The Rams were rampaging.
They were shredding the Seahawks’ previously dominant defense. Quarterback Matthew Stafford was on his way to 457 yards passing. Puka Nacua was en route to 225 yards receiving, the most in eight years. Los Angeles’ defense had just intercepted Sam Darnold for the second time.
It was 30-14 L.A.
And most galling for the home team at Lumen Field Thursday night, the Rams players were laughing at Seahawks players.
“Laughing,” ex-Rams linebacker Ernest Jones said outside the Seahawks locker room after this game. “Crazy. And they were up, 30-14. They thought it was over with.
“Disrespectful,” Jones said. “As a defense, that’s disrespectful. Disrespectful to the game, because there’s too much time left on the clock for you to be thinkin’ that it’s over.”
Who specifically for the Rams was laughing at the Seahawks?
Jones, one of their former teammates, knew. But he wasn’t saying.
“I won’t put names on it,” Jones said. “But they know. They won.
“And we won.”
Yes, Jones and his Seahawks had the last laugh. Seattle rallied from that 30-14 deficit with 9 minutes left in regulation to force overtime with the most ridiculous two-point conversion imaginable.
Then in overtime, L.A. marched down the field to score a touchdown on the first possession. Newer NFL rules allow for a team getting scored on first in OT to answer. Sam Darnold and the Seahawks offense did, with a touchdown pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba of 4 yards, then a two-point conversion to unlikely hero Eric Saubert, the blocking, back-up tight end who was the fourth or perhaps fifth read on Darnold’s long-wait two-point pass.
Seahawks 38, Rams 37. Seattle (12-3) now on the inside track to the NFC West title and the top seed in the conference playoffs, with the bye and home field that comes with it.
NFL senior researcher Dante Koplowitz-Fleming noted after the game teams had been 79-0 since 1975 when having over 400 yards of offense, zero giveaways, zero sacks allowed and three or more takeaways. Los Angeles had all that Thursday night — and still lost.
And largely because Jones and his defense that allowed 581 yards total, 457 yards passing by Matthew Stafford and 225 yards receiving by Puka Nacua stopped L.A. on three consecutive three-and-out drives in the fourth quarter to give Darnold and the offense a chance.
What changed in the fourth quarter with the stops?
“There were a few miscommunication times, when they were open deep in the back of the back part of the field,” Jones said. “We were just miscommunicating and weren’t on the same page. I think that shifted and we were able to get on the same page with those three and outs.”
The Seahawks defense did it while missing do-it-all rookie Nick Emmanwori, who was getting checked for a possible concussion, plus safety Coby Bryant and cornerback Riq Woolen to late-game knee injuries. Their statuses are so far unknown for the Seahawks’ next game, Dec. 28 at Carolina (7-7) — though coach Mike Macdonald said Emmanwori passed initial concussion tests.
“Coby has a knee. I’m not going put a time frame on it. It’s not automatically season-ending right now is the point, I guess,” Macdonald said.
“And Nick was able to come back if we were going to go back on the field (in overtime). Riq also a knee I think to some extent. Not sure how serious it is.”
Ty Okada replaced Bryant. Without Emmanwori and Woolen available, Macdonald had to go more vanilla, less tricky and disguised. Stafford and the Rams took advantage of that on their 80-yard drive ended with a 41-yard catch and run down the middle of Seattle defense for a touchdown to begin overtime.
“Yeah, unfortunately, we’ve been doing that all year. Hopefully, preferably those guys are good,” Jones said of so many injuries on Seattle’s defense that only two weeks ago played whole for the first time. “But guys have to step up. Big game like this, where number one is on the line, playoff spot’s on the line, guys got to step up.
“I was grateful that we’ve been doing that all year. So it was nothin’ this time.”
But the Rams woofin’ and laughing at the Seahawks when they thought this game was over?
That was something the Seahawks will remember. Including if they meet the Rams (11-4) again in the playoffs next month.
“Yeah. Yeah. They got a little…they started talkin’ a little bit more,” Smith-Njigba said. “You know, I talk when we are down, when we are up or when we are tied.
“But, yeah, that really doesn’t matter. We knew what we had to do. That’s go out and execute.
“And that’s what we do.”
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