Outplayed. Outcoached.
Those are the only things to say after the Seahawks were annihilated by the Rams 42-7 at CenturyLink Field. The Rams (10-4) dominated in all facets of the game, with the Seahawks not being able to respond. The Rams scored 34 first-half points, burying the Seahawks before they went to the locker room at halftime. By the time the clock hit 0:00 in the fourth quarter, the Rams had outgained the Seahawks 352-149.
Todd Gurley looked unstoppable as he scored four total touchdowns. Gurley rushed for three of those touchdowns while gaining 152 yards on 21 carries. He also added a touchdown and 28 yards on three catches. Gurley used his speed to burst past defenders on the edge, but made the Seahawks look like high school players as he bounced off attempted tackles. He was pulled in the second half after the Rams went up 40-0.
Jared Goff and the passing offense was almost not needed. The Rams were able to control the clock on the ground, and were running all over the Seahawks defense. Sean McVay called a perfect game, as the Seahawks were unable to string together stops to slow down the Rams offense. Goff completed 14 of his 21 passes for 120 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.
On the offensive side for the Seahawks, Russell Wilson did not have a chance today. Aaron Donald and company racked up seven sacks on Wilson, with Donald sacking him three times. With no time to make any throws, the offense was nonexistent. With the Seahawks trailing early, there was no time to set up Mike Davis and the run game. Wilson finished the game completing 14 of his 30 passes for 142 yards and a touchdown.
This blowout loss also hurt the Seahawks pride, but it also hurt them in the playoff race. With two games remaining, the Rams now sit two games ahead of the Seahawks for the NFC West title. Seattle owns the tiebreaker, but would need the Rams to lose out while Seattle wins out.
But this loss also hurts Seattle in the Wild Card chase. Seattle is a half-game behind the Falcons, with Atlanta playing on Monday. Atlanta holds the tiebreaker, causing the Seahawks likely needing to win-out to beat them. But Seattle also has the same record as the Lions, and could have the same record as Dallas, if the Cowboys win on Sunday night. Put all of that together, and this was a very costly loss for the Seahawks.
MVP
In a game where the Seahawks were dominated in all facets, there are no positives to take from this game. However, the one Seahawk that deserves praise is Bobby Wagner. Wagner did not practice this week due to a hamstring injury and it did not look like he would play. But Wagner gave it a go. He gave it a go because he understood the magnitude of this game and what it meant for the season. Although the Rams offense was unstoppable, and the Seahawks defense looked like a JV team, Wagner even playing a snap was heroic. Wagner left the game in the third quarter after the team went down 40-0. He finished with seven tackles.
LVP
Offense, defense, special teams, anybody could be deemed the least valuable player after today’s game. But instead of choosing a player, we are going to choose the Seahawks coaching staff. From the opening kickoff, the Seahawks looked out-prepared. On offense, it almost seemed like the Rams defense was in the huddle and knew the play the Seahawks were running. On defense, the Rams were running it down Seattle’s throat and the Seahawks coaches had no answer. Pharoh Cooper averaged 20 yards on punt and kick returns. No matter what group was on the field, the Seahawks were outplayed. The Rams are a very good team, but the Seahawks should not play like they are the Browns with the talent they have on the field.
Play of the Game
With less than a minute to play in the first half, the Rams were facing a 3rd and 20 from their own 43-yard line. The Rams were running a simple run off-tackle on the left side to keep the clock moving to end the half. But with the Seahawks defending the first down marker, Gurley was able to run 57-yards untouched for a touchdown to put the Rams up 34-0 to go to half. This touchdown sealed the fate of the Seahawks, and was a perfect play to explain this game. No matter what situation, the Seahawks were outplayed. The play design was meant to keep the clock moving but the Seahawks defenders were nowhere to be found to make the play. Once Gurley turned on the jets, there was no chance of stopping him.
Next Up
The Seahawks (8-6) will look to rebound from two straight losses when they travel to play the Dallas Cowboys on Christmas Eve at 4:25 p.m. EST. This game will mark the return of Ezekiel Elliott, which will not be a welcomed sight for the Seahawks, who has given up 400 rushing yards the past two games.