The Seattle Seahawks are going to the Super Bowl!
In another classic with the Los Angeles Rams, an offensive shootout turned into a defensive battle at the end. Sam Darnold had a magnificent 346-yard, 3-touchdown, 0-turnover performance, while the Seahawks defense tightened up when it needed to after a mighty struggle all season. It was a 31-27 victory for the Seahawks to win the NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field, conquer an NFC West rival in the rubber match for the second week in a row, and next
up is a rematch with the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 60!
The Seahawks are NFC champions in Mike Macdonald’s second season! This special 50th season will continue into February!
Seahawks vs. Rams 1st Half Recap
The Seahawks won the coin toss and put the top-ranked Rams offense on the field first. After a 4-yard run by Kyren Williams, two throws to Puka Nacua yielded just three yards. A three-and-out to start things for the Seahawks defense!
Seattle had an opening drive touchdown in their last meeting against the Rams, and history repeated itself here. Sam Darnold’s first completed pass was a 51-yard deep shot in single coverage to Rashid Shaheed. At long last, the deep ball works to Seattle’s speedy receiver!
After a Jaxon Smith-Njigba catch-and-run inside the 10, Seattle went to Kenneth Walker III three times. The third time was the charm as he bounced to the outside for the score. What a start! 7-0 Seahawks.
Sooner or later, Stafford and Puka will connect on a long ball even against an elite defense. Devon Witherspoon was burned 1-on-1 for a massive gain of 44 yards. Stafford threw three straight incomplete passes, setting up Harrison Mevis for a 44-yard field goal, which he easily converted. 7-3 Seahawks.
Kenneth Walker III was the star of Seattle’s next drive, making Rams tacklers miss in space as a receiver and as a runner. Jaxon Smith-Njigba had the real highlight, which was a remarkable one-handed grab on third down to move the chains in the red zone.
A holding penalty on Anthony Bradford set Seattle back, while an end zone throw to A.J. Barner fell incomplete on third and goal. Jason Myers’ 27-yarder gave the Seahawks a 7-point lead again. 10-3 Seahawks.
The Rams responded in the second quarter with a Stafford dart to Davante Adams, who got free from Witherspoon for 23-yards. Nick Emmanwori stepped up with a tackle for loss, a pass break-up on a throw for Adams, and DeMarcus Lawrence forced a strip-sack of Stafford, which the Rams recovered. Harrison Mevis booted one through from 50 yards, but Sean McVay was rightfully incensed over the lack of a face mask penalty. 10-6 Seahawks.
The Seahawks had one first-down throw to JSN to midfield, but a dropped snap by Sam Darnold and a Braden Fiske sack killed the drive. Michael Dickson’s first punt was muffed by Xavier Smith at his own 10, but he was able to fall back on it. That proved beneficial in more ways than one, as the Rams maintained possession and easily marched down the field on Seattle’s top-ranked defense. A 21-yard catch by Puka Nacua and a 19-yard explosive run by Blake Corum helped get the Rams into Seattle’s red zone. Kyren Williams got free for an easy touchdown on a blown coverage to give the Rams the lead. 13-10 Rams.
Seattle went three-and-out in next to no time, which gave the Rams a chance to add to their lead before halftime. Instead, Nick Emmanwori had two PBUs to force a three-and-out basically by himself. Sam Darnold made the Rams pay in just 34 seconds. Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught a 42-yard bomb and then the go-ahead touchdown two plays later. 17-13 Seahawks.
Seahawks vs. Rams 2nd Half Recap
The Seahawks punted on their opening possession with a chance to increase their lead. On the Michael Dickson punt, Xavier Smith, who’d already muffed one punt and fell on it, fell backward trying to catch this punt and the Seahawks were there for the recovery! Dareke Young was on the spot for the game’s first turnover.
It took only one play for Sam Darnold to capitalize. How about a one-play touchdown drive to… JAKE BOBO?! MORE BOBO! 24-13 Seahawks.
But wait, back come the Rams! A four-play, 75-yard drive with explosive throws to Colby Parkinson and Davante Adams set LA up at the Seattle 2. On the rub route concept, Adams got free from Riq Woolen for the score. 24-20 Seahawks.
Sam Darnold had to respond and he responded with some help from a former Rams star. A 9-play, 65-yard drive featured two third-down conversions, both of which went to Cooper Kupp. The second conversion resulted in Kupp’s first touchdown in a Seahawks uniform at Lumen Field. 31-20 Seahawks.
Devon Witherspoon had a tough night and it got tougher when Davante Adams broke free for another explosive play. An illegal use of hands penalty backed the Rams up out of field goal range. Riq Woolen nearly picked off Matthew Stafford on 3rd and 12, but it was still about to be 4th and 12 and a punt… until Riq was penalized for taunting the Rams sideline, which meant an automatic first down. The next play saw Puka burn Woolen for a touchdown. Unbelievable sequence. 31-27 Seahawks.
Staring a rapid-fire three-and-out in the face, Sam Darnold threw a sideline pass to Kenneth Walker III, who dove ahead for a new set of downs on 3rd and 10. A great play to wrap up a chaotic third quarter. Darnold scrambled into Rams territory and then got plastered on a sack on the ensuing play. Kam Kinchens came through unblocked on a blitz and that essentially ended the drive. A 3rd and 10 throw to Rashid Shaheed was broken up by Cobie Durant, forcing Seahawks punt to the Rams’ own 10.
Matthew Stafford was surgically picking apart the Seahawks defense like they were amateurs. On 4th and 1, the 37-year-old somehow turned a would-be sack by DeMarcus Lawrence into a scramble for a first down. An improvised pitch play to Puka Nacua set up a first down at Seattle’s 12. Devon Witherspoon came up HUGE with consecutive pass breakups, including on 4th down to force a turnover on downs with 4:54 to go!
Backed up at their own 6, draining clock and forcing Rams timeouts was of the utmost importance. Kenneth Walker III took a checkdown for 16 yards while making three Rams defenders miss. A first-down run by K9 gained three yards and Sean McVay called his first timeout with 3:26 to go. Darnold to Rashid Shaheed was off-target and incomplete, with calls for pass interference on Quentin Lake unanswered. The pass was late, out of bounds, and deemed uncatchable. On 3rd and 7, Darnold threw over the middle to Cooper Kupp, who stretched out for the first down by the barest of margins. No challenge from McVay. His final timeout was used with 3:05 to go after a gain of nothing for Walker. A play-action to JSN gains a first down but he goes out of bounds with 3:00 to go. Seattle opted to throw on 2nd and 7 and the pass to JSN was incomplete, but a Cobie Durant hold on Cooper Kupp gave Seattle a fresh set of downs with 2:12 to go!
Kenneth Walker surged for six yards to get to the two-minute warning. A first down clinches the game but they don’t get it. Kyren Williams fair catches at his own 7 with :25 to go.
Nacua with the catch to the 30 and a spike with :10 left. Seahawks call their last timeout. Pass to Nacua is caught but he’s in bounds! CLOCK TICKS! SEAHAWKS WIN! SEAHAWKS GO TO THE SUPER BOWL!
Seahawks vs. Rams Box Score
Next week’s opponent
A rematch of Super Bowl 49, but in Santa Clara. It’ll be the Seahawks vs. New England Patriots on Sunday, Feb. 8 from Levi’s Stadium. NBC will have the kickoff at 6:30 pm ET/3:30 pm PT.
