KIRKLAND — Perhaps Michael Boulware didn't overstate it when he said it was a miracle that he was able to stand and walk out of a St. Louis hospital Sunday. What's more, the Seahawks strong safety is expected to play this weekend against Houston.

It has been just two days since a helmet-to-helmet hit — and the weight of 295-pound guard Tom Nutten falling on Boulware's lower back in the second quarter of Seattle's win at St. Louis — led to Boulware being taken off the field on a stretcher. Boulware tried to get up and could not, the feeling in his legs temporarily lost.

He was taken to a local hospital for precautionary X-rays and an MRI, then was able to leave the hospital and fly back with the Seahawks to Seattle.

Yesterday, Boulware said he felt much better and described those moments as the scariest of his career.

"There's still some minor pain in my lower back," he said. "I was really concerned about being able to walk again, and even the possibility of having to retire. Now the possibility of being able to play in this game is exciting and I'm very motivated for it."

Coach Mike Holmgren said Boulware had another MRI taken yesterday just for good measure, and expects Boulware to practice all week.

"There's no reason to think he's not going to play this week," Holmgren said. "His [lower spinal] cord got bruised, just shocked a little bit. But the news is good."

Bailed out

After a team meeting yesterday, Holmgren told special teams players J.P. Darche and Jordan Babineaux that they bailed him out by forcing and recovering a fumbled punt return that sealed the victory.

The play of the game came after the Seahawks went three-and-out on three incomplete passes late in the fourth quarter, when it seemed they should have run time off the clock. Instead, Holmgren called for passes because he thought he needed to add to Seattle's six-point lead, respecting the Rams' quick-strike offense and previous penchant for comebacks against the Seahawks.

Running back Shaun Alexander said he was a little surprised not to get the ball in that situation, but believed in Holmgren.

"I'm like, 'OK, you're the coach. I'm sure you've got something up your sleeve,' " Alexander said. "He did. It was a fumble recovery. Great idea."

Backside pressure

One of the lighter moments from the St. Louis game was a third-down play in the fourth quarter, with Seahawks cornerback Marcus Trufant covering Rams wide receiver Torry Holt.

A slant pass from Rams quarterback Marc Bulger drilled an unsuspecting Trufant in the buttocks and fell incomplete, forcing the Rams to punt.

"I was thinking if I would have turned around one second earlier, it would have been an interception," Trufant said. "But I made the sure play. I blocked it with my butt."

Notes

• The team announced that 2,500 tickets remain for Sunday's game, which will kick off at 5:30 p.m. for a national ESPN telecast. Tickets are available by calling (206) 622-4295.

• Holmgren said WR Darrell Jackson, scheduled for arthroscopic knee surgery tomorrow, has cartilage damage, and the team will have Jackson back before the season is over. The early prognosis was four to six weeks.

• WR Bobby Engram's cracked ribs are feeling better, but Holmgren put no timetable on his return.

• CB Andre Dyson strained a hamstring Sunday and is expected to be out for at least two weeks. That's also the expected recovery time for OL Floyd Womack, who has a pulled thigh muscle.

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com