The Los Angeles Rams came out of the gates slow against the Seattle Seahawks on Tuesday night. The Seahawks were able to jump out to a 10-3 lead early in the third quarter over the Rams, putting more pressure on the offense to perform.
To tie the game in the third quarter, Matthew Stafford drove the offense down the field and connected with Cooper Kupp for their 13th touchdown on the season, which helped Kupp later secure the single-season franchise record for receptions. While the first touchdown was an easy pitch and catch from Stafford to Kupp, the duo connected on an impressive 29-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to give the Rams the lead.
We've said it, and we'll say it again. That 9️⃣➡️🔟 connection is SPECIAL.
📺 @NFLonFOX | @CooperKupp pic.twitter.com/Jc7ow9FI6s
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) December 22, 2021
After the game, Stafford explained how the second touchdown pass to Kupp came to be.
“Yeah, that’s kind of the only way those things happen. Certain times in a game you feel like you need to make a play and that was kind of a time where we had some momentum. We were moving the ball great. We had stalled out in that area of the field a few times, a few times too many in that game and I wanted to make a play,” Stafford said. “The hook player got a ton of depth. I’m throwing that ball, whatever it was, 20, 25 yards down the field, and the hook player is almost making the play on us. So they were doing that all night trying to keep us from getting behind them. But I just felt like I could put it in a spot. I trusted Cooper to get in there. He went in there and made a nice catch and kind of walked in the end zone. But, sometimes you got to sit back there, trust one, and put it to a good spot and trust your guy’s going to make a good play and he did.”
On the second touchdown pass to Kupp, Stafford was standing in the pocket while pressure was bearing down on him. Despite being knocked to the ground, Stafford delivered a strike to Kupp to the only area of the field where a play could be made.
Jordyn Brooks was in perfect position for the Seahawks, but Stafford made a pinpoint throw that was out of reach of Brooks and underneath the deep safeties in Seattle’s secondary. Kupp was able to get his hands on the ball and the rest is history as he walked into the end zone for his 14th touchdown of the season.
It was evident early in the season that Stafford and Kupp were going to have a special rapport with the Rams. Amid yet another 10-plus-win season under Sean McVay, we seem to get at least one remarkable throw from Stafford to Kupp every single week.