Disaster nearly struck for the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday as a late taunting penalty breathed new life into the Los Angeles Rams. But the Seahawks recovered from the miscue for a 31-27 win in the NFC championship.
The win capped a thrilling trilogy from the NFC West rivals in which the Rams and Seahawks split their regular-season series.
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This time, the conference championship was at stake, and the Seahawks advanced to face the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. They got a standout game from quarterback Sam Darnold on the biggest stage of his career and a late, fourth-down stop to thank for it.
Defensive stand sets up Seahawks for victory
Like in their regular-season matchups, Sunday’s game was a back-and-forth affair, whose outcome wasn’t determined until late. The Rams recovered from a 31-20 deficit sparked by a taunting penalty on the Seahawks and had a chance to take the lead with 4:49 remaining.
But Seattle’s top-rated scoring defense came up with the stop of its season on fourth down. Matthew Stafford looked over the middle in the back of the end zone on fourth-and-4, targeting tight end Terrance Ferguson. But cornerback Devon Witherspoon was there for the pass breakup to keep Seattle’s 31-27 lead intact.
From there, the Seahawks ran all but 25 seconds off the clock before punting the ball to the Rams deep in Los Angeles territory. Without a timeout in their pocket, the Rams couldn’t pull off a miracle on their last drive.
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Cooper Kupp comes up big against former team
The Seahawks got a big first-down conversion on the ensuing possession on a catch from former Rams All-Pro Cooper Kupp on third-and-8 to keep the drive alive.
It was a close play in which Kupp had to stretch out to reach the line to gain and bobbled the ball after being taken to the ground. Officials ruled that he completed the catch and reached the first-down marker for a Seattle first down with 3:11 remaining.
The first-down catch capped a big second half for Kupp, who was Super Bowl MVP in the Rams’ win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI. He also caught a third-quarter touchdown to extend Seattle’s lead to 31-20.
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Sam Darnold answers critics
Darnold, who’s been surrounded by questions about his ability in big games, answered them all with the game of his career. Darnold completed 25 of 36 passes for 346 yards with 3 touchdowns. And, unlike in previous high-profile collapses, he didn’t turn the ball over.
The Seahawks scored a touchdown on their first possession of the game, capped by a run by Kenneth Walker III. Los Angeles answered to take a 13-10 lead late in the second quarter. But Darnold drove the Seahawks 74 yards in 36 seconds and found Jaxon Smith-Njigba for his first touchdown pass of the game to send Seattle into halftime with a 17-13 lead.
He then hit Jake Bobo for another touchdown early in the third quarter after a muffed Rams punt return set up Seattle in the red zone. Darnold’s third touchdown pass, this one to Kupp, allowed Seattle to extend its lead to 31-20 with 4:52 remaining in the third quarter.
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Smith-Njigba starred alongside Darnold with 10 catches for 153 yards and a touchdown, extending a breakout season in which he led the NFL in receiving yards.
Seahawks survive late taunting blunder
The Rams led the league in scoring in the regular season and again gave the vaunted Seahawks defense a test on a day when they racked up 479 yards of total offense. And a taunting penalty on Seattle cornerback Tariq Woolen extended a third-quarter Rams drive after a third-and-12 stop, allowing Los Angeles to score on a deep ball from Stafford to Nacua on the very next play.
But Seattle’s defense came up with a stop when the stakes were at their highest. And Darnold and Seattle shut the door on a Rams comeback on their next possession.
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Their reward is a rematch of Super Bowl XLIX with the Patriots, who beat the Denver Broncos in Sunday’s AFC championship.
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Ian Casselberry
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Ian Casselberry
Rams – 479 yards total offense
Matthew Stafford: 22-of-35, 374 yards, 3 TD
Blake Corum: 9 rushes, 55 yards
Puka Nacua: 9 receptions, 165 yards, 1 TDSeahawks – 396 yards total offense
Sam Darnold: 25-of-36, 346 yards, 3 TD
Kenneth Walker III: 19 carries, 62 yards, 1 TD
Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 10 catches, 153 yards, 1 TD -
Ian Casselberry
Matthew Stafford hits Puka Nacua for a 23-yard gain to the Seattle 49-yard line with 10 seconds left.
But on the next play, Stafford connects with Nacua one more time for 21 yards but he cannot get out of bounds and the click runs out.
Seahawks win, 31-27. They will face the Patriots in Super Bowl LX.
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Ian Casselberry
The Rams sack Sam Darnold on third-and-7, but they can’t stop the clock before Seattle punts with 31 seconds remaining.
Kyren Williams calls for a fair catch on Michael Dickson’s 38-yard punt at the Rams’ 7-yard line. L.A. will have 25 seconds remaining.
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Ian Casselberry
The Rams used their third and final timeout to challenge the call on the field after Jaxon Smith-Njigba was initially ruled to stay in bounds on his 14-yard catch.
Two carries by Kenneth Walker III to gain 9 yards ran one minute off the clock to get to the 2-minute warning.
Seahawks have a second-and-4 at the Rams’ 43-yard line.
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Ian Casselberry
Jaxon Smith-Nijgba gets a big first down on a drag route for a 14-yard catch to the Seahawks 49-yard line.
Smith-Njigba was ruled to step out of bounds, which stops the clock at the 3:00 ark.
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Ian Casselberry
Out of a timeout, Sam Darnold connects with Cooper Kupp on a third-and-7. The ball came loose as Kupp hit the ground, but the officials ruled he was down by contact.
But was Kupp down before crossing the line to gain at the 35? The ruling is that he was.
