This game started well, as the first three drives led to points for both teams. Los Angeles started hot with a ten-play, 77-yard drive that ended with a TD. The drive was capped off with a one-yard run from Cam Akers for a touchdown.
The Seattle Seahawks responded with a 6-play, 75-yard touchdown drive of their own. Kenneth Walker started the drive off with a bang with his 30-yard run. The drive ended with a 36-yard bomb from Geno Smith to Tyler Lockett for six.
L.A.’s next drive went nowhere. They settled for a field goal, making the score 10-7.
After both teams punted, the Seahawks drove down the field on a drive starting at their nine-yard line. Smith completed long passes to Colby Parkinson, Noah Fant, D.K. Metcalf, and Lockett, respectively. This offensive display ended with a short touchdown pass from Smith to Fant.
Cornerback Tariq Woolen stopped the Rams next possession when he picked off Wolford on a deep pass. Unfortunately, the Seahawks couldn’t take advantage, with a 3-and-out, and punted it back.
Seattle came out of the gate in the second half with a vengeance, completing 2 passes to Metcalf for 12 and 19 yards. However, that all amounted to nothing when Smith was sacked a couple of plays later and fumbled the ball.
After the fumble, the Seahawks’ defense made a stand, forcing Los Angeles to go three and out. Seattle then settled for a field goal and extended their lead to 17-13.
Bobby Wagner got a little revenge on his old squad when he wrestled the ball out of Tony Jones’s hands for an interception. The Rams capitalized with a field goal to take a 17-16 lead.
Metcalf got the final touchdown, and Cody Barton sealed the victory with an interception to end the Rams’ chances at a comeback. With this win, the Seattle Seahawks improved to 7-5.
The first Dishonorable Mention goes to the Seattle Seahawks run game. They could not get anything going on the ground, and their running backs started dropping like flies due to injury.
Travis Homer was out before the game even started with a knee injury and illness. Kenneth Walker III suffered an ankle strain in the first half, and DeeJay Dallas even missed some playing time due to a sprained ankle injury.
This brought them to their fourth-stringer, Tony Jones. At one point, Jones lost a contact lens and was legally blind in one eye.
This week’s first dishonorable mention goes to Geno Smith’s ball security. The Seattle Seahawks quarterback threw an interception and lost a fumble.
Part of this can be blamed on the poor offensive line play. Additionally, his interception resulted from Bobby Wagner ripping the ball out of Tony Jones’s grip.
Smith deserves some of the blame as well. He just made some bad choices in this game.
Once again, the Seattle Seahawks offensive line is Dud of the Week worthy. With Aaron Donald out for the game, maybe the O-line put it in cruise control early.
They struggled with both run blocking and pass protection. Smith got sacked a total of four times and was hit eight times. False start penalties on Charles Cross, Abe Lucas, and Austin Blythe did not help their case either.
The second Honorable Mention goes to Seattle Seahawks receivers Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf. Both had at least 8 catches and 100 receiving yards.
Lockett finished with 9 receptions for 128 yards and one touchdown. His TD came in the first quarter on a slant route which he caught wide open in the middle of the field, then ran through the Los Angeles secondary into the end zone for a 36-yard score.
Metcalf also scored a touchdown which was an 8 yard strike with 36 seconds left in the fourth quarter to put his team up 27-23. He finished with 8 catches for 127 yards and 1 touchdown.
The emotional receiver also had a costly unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the game. But let’s stick to the positive here.
The second Honorable Mention goes to the Seahawks pass rush, particularly the defensive line. Uchenna Nwosu, Darrell Taylor, and Poona Ford had 3 of Seattle’s 4 sacks.
Quarterback John Wohlford was also hit 9 times. Seattle’s constant pressure also led to the Tariq Woolen and Cody Barton interceptions.
This week’s Stud of the Week goes to Cody Barton. Number 57 was all over the field on Sunday.
Jordyn Brooks gets most of the headlines, but the Seattle Seahawks other inside linebacker made 7 tackles. His interception with 10 seconds left in the game sealed Seattle’s victory.
Who were your Seattle Seahawks Duds and Studs this week?