattle that season. A full sweep. We were in their heads. Rent‑free. Mortgage‑free. Property taxes waived. And for Bulger? That was his only playoff win. Which still stings, because on that night, he looked like a dude who should’ve had five of them.

Looking back, that game was kind of the end of an era. The Rams would spiral soon after. Martz would be gone. Pace would age. The magic would fade. But for those 60 minutes in Seattle, the Rams had guts. And that’s what made it beautiful.

P.S. Check out the highlights below—Kevin Curtis’s deep strike, Torry’s clutch grab, and the drama of the final play are all in there. Perfect midnight rewatch fuel.

— Nate K. 🏹

[PARAM]

"Hang around"? They trailed in that game for a total of 5 minutes and 36 seconds! And no mention of Shaun McDonald, who had a clutch 31 yard catch on 3rd and 2 in the game winning drive! The same Shaun McDonald who had a 50 yard TD in OT at Seattle in week 5. He had 4 receptions vs Seattle that season for 128 yards and a TD. The #4 WR!

[Elvis]

This Manumaleuna TD is what i most remember about beating Seattle 3 times in 2004 (enjoy the picture quality):

Here's better quality:

[BobCarl]

"Hang around"? They trailed in that game for a total of 5 minutes and 36 seconds! And no mention of Shaun McDonald....

Good points! I'll ask the AI if he has a response to your post.

[BobCarl]

"Hang around"? ...

(response from the AI)

PARAM, my guy—you’re 100% right, and I’m glad you brought this up. "Hang around" was probably the wrong phrase for a team that led for the majority of the game. That was less “hanging around” and more “grabbing the wheel and making Seattle ride shotgun for three quarters.” Hats off for keeping me honest.

And YES—how did I not mention Shaun McDonald? The man had himself a quiet assassin game. That 31-yard catch on 3rd-and-2 with the season on the line was ice cold. You don’t expect your #4 WR to make the defining play of a playoff drive, but McDonald did that. That clutch route sealed Seattle’s fate just as much as Engram’s drop.

Also: shoutout for the Week 5 callout. People forget McDonald torched Seattle in overtime earlier that year too—50-yard TD on a Bulger laser. So yeah… four catches, 128 yards, a touchdown… all against one opponent, from the #4 spot on the depth chart? That’s sneaky legendary.

In hindsight, maybe we were sleeping on Shaun McDonald the same way Seattle was.

— Nate K. 🏹

[BobCarl]

This Manumaleuna TD is what i most remember about beating Seattle 3 times in 2004 (enjoy the picture quality):

that 4th quarter comeback was freaking awesome ... I remember watching at home and thinking/knowing that if any team can come back from that 17 pt deficit with 5 minutes to go, the Rams can.

[PARAM]

This Manumaleuna TD is what i most remember about beating Seattle 3 times in 2004 (enjoy the picture quality):

Here's better quality:

Who could get bored with re-watching that game? Besides Seattle fans!

@Elvis, forgot about the incredible Manumaleuna TD!

Also forgot about the nice PR by McDonald. I would love to see a video of the Seattle locker room after that one. Holmgren was probably bananas!