4 Takeaways From the Seahawks' Win Over the Rams

[ad_1] Trailing by 16 factors within the fourth quarter, the Seattle Seahawks rallied to power time beyond regulation, with Sam Darnold discovering tight finish Eric Saubert for a two-point conversion and a 38-37 victory over the visiting Seattle Seahawks on a moist evening at Lumen Subject on Thursday.

The Seahawks clinched a playoff berth for the primary time since 2022 with the win and are within the driver’s seat to earn an NFC West title and No. 1 seed within the NFC at 12-3. The loss was devastating for the Rams (11-4), who must get some assist from different groups over the ultimate two weeks to host a playoff sport within the postseason.

Listed below are my takeaways:

1. Sam Darnold struggles early, heats up late and earns first signature victory (Picture by Steph Chambers/Getty Pictures)

The USC product completed with 4 interceptions in an earlier loss to the Rams 5 weeks in the past at SoFi Stadium. Within the rematch, Darnold didn’t look a lot better early on, throwing two interceptions within the second half that led to some boos from the group readily available at Lumen Subject.

Nevertheless, Darnold stored grinding and helped lead the Seahawks to an inconceivable fourth-quarter comeback. Darnold completed 22-of-34 for 270 yards, together with a 26-yard landing to tight finish A.J. Barner that closed L.A.’s benefit to 2 factors. Seattle then tied it on an odd conversion when replay officers dominated a backward cross on a display cross by Darnold out to the flat.

The Rams’ defensive gamers stopped pursuing the ball, however working again Zach Charbonnet picked up the free ball ultimately zone, and replay officers dominated {that a} profitable two-point conversion.

In time beyond regulation after the Rams acquired the go-ahead rating, Darnold methodically drove Seattle down the sphere and located receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba on a crossing route at the back of the top zone to tie the sport. Smith-Njigba completed with eight receptions for 96 yards on 13 targets.

2. Kenneth Walker III helps Seahawks rediscover working sport The Seahawks coming into Thursday’s contest averaging simply 113 dashing yards a sport, No. 22 within the league. Nevertheless, Walker ignited Seattle’s offense with some explosive performs, together with a 55-yard run for a rating to open the second half and a 46-yard scamper on a display cross within the first quarter.

Walker completed 100 dashing yards and 164 scrimmage yards to energy Seattle’s offense. The Seahawks totaled 171 yards on the bottom.

Receiver Rashid Shaheed additionally created some massive performs, together with a punt returned 58 yards for a rating and a 31-yard run on a reverse to assist Seattle shut the hole within the fourth quarter.

3. Matthew Stafford’s MVP chase on observe with one other glowing efficiency (Picture by Soobum Im/Getty Pictures)

Stafford stored his standing because the frontrunner for this 12 months’s NFL MVP award with one other spectacular efficiency, ending with a season-high 457 passing yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions for a 110.7 passer ranking.

With Davante Adams out, receiver Puka Nacua had a monster sport, ending with 12 receptions for 225 yards and two touchdowns, together with a 41-yard landing on a crossing route in additional time.

Stafford accomplished passes to 9 completely different cross catchers. The Rams completed with 581 whole yards, however it wasn’t sufficient.

4. Rams lean on heavy personnel with Davante Adams out The 32-year-old Adams leads the league with 12 purple zone touchdowns. Nevertheless, the veteran receiver was unavailable as a result of a hamstring damage suffered in L.A.’s win over the Detroit Lions in Week 15.

Effectively, the Rams missed Adams, as they needed to accept subject targets twice inside Seattle’s 10-yard line. The Rams completed 3-of-6 within the purple zone for the sport. The one purple zone for Los Angeles was a 3-yard landing cross from Matthew Stafford to rookie tight finish Terrance Ferguson.

Nevertheless, with Adams unavailable the Rams leaned on heavy personnel with three-tight finish units to regulate the ball on the bottom. Los Angeles ran three-tight finish units on 54 performs, gaining 318 yards and scoring 4 touchdowns. The Rams additionally ran for 124 yards on the bottom.

Sean McVay was surprisingly aggressive on fourth down, going for it 3 times and changing on two of these alternatives to increase drives.

4 ½. What’s subsequent? The Seahawks now management their very own future and may earn the No. 1 seed within the postseason by profitable out the remainder of the best way. Nevertheless, the Seahawks have a troublesome street remaining, touring to the Carolina Panthers subsequent week and ending out the 12 months within the Bay Space towards the San Francisco 49ers. Seattle is 13-2 on the street since Mike MacDonald has taken over as head coach.

Los Angeles will look to rebound by hitting the street to face the Atlanta Falcons and end out the 12 months at house towards the Arizona Cardinals.

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for greater than a decade, masking the Los Angeles Rams for Sports activities Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma Information Tribune. Comply with him on X at @eric_d_williams.