In what is becoming an all too familiar theme is the Seattle Seahawks (4-5) giving it the old college try and falling just short when playing the Los Angeles Rams (9-1). Just like the October 7th game in Seattle, the Seahawks scored on their opening drive, went toe to toe with the Rams and came out on the losing end of a hard-fought, thrilling shootout.
On Sunday the Seahawks took the opening kick off and drove 75 plays on 7 plays and jumped out to a 7-0 lead on Russell Wilson to Nick Vannet 8 yard touchdown pass play. The Rams tied the game on their first possession of the game on a Jared Goff to Gerald Everett 10 yard touchdown pass.
In what is becoming the norm, the two teams engaged in a scoring fest that saw the Seahawks take early leads of 14-7,14-10 before the Rams went into the halftime break with a 17-14. The Rams stretched there lead to 20-14 when they opened the third quarter with a Greg Zuerlein 37-yard field goal which Seattle answered with a Wilson to Tyler Lockett 23 yard touchdown that gave the Seahawks a 21-20 lead. The Rams answered that call with Goff to Tyler Higbee 10 yard touchdown pass play that gave the lead back to them at 26 to 21. The Rams 2 point try was unsuccessful and kept the Seahawks a touchdown away taking the lead. The teams exchanged field goals but the Rams still held the lead at 29 -24 with 7:34 left in the game.
Seattle looked it was going to take the lead after the Rams field goal but disaster struck when Wilson was strip-sacked on Seattle’s next offensive possession and the Rams cashed in on the turnover when Brandon Cooks rambled nine yards for a touchdown that gave the home team the 36 to 24 lead with 5:43 left to play.
Wilson rallied his troops as the Seahawks marched 90 yards and scored on a three-yard pass play from Wilson to Mike Davis to bring Seattle within five points at 36 to 31. The Seahawks defense held the Rams on their next possession and Seattle received the ball at its own 25-yard line with 1:24 left in the game. Unfortunately for the Seahawks, the last-ditch drive stalled at the Rams 35 yard on an incomplete pass by Wilson on fourth down.
TAKEAWAYS
The Seattle Seahawks continue to overcome adversity and improve every week but time is running out as their season record stands at 4-5.
The Seahawks played Sunday’s game without starters, Guard D.J. Fluker and running back Chris Carson. Jordan Simmons replaced Fluker and according to head coach Peter Carroll did an admirable job while Rashaad Penny rushed for a career-high 108 yards showing. Great improvement by able backups and shows that the Seahawks have developing talent and depth. That’s all good and well but if this team is to make the playoffs the time to win is now.
POST GAME QUOTES
BOBBY WAGNER
(On the team’s confidence coming into the game)
“A lot of confidence. Especially how we played them the last time we played them. Even the year before when we came down and played them here. There was a lot of confidence. We knew we had to make sure we played a pretty good game. Couldn’t shoot ourselves in the foot and I feel like we did that.”
(On the amount of penalties and big gains the defense allowed)
“Just both sides, from penalties to the gains and some of the plays they had. We just had to make sure we were on our stuff. We let some plays get away from us. We had some good plays, but when we had a bad play it seemed like it hurt us. We just have to do better and keep going”
(On if there’s still belief in the locker room)
“One hundred percent. I definitely believe that we can turn this around. We’ve got a very tough schedule. It’s going to show what we’re made of. We have to be right back at it. We’ve got a Thursday night game so it’s one of those times where it’s good to kind of get back out there and wash away this loss.”
(On coming within one score in both losses to the Rams this season)
“I’m not a moral victories guy. A loss is a loss. We need to grow from it. It’s only good if we learn something from it and do better. We’ve got to do that. We have to apply that to the rest of the season.”
(On the team’s 4-5 record)
“We feel like we’re a lot better than our record shows. We had some plays that got away from us and lost some games. There’s still a lot of football left. We’re confident that we’ll pull it out.”
(On the play called when the Rams converted on third-and-15)
“At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter what we call. Coach gives us the call and it’s our job to execute and stop them. Especially on third-and-15. No team should ever convert on third-and-15. That’s an area we have to better at. I feel like some teams have converted on those longer yardages. We have to be more locked in and more focused. We can’t really worry about the calls. Players make the calls. No matter what they call if we execute we’re fine.”
