By Nick Wagoner
Senior Writer
SEATTLE – An offensive line that couldn’t find a way to protect quarterback Marc Bulger from the Seahawks certainly couldn’t find a way to protect the Rams from getting off to the worst start in franchise history.

As Bulger took shot after shot, penalties piled up and turnovers mounted, the Rams’ continuing nightmare added up to the same results. Seven games, seven losses.

For the first time in the history of the organization, the Rams are 0-7 after a 33-6 loss to the Seahawks, the team’s fifth consecutive loss to Seattle. The Seahawks improved to 4-3 and took hold of the NFC West Division lead.

In a season of disappointment and frustration, it was almost impossible to differentiate Sunday’s loss from any of the other six.

“I think it’s obvious when you turn the ball over like we have turned it over in the first seven games, you can’t win and we have proved that,” coach Scott Linehan said. “There’s a lot of things that factor into it. A lot of it this game was the pressure they were able to create. Sacks and turnovers were really critical. Until we fix that we will continue to get the same result.”

The result Sunday was a loss that saw the Rams post just 221 yards of total offense and a pair of field goals. In addition, an already ailing Bulger continued to take a pounding behind a patchwork offensive line.

The Seahawks sacked Bulger seven times with someone named Darryl Tapp playing the role of Lawrence Taylor with four sacks. Bulger took plenty of other hits in the process, fumbled twice from getting hit on backside pressure and was hurried into three interceptions.

Playing with broken ribs, Bulger already had enough pain entering the game and though he made it through without having to leave, the seven sacks equaled the most Bulger has taken in his NFL career.

By the time his day was over, Bulger 21-of-40 for 225 yards with three interceptions and no touchdowns for a rating of 38. In his past three games, Bulger has posted seven interceptions with no touchdown passes and has been sacked 11 times.

“They didn’t do anything we haven’t seen or we didn’t see on film, nothing that we shouldn’t have been able to pick up,” center/guard Andy McCollum said. “We have got to execute better. We have to know what to do and who to get. We have to keep Marc a lot cleaner than what we did today.”

The troubles on the offensive line can easily be attributed to injuries. The Rams have lost Orlando Pace, Mark Setterstrom, Todd Steussie, Richie Incognito and Adam Goldberg for extended periods of time.

Even Alex Barron, the one player on the line who hasn’t suffered an injury, has struggled with his switch to the left side.

While the Rams refuse to use the injuries as an excuse, the lack of having a settled line building continuity has a lot to do with the struggles of the offense and the line in particular.

The Rams have used 11 different combinations along the offensive line already this season.

“We have had different lineups and it creates a problem,” Linehan said. “It’s obvious to me that is an area we have really struggled. I think a lot of it has to do with that. We can get better, certainly, but it’s not getting done.”

Protection issues aren’t the sole problem with the offense, either. Even when the Rams seem to have a big play, something else seems to go wrong. Take, for example, a pair of plays that could have shifted the momentum of Sunday’s game.

After falling behind 7-0, Bulger hit Isaac Bruce in stride down Seattle’s sideline on third down. Bruce had a couple of steps and looked poised for a touchdown. Bruce hauled in the catch, but slipped on the wet turf and fell to the ground for a 31-yard gain instead of a tying touchdown.

The Rams settled for an unsatisfying field goal as the golden opportunity slipped away. Fast forward to the first possession of the third quarter with the Rams on their best drive of the day.

Receiver Torry Holt was dissecting Seattle’s secondary and the Rams had some momentum. After grabbing four catches for 53 yards, Bulger hit Holt in the hands as he crossed the goal line.

A touchdown would have trimmed the lead to a single touchdown. But Holt dropped the pass and a touchdown and the Rams settled for a field goal once again.

“We have wondered for several weeks (how to fix this),” Bulger said. “Even when it seems things are going right, it goes against you. We have some bad momentum right now, heading into the wrong direction. We have to stop it somehow.”

Perhaps making the offensive struggles even more frustrating is the fact that the Rams defense continues to compete and improve.

That unit showed some bend against the Seahawks, but battled out of some difficult positions and had another terrific outing against the run.

Seattle posted just 289 yards of offense and settled for four field goals with one of its touchdowns coming on a 91-yard kick return from Nate Burleson.

“Like I said last week and I am going to come with it again this week, it is pathetic,” tight end Randy McMichael said. “Our defense played their butt off for us.”

While the defense seems to be ascending, there is clearly no quick fix for what ails the offense. Maybe the imminent return of running back Steven Jackson will provide a spark, but no matter how the defense plays, a stagnant offense will not help the Rams locate their first victory.

“Even last year we struggled for maybe a week or two but we came back with the same kind of offense,” Bulger said. “Our fans deserve better. We are not putting a good product out there right now. I don’t know what to say. They have supported us since we have been there and they deserve better than this.”