First down for the Seahawks with 3:11 remaining in the fourth quarter.
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Ian Casselberry
On second-and-6 from their own 10-yard line, Kenneth Walker III gains 15 yards on a catch-and-run for a big first down that also creates some distance from the end zone.
The clock is now under four minutes in the fourth quarter. The Rams have two timeouts remaining.
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Ian Casselberry
A 6-yard throw to Puka Nacua gave the Rams a first-and-10 at the Seattle 12-yard line. Matthew Stafford followed up with another 6-yard completion to Nacua.
But Kyren Williams gained no yards on the next play, then Stafford missed Konata Mumpfield with an incompletion. That set up a fourth-and-4 at the 6-yard line and Sean McVay opted to go for it with 4:59 remaining in the game.
Stafford threw incomplete, looking for Terrance Ferguson. The Seahawks take over with 4:54 left.
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Ian Casselberry
After Colby Parkinson dropped a wide-open catch on third-and-1, the Rams quarterback runs for a 3-yard gain on fourth down.
It’s first-and-10 for the Rams at the Seahawks’ 23-yard line.
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Ian Casselberry
Following Sam Darnold being sacked for a 9-yard loss, the Seahawks can’t make up the lost yardage and have to punt on fourth-and-10 from their 44-yard line.
Michael Dickson punts 34 yards and the Rams will go back on offense from their 10-yard line.
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Ian Casselberry
Following a 14-yard scramble by Sam Darnold to get into Rams territory, the Seahawks QB is sacked for a 9-yard loss on a blitz by Kam Kitchens.
The sack pushed the Seahawks back to their side of the field on the 47-yard line.
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Ian Casselberry
A questionable-at-best taunting penalty has swung this game. Seattle forced a third-and-12 incompletion from Matthew Stafford and was ready to get the ball back with a 31-20 lead late in the third quarter
But officials flagged Tariq Woolen for taunting for chirping at the Los Angeles sideline, and Los Angeles was awarded a first down. One play later, Stafford found Puka Nacua for a touchdown to cut Seattle’s lead to 31-27.
A disastrous turn of events for Seattle with the Super Bowl at stake.
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Ben Fawkes
Oddsmakers opened the total for the NFC championship game at 47.5, and it was bet down to a closing number of 46 at BetMGM.
After a Cooper Kupp touchdown, it’s now 31-20 Seahawks and the game has officially gone over the total at all numbers.
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Jason Owens
Cooper Kupp is on the board. The former Super Bowl MVP for the Los Angeles Rams has extended Seattle’s lead to 31-20 with a touchdown catch from Sam Darnold.
Kupp kept the drive alive with a 12-yard grab on third-and-9, his first of the day. His second was a 13-yard touchdown pass from Darnold in traffic to keep Seattle in control.
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Jason Owens
Los Angeles didn’t wilt after its disastrous special teams miscue. The Rams struck back with a 4-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that took just 2:21 off the clock.
Davante Adams caught a 29-yard sideline grab from Matthew Stafford to get inside the Seattle 5-yard line. He then snagged a 2-yard touchdown pass on the opposite sideline to cut Seattle’s lead to 24-20.
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Jason Owens
What a disaster for the Rams.
Los Angeles forced a punt on Seattle’s opening drive of the second half. But Xavier Smith misplayed the return and fumbled it inside the 20-yard line.
One play later, Sam Darnold found Jake Bobo in the end zone for a 24-13 lead. And the pendulum of this game has taken a big swing in Seattle’s direction with one bobbled ball.
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Jason Owens
The second half is underway, and the Seahawks start with the ball and a 17-13 lead.
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Jason Owens
After two nail-biters in the regular season, the Rams and Seahawks are involved in another close game with a trip to the Super Bowl at stake.
For the Seahawks, Sam Darnold continues to defy doubters and has had his way with the Los Angeles defense alongside Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The Rams, meanwhile, had a chance to take control with a go-ahead touchdown against Seattle’s vaunted defense late in the second quarter. But the Seahawks answered with a score of their own to retake control.
Seahawks
Sam Darnold: 12 of 18, 209 yards, 1 TD, no turnovers, 1 sack taken
Smith-Njigba: 7 catches, 115 yards, 1 TD
Rasihd Shaheed: 1 catch, 51 yards
Kenneth Walker: 9 carries, 37 yards, 1 TD; 2 catches, 24 yardsRams
Matthew Stafford: 8 of 15, 125 yards, 1 TD, no turnovers, 1 sack taken
Puka Nacua: 4 catches, 75 yards
Davante Adams: 1 catch, 23 yards
Kyren Williams: 7 carries, 31 yards; 1 catch, 9 yards, 1 TD
Blake Corum: 7 carries, 40 yardsTeam Stats
Seahawks: 239 yards on 7.7 yards per play
Rams: 204 yards on 6.4 yards per playSeahawks first downs: 12
Rams first downs: 11Seahawks turnovers: 0
Rams turnovers: 0 -
Jason Owens
The Rams didn’t find a miracle with 15 seconds remaining and go into halftime trailing the Seahawks, 17-13. Seattle will have the ball first to start the third quarter.
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Jason Owens
What an answer from the Seahawks. After forcing a punt with 54 seconds left in the second quarter, they drove 74 yards on six plays for a go-ahead touchdown with 20 seconds remaining before halftime.
Sam Darnold found Jaxon Smith-Njigba wide open in the end zone to cap a drive that took just 34 seconds off the clock. Seattle has a 17-13 lead and will start the second half with the ball. A huge swing in Seattle’s favor.