RAMS JARED GOFF
(On how the team was able to come together to get the job done today despite the adversity in the community this past week)
“First of all, want to definitely say how we’re thinking about everyone involved in not only the fires, but the shooting that occurred and how close to home that hits for us. I didn’t know anyone involved, but I know people that did. Just having it that close really makes it real and then the fires, obviously, have been something that a lot of people have dealt with – myself included. I evacuated, a lot of our teammates evacuated and a lot of our coaches evacuated, thousands of people evacuated outside of our organization. It’s just been a tough week for the whole city, the whole area up there in the northern L.A. area. Hoping today provided a little bit of joy and regularity for those people.”
(On what the team has become with the Thousand Oaks community now that they have been a part of it for a few years)
“Definitely. I think, like I said, just having it so close to home and really like – whenever someone you know is affected, it makes it so real. We are thinking about those people and want to get out in the community and help as much as we can the next few weeks, especially with Thanksgiving and the holiday season coming up and just being that helpful, hopeful, joyous group, hopefully. And hope to bring the community together and become stronger through all of it.”
(On if this is an example of how sports can rally a community or at least provide some sense of normalcy)
“I hope so. I hope so. I don’t know exactly right now, but I hope so. I know it rallied us and it was able to get us focused on something else and not worried about everything else going on. We came together through it. We spent a lot of time together the last few days just being in the hotel together. Hopefully, the community can see that as an example of fighting through that adversity.”
(On if he was evacuated because the flames were really close to his home or just as a precautionary measure)
“I evacuated on Thursday night, like many people. I don’t know the specifics of how close it really got, but I know it was close enough to mandatory evacuate.”
(On what that says about the team in terms of being able to handle a tough week and still come out and perform)
“It says a lot. It says a lot about our veteran leadership and our coaches and everyone in the operations staff that just worked so hard to get us accommodated and get our families accommodated, get my family accommodated, everyone. Just get them in rooms and hotel rooms and working overnight. The equipment staff working through the night and moving stuff around. For us, they made it easy. Really, we just listen to where we’re supposed to go and the coaches and operations and equipment did all the work.”
(On if he had a chance to speak with WR Cooper Kupp and the kind of loss it will be if Kupp’s injury doesn’t play out in a positive way)
“Yeah, I guess I’ll echo that. It doesn’t look great. He’s been a valuable piece of our team and a guy we’ll miss. Like a lot of us, he’s been through a lot this week. He’s a tough guy and a tough family and I know he’ll come out stronger through it all.”
(On what it’s like to win these close games)
“Yeah, it’s definitely always hard. Always hard against him (Seahawks QB Russell Wilson). I told him, you never really feel comfortable when he’s out there with the ball and has a chance to win. As confident as we are in our defense, he’s such a great player and can extend plays and use his feet and move people open and has done such a great job of that for so long. It was tough today. It was a very tough win and one that we grinded out and are lucky to come away with.”
(On if today’s penalties will be a learning experience that the team has to put behind them quickly)
“No doubt. Something we talked about after the game. Something he addressed as far as stuff we can’t do and that’s not us and we’ve never displayed that ever. Really, don’t want to make that a habit at all. I’m sure guys will respond the correct way. I have full confidence in everyone and we all know that, that wasn’t who we are and what we want to put on the field. We’ll be better because of it.”
(On how he feels the team will handle being on the road for the upcoming week)
“It’ll be different, for sure, being away from L.A. for the week. But, just being with the guys will be nice. It’ll be fun. It’ll be kind of a training camp almost experience. Just living with each other and being in the same place the whole time. We did that in Jacksonville last year and it turned out as a super positive experience and a lot of fun. Got to spend a lot of time together, got to eat dinner together every night and really just spend some time together.”
(On being on the same stage as the Kansas City Chiefs next week)
“They’re a great team. We’re a great team. It’ll be a great matchup and hopefully we’ll give those Mexico fans a good game.”
(On what strategies they’ll have to use to stop the Chiefs)
“They’re a great team and, like I said, we’re a great team. They’re explosive on offense, they’re good on defense and I think we’re very similar in that regard. It’ll be a fun one. It’ll be a very fun one and one that’s kind of been coming together now for a while.”
(On what the team has been doing now to prepare for the altitude in Mexico City)
“We haven’t been doing anything. We’re going to go to Colorado Springs tomorrow and get that altitude training there.”
(On getting the tight ends more involved in the passing game and their contributions as of late)
“I think we just wanted to be a little bit more balanced in that area and continue to try to implement them in some of the stuff we’re doing. They stepped up big. Like you said, they did a great job. Both guys I have a lot of confidence in and feel really comfortable with. Excited to see how that progresses.
