The Los Angeles Rams are now in danger of becoming a wild card team in the playoffs. LA lost to Seattle on Thursday Night Football after allowing a 16-point fourth-quarter comeback during the overtime thriller. Now the Seahawks sit atop the NFC West at 12-3 and the Rams fall to 11-4 and are currently the No. 5 seed in the NFC.
The Rams came into this game without Davante Adams but it didn't seem to matter for the first three quarters. Puka Nacua went crazy, hauling in 12 receptions for 225 yards and two touchdowns. Unfortunately, it was not enough to hold off the Seahawks.
But who is most to blame for LA's surprising loss? And are their NFC West division hopes doomed after falling behind Seattle?
Below we will explore which Rams players are most to blame for Thursday's crushing loss to the Seahawks.
LA's special teams unit made multiple gaffes that gave Seattle an opening
It is rare for these pieces to start with special teams. But I feel that it is appropriate based on how this game shook out.
The Rams made a pair of costly mistakes on special teams during the fourth quarter. If one, or both, had turned out differently then the Rams absolutely could have won this game.
First, there was the Rashid Shaheed punt return touchdown in the middle of the quarter. That explosive play flipped the game, making the score 30-22 after the Seahawks pulled off their first two-point conversion attempt. The score had been 30-14 and the Rams were in complete control.
Seattle may have still been able to complete their comeback without Shaheed's touchdown. But putting eight points on the board in a matter of seconds unquestionably changed this game.
The second gaffe was a missed field goal with 2:07 left in the fourth quarter. Harrison Mevis missed the 48-yard attempt by a hair as the kick hooked right after looking on target.
Neither team scored after that field goal attempt, so it is easy to imagine the Rams winning 33-30 if they'd just make the one kick.
This game was a huge reminder that all three phases of the game are important each and every week.
The Rams missed a big opportunity with second Sam Darnold INT
Los Angeles won the turnover battle 3-0 in this game, but they still managed to lose.
The Rams deserve credit on two of those turnovers as a defensive stop. First they prevented the Seahawks from punching in a touchdown before the end of the first half before draining the final ~50 seconds off the clock. The Rams also turned one Sam Darnold interception into a touchdown with a one-play drive during the third quarter.
Unfortunately, LA could not come away with points after getting their third turnover of the game. And it started a chain reaction that ended up costing them the game.
The Rams picked off Darnold for a second time deep in their own territory with just under 10 minutes left in the game. Los Angeles got the ball back and quickly punted after two Blake Corum runs and an incomplete pass to Puka Nacua.
The very next play was Shaheed's punt return touchdown that completely changed this game.
Obviously this is only clear in hindsight, but the Rams needed to score on that drive. If they came away with points on that drive, the game would probably be over. And Shaheed would not score on that punt return touchdown.
Again, the Rams deserve credit for forcing multiple turnovers. But this game could've been a blowout for the Seahawks if a few of those plays had gone a different way.
This game really showcased how football is a game of inches.
Rams' defense could not stop Seahawks from running the football
One common theme of this game was LA's inability to stop Seattle's running game.
It was surprising to see the Rams struggle in this department, especially after bottling up Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery last week.
But Seattle had their way on the ground, totaling 171 rushing yards on the game. Kenneth Walker III led the charge with 11 carries for 100 rushing yards and a touchdown.
On a down-to-down basis, the Rams did an okay job of bottling up Seattle's running game. But that didn't matter after they allowed a pair of explosive runs.
Walker ripped off a 55-yard touchdown run and Shaheed had a 31-yard carry of his own during the late stages of the game.
I don't believe that LA should have long-term concerns about their defense ahead of the playoffs. But Thursday's loss proves that they can be beaten.
