What a whirlwind of a game that was!!!
The Seattle Seahawks (12-3) are in first place in the NFC West. They were 30-14 down in the fourth quarter and they’d never come back from more than 14 in the fourth quarter in franchise history. In season 50, that streak is over.
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From 30-14 down, the Seahawks beat the Los Angeles Rams in an impossible to believe comeback. Sam Darnold shook off two interceptions and threw two touchdowns, while Rashid Shaheed had the big punt return TD that sparked an eventual 38-37 comeback win in overtime. They overcame over 450 yards passing from Matthew Stafford, 200+ yards and two touchdowns from Puka Nacua, and injuries to Coby Bryant, Riq Woolen, and Nick Emmanwori to pull off a stunner.
Oh yeah, Seattle clinched a playoff spot along the way and have the inside track on the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
CAN YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU JUST SAW?!
1st Half Summary
The Seahawks won the coin toss and opted to put the Rams on offense first. In the first meeting, the Rams turned it over on downs on their opening possession. In the rematch, they went 10 plays… and turned it over on downs again, only this time not near the goal line. Kyren Williams carried the ball seven times, including one 4th down conversion in his own territory, but he was stopped short by Uchenna Nwosu and Josh Jobe!
The Seahawks’ first possession in the first meeting was a Sam Darnold interception. In the rematch, it was a touchdown. Kenneth Walker III took a screen pass 46 yards into the red zone on Seattle’s third play from scrimmage, setting up goal-to-go. Two snaps later, Zach Charbonnet (as he often does) punched it in from a few yards out for an early 7-0 Seahawks lead. Seattle’s first 1st half offensive touchdown since Week 12 and first opening drive touchdown since Week 10!
Back came the Rams with a 12-play, 75-yard drive highlighted by a 27-yard catch by tight end Davis Allen, who took advantage of a rare coverage bust by Mike Macdonald’s defense. Puka Nacua converted 4th and 5 on Josh Jobe in tight coverage to keep the drive alive—the Seahawks were offside anyway. Nacua nearly got into the end zone on 3rd and goal, but a wonderful tackle by Nick Emmanwori stopped him at the 1-yard line. A touchdown to Terrance Ferguson was nullified by an ineligible man downfield penalty on Justin Dedich, a reserve right guard who had to come in for the injured Kevin Dotson. Rules analyst Terry McAulay said on Prime Video that the foul shouldn’t have been called since he was actively engaged with a blocker and continued beyond the 1-yard limit, but the flag was thrown and the Rams had a touchdown turned to a Harrison Mevis field goal. 7-3 Seahawks.
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Zach Charbonnet gained nine yards on Seattle’s second possession, but the Seahawks passed on 2nd and 3rd and 1 and both passes fell incomplete. Seattle opted to punt at its own 44 instead of go for it, and it took only one play for the Rams to go well past where the Seahawks punted from. Puka Nacua got loose in zone coverage for 45 yards. Once again the Rams marched into the red zone, only for Davis Allen to drop a 3rd and 2 pass (which would’ve been short of the sticks anyway. Sean McVay opted to kick a field goal after the 4th and 2 attempt to draw Seattle offside failed. 7-6 Seahawks.
Anthony Bradford’s false start put the Seahawks behind the sticks early and they couldn’t get out of it, leading to another three-and-out and punt. Xavier Smith had a strong punt return to his own 38. Pure smashmouth football had the Seahawks defense on its heels, while Matthew Stafford took underneath throws all the way into the red zone again. Terrance Ferguson beat Nick Emmanwori for the go-ahead touchdown. 13-7 Rams.
It looked like another doomed drive for the Seahawks after Sam Darnold was sacked by Kobie Turner on 2nd and 10. Kenneth Walker received the give-up handoff on 3rd and 16 and the crowd booed… then cheered after Walker picked up 17 yards as the clock wound down to the two-minute warning. Just how it was drawn up! What wasn’t drawn up? Cooper Kupp fumbling the ball back to his old team.
2nd Half Summary
The Seahawks got the ball out of halftime, having squandered an opportunity for points before the break. After an A.J. Barner tush push conversion on 3rd and 1, Kenneth Walker took the handoff right side and got great blocks from Jalen Sundell, Anthony Bradford, and Abe Lucas on his way to the house. A 55-yard touchdown for his longest score in two years and his first TD since the first Rams game! Out of nowhere, 14-13 Seahawks!
Faced with 3rd and 9 and a potential crowd-energizing three-and-out, Matthew Stafford punished the Seahawks’ latest coverage bust by finding Xavier Smith wide open for 49 yards. No Davante Adams? No problem. Luckily it was slightly underthrown due to the wind and not a touchdown.
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Initial penetration from Byron Murphy II and a tackle by Ernest Jones IV stopped Kyren Williams on 3rd and 3, resulting in a field goal attempt by Harrison Mevis for a third time. Bad conditions but a good kick. 16-14 Rams.
