Tag: seahawks vs rams

Pro Football Focus’ 3 highest-graded Seahawks players on defense vs. Rams

Pro Football Focus’ 3 highest-graded Seahawks players on defense vs. Rams

The Seattle Seahawks were defeated 26-20 by the Los Angeles Rams in overtime on Sunday. The defense forced the Rams offensive into seven three-and-outs and limited them to 366 total yards of offense. Pro Football Focus had the following three Seahawks defenders as their highest-graded talents on that side of the ball versus the Rams.

Ernest Jones IV | 83.4

Ernest Jones IV was PFF’s fifth-highest graded linebacker in Week 9. He scored even better as a run defender, earning a third-highest 85.7. Jones IV recorded five pressures, three stops, and two pressures. The sideline-to-sideline linebacker has been an excellent addition to the defense following his acquisition in a trade with the Tennessee Titans.

Boye Mafe | 73.4

Boye Mafe has been a steady performer all campaign long. The 2022 second-round selection accumulated two quarterback pressures and two tackles versus the Rams. Mafe was also a force multiplier as a run defender, scoring a steady 73.4 in the run defense department.

Devon Witherspoon | 73.3

Cornerback Devon Witherspoon was credited with allowing five receptions on eight targets for 52 receiving yards against Matthew Stafford. His overall defensive grade of 73.3 was his third-best individually graded game of the season. Witherspoon has yet to allow a touchdown catch this year. He’s allowing just 8.7 yards per catch in 2024.

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Pro Football Focus’ 3 highest-graded Seahawks players on offense vs. Rams

Pro Football Focus’ 3 highest-graded Seahawks players on offense vs. Rams

The Seattle Seahawks were defeated 26-20 by the Los Angeles Rams in overtime on Sunday. The offense gained 20 first downs and accumulated 424 total yards in a losing effort. Pro Football Focus had the following three Seahawks players as their highest-graded talents versus the Rams.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba | 92.5

Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba enjoyed the best game of his young career on Sunday. The sophomore wideout produced seven receptions for 180 receiving yards and two touchdowns, including a late fourth-quarter score that sent the game to overtime. Smith-Njigba was PFF’s second-highest graded receiver of the week, trailing just Zay Flowers (94.5).

Geno Smith | 76.2

Starting quarterback Geno Smith endured a rollercoaster of a performance. The veteran signal caller completed 21-of-34 passing attempts for 363 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions. PFF ranked Smith highly despite him committing multiple turnovers. He was sacked seven times, and likely earned brownie points for performing behind a lackluster offensive line.

Charles Cross | 75.8

Speaking of that offensive line, franchise left tackle Charles Cross was the lone standout performer. Cross was credited with allowing just three pressures and zero sacks in pass protection. The former Mississippi State standout has been outstanding all season long. Seattle’s underwhelming offensive line requires more players of his caliber.

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Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba posted career-highs in Week 9 loss to Rams

Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba posted career-highs in Week 9 loss to Rams

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was outstanding in Sunday’s 26-20 Week 9 overtime defeat to the Los Angeles Rams. Smith-Njigba recorded seven receptions on 13 targets for 180 receiving yards and two touchdowns. It represented the most single-game receiving yards of JSN’s career. The seven catches were his third-most in a single appearance, and it was his first career multi-score game.

Smith-Njigba average depth of target (aDoT) of 20.3 yards was easily the highest of his career, according to Establish The Run’s Adam Levitan. It’s especially notable because JSN’s aDoT last season was just 6.4 yards under previous offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. Sunday’s performance showcased some much-needed growth as Geno Smith peppered JSN with deep targets.

Smith-Njigba entered Sunday with an average depth of target of 8.2, significantly higher than last season’s 6.4. That number (8.2) will further increase once Sunday’s data is implemented to his season-long totals. There have been some disappointing metrics as well. Smith-Njigba also went into the game versus the Rams averaging fewer yards per route run (1.22), yards per target (6.3), yards per reception (9.0), and yards after catch per reception (4.5) than last season.

Sunday’s performance was JSN’s second 100-yard showing of the campaign after failing to reach triple-digit receiving yards in any game as a rookie. It also highlighted that offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb is still learning how to best-utilize Smith-Njigba’s skill set. Sunday’s showing was a positive step in the appropriate direction.

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Seahawks defense enjoyed historical success vs. Rams offense in Week 9

Seahawks defense enjoyed historical success vs. Rams offense in Week 9

The Seattle Seahawks lost a heartbreaker, dropping Sunday’s Week 9 NFC West contest versus the Los Angeles Rams 26-20 in overtime. The Rams managed 26 points, 22 first downs, and gained 366 total yards of offense. Most notably, starting quarterback Matthew Stafford strung together an 83-yard game-winning drive via four plays in overtime after taking over possession following a failed Seahawks’ fourth down.

