Seahawks (7-9) take NFC West

Associated Press

SEATTLE

The Seahawks used a stingy defense to become the first sub-.500 division champ in league history with a 16-6 win over St. Louis on Sunday night.

Backup quarterback Charlie Whitehurst threw a 4-yard touchdown on Seattle’s first drive, and Olindo Mare kicked second-half field goals of 31, 38 and 34 yards. The Seahawks finished as champs of the NFC West at 7-9, the first playoff team with a losing record — sans the 1982 strike-shortened season — since the merger in 1970. It was Seattle’s first division title since 2007.

Whitehurst finished 22 of 36 for 192 yards making just the second start of his career. He started in place of Matt Hasselbeck, who was active and went through warmups, but didn’t play after suffering a hip injury last week against Tampa Bay.

Whitehurst quickly got the Seahawks’ offense rolling in the first quarter. He connected with Ruvell Martin on a 61-yard pass play to the Rams 13.

Four plays later, Whitehurst found Mike Williams for the TD. Whitehurst was 5 for 5 for 85 yards on the opening drive.

The Rams’ offense under rookie quarterback Sam Bradford had two three-and-outs and just 23 yards of offense in the first 15 minutes.

Bradford got the Rams going in the second quarter and led the Rams on a 13-play scoring drive culminating in a 32-yard field goal by Brown to make it 7-3.

Rams defensive back Ron Bartell caused running back Marshawn Lynch to fumble on Seattle’s opening drive of the third quarter.

James Laurinaitis recovered, giving the Rams possession at the Seahawks 21-yard line. A holding penalty by Laurent Robinson stalled the drive inside the 10, forcing the Rams to settle for a 27-yard field goal by Josh Brown to make it 7-6.

Seattle responded with three field goals by Olindo Mare.