DISASTER! Sam Darnold throws a terrible, telegraphed throw to Rashid Shaheed and Josh Wallace came off of his man (Cooper Kupp) and got the interception. Kenneth Walker saved a touchdown by tackling him at the 1, only for Blake Corum to punch it in on the next play. 23-14 Rams.
Seattle punted once again and the Rams just shredded the Seahawks some more. A 9-play, 85-yard drive capped off by a Puka Nacua touchdown, which thankfully had an incident-free celebration. Stafford no-looked the throw, too. 30-14 Rams.
Sam Darnold quickly led the Seahawks down the field and then got picked again! This time it’s Kobie Turner the big fella who dropped into coverage and Darnold didn’t see him. What a mess.
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However, Rashid Shaheed got the Seahawks back in the game with a punt return touchdown. LA’s first punt all night was taken back 58 yards for the score! And they got the two-point conversion to Cooper Kupp! 30-22 Rams.
A three-and-out by the Rams yet again! Seattle got the ball back at the 41 after a poor punt by Ethan Evans. Rashid Shaheed took off for 31 yards on a run play. Play-action deep shot to Barner is CAUGHT FOR THE TOUCHDOWN!!!
Still gotta get the two-point conversion, which is a screen to Charbonnet that’s deflected and incomplete. Or so we thought. WHAT JUST HAPPENED?! The pass to Charbonnet was actually backward, and deflected into the end zone. Charbonnet picked the ball up in the end zone, and at the time the pass was ruled incomplete. Upon review, it was considered a fumble (rightly) with a clear recovery. TIE GAME! The wildest two-point conversion I think we’ve ever seen! 30-30!
Another series, another three-and-out forced by the Seahawks defense! Talk about flipping a switch! But the offense’s switched turned right back off with a three-and-out. Darnold missed an open JSN, then screens to Ken Walker and JSN went nowhere.
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The Rams got into field goal range after a long throw to Terrance Ferguson, who got free beyond Drake Thomas. A personal foul on Ty Okada gave them another 15 yards, but Nick Emmanwori drew a hold that took them 10 yards back on the next play. On 3rd and 8 with over two minutes left, Stafford threw incomplete to Konata Mumpfield, which stopped the clock! Harrison Mewis from 47 yards out… WIDE RIGHT! HIS FIRST MISS AS A RAM! Seahawks ball with 2:07 to go and a timeout.
Sam Darnold was sacked on 2nd and 9 after a run with Charbonnet. It’s 3rd and 17 with 1:54 to go and the checkdown to Barner was knocked down. A quick three-and-out but a great punt by Michael Dickson backed the Rams at their 11 with 1:42 left.
Stafford pressured on first down and throws incomplete for Kyren Williams. Deep ball to Nacua who beat Witherspoon and leapt for the catch and first down for 28 yards. Blitz comes and Stafford throws it incomplete for Parkinson. Lobbing pass to Mumpfield is somehow caught despite Emmanwori draped all over him. Three straight incomplete passes! Punt time!
Seattle opted to go for the win in regulation. A Poona Ford sack changed their mind after two plays.
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Overtime
The Seahawks won the coin toss and opted to go second, keeping in mind an offensive touchdown on the opening possession does not automatically win games anymore. A big kick return by Ronnie Rivers was nullified due to a hold, but the Rams still needed just two plays to get 22 yards. Ernest Jones was dinged for illegal contact, then nearly made a diving interception on a deflected pass off of Blake Corum’s hands. It was ruled a pick and overturned (rightly) on replay review. On 3rd and 6, Nacua with the catch, and Boye Mafe was offside anyway. Nacua with a 41-yard touchdown over the middle. 37-30 Rams.
Touchdown or bust for the Seahawks. A touchback gave the ball to Seattle at the 35. K9 gained four yards on 1st and 10. Darnold rolled away from pressure and hit JSN into Rams territory. A throwaway by Darnold on 1st and 10. JSN is grabbed by Emmanuel Forbes for defensive PI and a first down. After a 2-yard run by Walker, deep ball for Kupp is CAUGHT!!!! OUT AT THE 17! Darnold to Charbonnet and Barner and it set up 3rd and 3. Charbonnet converts to the 4! First and goal… TOUCHDOWN, SMITH-NJIGBA!!! NOW THEY GO FOR TWO!!!! AND IT’S CAUGHT BY ERIC SAUBERT!!!! THE SEAHAWKS WIN! THE SEAHAWKS WIN!!
Next week’s opponent
The Seahawks go on the road for their final two regular season road games, starting with the Carolina Panthers (7-7) on Sunday, Dec. 28 at 10 am PT on CBS. Should the Panthers win this weekend against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina would have an NFC South clinching scenario against Seattle.