Seattle’s defense may have crumbled when it mattered most, but head coach Mike Macdonald and defensive coordinator Aden Durde gave their offense plenty of opportunities throughout the game. The Seahawks forced seven Rams drives to end in three-and-out. That only happened in one of 115 (0.87%) previous games since Sean McVay became the Rams’ head coach, according to data collected by Brian Nemhauser.

The Seahawks out-gained the Rams 424-366. McVay’s offense punted (8) more than Seattle (7) did, and the time of possession was near dead-even, with Seattle owning the slight advantage, 32:53 to 32:10. The Rams converted just 3-of-13 third-down attempts.

Seattle’s defense unfortunately wavered with the contest on the line, and that must be addressed by Macdonald and Durde. But they also enjoyed a historical amount of success against a McVay-led offense throughout the contest. It shouldn’t go unnoticed.

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Can Seahawks trust OT George Fant to stay healthy?

Can Seahawks trust OT George Fant to stay healthy?

The Seattle Seahawks activated offensive tackle George Fant off injured reserve (IR) ahead of Sunday’s Week 9 showdown versus their NFC West rival Los Angeles Rams. Fant was active for the first time since Week 1, when he suffered a knee injury in the regular-season opener. He opened Sunday’s contest as the starting right tackle, replacing rookie Mike Jerrell.

Fant unfortunately suffered another knee injury in the overtime defeat to the Rams. The veteran blocker exited the game and did not return. Jerrell replaced him and played the majority of snaps on Seattle’s offensive line.

Fant only managed 17 offensive snaps before re-injuring the leg that landed him on IR in September. Jerrell played the remaining 63 snaps on offense. Seattle’s offensive line was totally ineffective once again, with starting quarterback Geno Smith under constant duress from the Rams’ offensive line, leading to seven sacks for the defense.

Assuming Fant’s season isn’t over, the Seahawks unfortunately can’t rely on his availability for the rest of the season. Ideally, presumed starting right tackle Abe Lucas, who has been practicing lately, is getting closer to being activated from the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. Otherwise, Jerrell will likely serve as the starting right tackle against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 11 when the Seahawks return from their bye week.

Fant simply can’t be relied on.

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Seahawks QB Geno Smith caught fire towards halftime vs. Rams

Seahawks QB Geno Smith caught fire towards halftime vs. Rams

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith endured an up-and-down performance in Sunday’s tough-to-swallow Week 9 loss to their NFC West rival Los Angeles Rams. Smith completed 21 of 34 passing attempts for 363 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions. He was also sacked on seven occasions and was under constant duress behind an offensive line that couldn’t protect him. He was fortunate to avoid additional turnovers given the amount of pressure he routinely faced.

Following a scoreless first quarter, Sean McVay’s Rams took a 3-0 lead near the conclusion of the second period. That’s when Smith caught absolute fire for the Seahawks. Smith completed 6-of-9 attempts for 125 yards and two touchdowns in the final 3:31 of the opening half, locating Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba for late touchdowns.

Smith’s red-hot form awarded the Seahawks a 14-3 lead entering the break. Unfortunately, Smith, and the entire team really, crumbled during the second half. The Rams outscored Seattle 14-0 during the third quarter and began the fourth quarter on a 21-0 run by adding a defensive touchdown. Smith managed to find Smith-Njigba for his second touchdown to force overtime.

Smith and the Seahawks won the toss and embarked on a seven-play drive that stalled at the Rams’ 17-yard line. Head coach Mike Macdonald opted for a 4th-and-1 gamble instead of kicking the field goal, and the Rams defense held firm by stuffing Kenneth Walker at the line of scrimmage. Opposing quarterback Matthew Stafford quickly found DeMarcus Robinson for a game-winning 39 yard score.

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Seahawks QB Geno Smith apologizes for performance vs Rams

Seahawks QB Geno Smith apologizes for performance vs Rams

Accountability is crucial in the National Football League. It’s a trait that’s essentially a prerequisite for quarterbacks to have in abundance. Such is the case for Seattle Seahawks starting quarterback Geno Smith, who had his worst performance as a starter in the Emerald City.

Smith threw three interceptions, two of which were in the red zone in the fourth quarter. One was even returned 103 yards for a go-ahead Rams touchdown. Opportunities for points were squandered, and Smith directly acknowledged his responsibility in the loss. During the postgame press conference, Smith opened his statement with an apology.

“First of all, I want to start off by apologizing to my teammates, really, and to the city, to the organization,” Smith humbly stated. “They put a lot of trust in me with my decision-making, and when they put the ball in my hands, when my teammates play the way they played today and to give us a shot to win the game, I’ve got to make sure we do. The things I did today, mistakes that I made, they affected us negatively and really cost us the game today. Me knowing myself, I know how much this is going to hurt. I’m going to step it up, though. That’s how I feel about it. I’m going to step it up.”

It says a lot about a man’s character when he is able to face the music head on and take accountability. There is no one who watched this game and came away with anything other than Smith’s poor play being the top observation. For him to come out and not hide from it speaks volumes to the kind of person Smith is.

