Goal-Line Stand Saves Seahawks in Win Over Rams

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

The Seahawks’ Golden Tate on a catch over the Rams’ Janoris Jenkins. Seattle has won 15 of the last 17 meetings with St. Louis.

Russell Wilson threw two touchdown passes to Golden Tate, and the Seattle Seahawks made a dramatic goal-line stand in the final minute to beat the Rams, 14-9, on Monday night in St. Louis.

The Seahawks (7-1), riding the best start in franchise history, were forced to punt with a little more than 5 minutes left in the game, but they managed to pin St. Louis at its own 3-yard line.

Backup quarterback Kellen Clemens marched the Rams (3-5) to the Seattle 1, but Daryl Richardson was stuffed on the third down and Clemens threw an incomplete pass on the fourth down as time expired.

The Seahawks won despite gaining 135 yards of total offense, 80 of it on Wilson’s second touchdown pass to Tate. Two plays later, Wilson went deep down the sideline to Tate, who made an acrobatic leaping catch over Janoris Jenkins. Tate regained his balance and ran to the end zone, earning an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Wilson was sacked a career-high seven times.

Clemens made his first start in two years in place of the injured quarterback Sam Bradford.

PANTHER SAYS HE’S A TARGET Carolina Panthers free safety Mike Mitchell said he was being “targeted” by N.F.L. Commissioner Roger Goodell after receiving his fifth fine of the season. Mitchell was fined $7,875 last week by the league for taunting after he shoved St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford out of bounds during a game on Oct. 20. Mitchell was not penalized for taunting in the game.

“I’m being targeted because I play football physical, but I’m not out here cheap-shotting guys and doing dirty plays like I’ve seen people from Detroit do,” Mitchell said.

Brian McCarthy, the spokesman for the league, said Goodell did not make the decisions regarding on-field infractions.

REDSKINS SAFETY STRIKES BACK Washington Redskins safety Brandon Meriweather said that “people who beat their girlfriends should be kicked out of the league” — a swipe at Chicago Bears receiver Brandon Marshall.

Meriweather made the comment after a one-game suspension for helmet-first hits. One of the hits was made against Marshall. Marshall said players like Meriweather perhaps need to be “taken out of the game completely.”

Meriweather said, “You tell me who you’d rather have — somebody who plays aggressive on the field, or somebody who beat up their girlfriend?”

Marshall has a history of multiple arrests after confrontations with a girlfriend when he was playing for the Denver Broncos.

AROUND THE LEAGUE Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Mike Williams is out for the season with a hamstring injury. ... Cleveland Browns punt returner Travis Benjamin tore his anterior cruciate ligament against Kansas City, and he will miss the rest of the season.