Smith has played mostly exceptional football in Seattle. Hopefully, lessons will be learned from this game during the Seahawks’ upcoming bye week. He will face another stiff challenge on the other side in the form of the San Francisco 49ers.

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Rams WR Puka Nacua ejected for throwing punch at Seahawks LB Dodson

Rams WR Puka Nacua ejected for throwing punch at Seahawks LB Dodson

Whenever the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams play each other, you can almost always expect it to be a physical and chippy matchup. But sometimes, even by these two teams’ standards, it can get a little more intense.

Towards the end of the first half, trailing 6-3, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford uncorked a pass for second-year wide receiver Puka Nacua, which was intercepted by Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen. Three plays later, Geno Smith found his second-year receiver, Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a touchdown to give Seattle a 10-point lead.

But the touchdown was not the only thing Los Angeles suffered on the interception. After the ball was picked, Nacua was flagged for throwing a punch on Seahawks linebacker Tyrel Dodson. This was more than egregious enough for the officials to immediately disqualify Nacua from the rest of the game.

Nacua’s sophomore season has been a struggle so far. Nacua missed five games after Week 1 due to a PCL injury, and was only recently reactivated last week for Thursday Night Football against the Minnesota Vikings. Nacua was questionable going into this game, but ultimately was ready to suit up.

Although Nacua only caught one reception for 11 yards on four targets, his absence is a blow to Los Angeles’ offense… even if Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp is in the lineup.

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Seahawks must establish RB Kenneth Walker III vs. Rams in Week 9

Seahawks must establish RB Kenneth Walker III vs. Rams in Week 9

The Seattle Seahawks failed to run the football effectively versus the Buffalo Bills in their Week 8 blowout defeat. Starting running back Kenneth Walker II was completely ineffective, rushing for 12 yards via nine carries. Change-of-pace back Zach Charbonnet rushed for four yards and a touchdown on three carries. Starting quarterback Geno Smith was actually Seattle’s leading rusher, a sign of their ground-game failure, gaining 16 yards via five scrambles.

Establishing Walker versus the Los Angeles Rams in Sunday’s Week 9 NFC West showdown is a must. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb has faced difficult questions about abandoning the run this week. Grubb will surely attempt to get Walker going against the Rams.

Grubb dialed up seven passing attempts on Seattle’s opening nine offensive plays from scrimmage. The Seahawks immediately went into a pass-happy shell while the game was still close against Buffalo. That can’t be repeated versus the Rams.

Sean McVay’s Rams have struggled to defend the run this season. They’re currently allowing a 23rd-ranked 139.1 rushing yards per contest. Seattle’s offense is essentially the opposite of that, rushing for a lackluster fourth-worst 89.3 ground yards per outing. Analytics indicate the Rams actually have an 11th-best run-stop-win-rate (RSWR) of 32%, according to ESPN Stats & Info. Meanwhile, Seattle’s run-block-win-rate (RBWR) is just 69%, 25th-best in the league, indicating the struggling offensive line is to blame for the run-game struggles.

Walker rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown in a Week 1 victory over the Denver Broncos. It’s been difficult to repeat those efforts, with a disappointing string that included showings of 19, 32, and 12 rushing yards. Establishing Walker against the Rams is a necessity given the recent ground-game struggles.

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3 Bold Predictions for Seahawks offense vs. Rams in Week 9

3 Bold Predictions for Seahawks offense vs. Rams in Week 9

The 4-4 Seattle Seahawks host the 3-4 Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field this weekend. It’s a critical divisional showdown to further determine the standings in the tight-knit NFC West. We’ve come up with three bold predictions for Ryan Grubb’s offense against the Rams defense.

Kenneth Walker III rushes for 100 yards

Kenneth Walker III was a non-factor in Sunday’s defeat to the Buffalo Bills, rushing for 12 yards via nine carries. Grubb will attempt to establish Walker against the Rams this weekend. The former Michigan State standout hasn’t rushed for 100-plus yards since Week 1, but all parties involved will be looking to end that drought against a 23rd-ranked Rams run defense that’s allowing 139.1 yards per game.

Tyler Lockett enjoys bounce-back game

Veteran wide receiver Tyler Lockett was another offensive weapon that was borderline invisible versus the Bills. Despite DK Metcalf being sidelined with injury, Lockett recorded season-lows in receptions (one) and receiving yards (nine). With Metcalf’s status versus the Rams still questionable heading into Friday’s practice, Seattle’s most established wideout may need to put forth a much better performance against the Rams.

Geno Smith throws two touchdowns

Geno Smith did not throw a touchdown pass for the first time this season against Buffalo. Prior to the Bills disappointment, Seattle’s starting quarterback had thrown eight touchdowns in seven appearances. Smith could toss multiple scores against an outmatched Rams secondary that ranks a middling 16th versus the pass (212.6/game).

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