Seahawks defeat Rams in NFC Championship, advance to Super Bowl LX

With a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, the Seahawks delivered their biggest performance of the season Sunday, defeating the Rams in the NFC Championship to extend their winning streak to nine games and capture the NFC crown.

The Seahawks came out strong by forcing a Rams three-and-out and following it with a seven-play touchdown drive. Seattle’s opening possession was built from a 52-yard reception by Rashid Shaheed and was capped off by a two-yard touchdown run from Kenneth Walker. 

Puka Nacua picked up where he left off against the Seahawks with a 44-yard reception from Matthew Stafford on the Rams’ second drive. This took the ball to the Seattle 26-yard line, where the Seahawks’ defense forced a 44-yard Harrison Mevis field goal. 

Later in the first quarter, Seattle put together a 12-play drive that moved the Seahawks to the Rams’ 7-yard line thanks to a spectacular one-handed catch from Jaxon Smith-Njigba that appeared routine for the first-team All-Pro. 

Smith-Njigba said, “I didn’t think I could catch it with two hands, whatever it takes for us to get the job done I’m going to do. If I have to catch it with my toe, finger, it doesn’t matter, just reach out and catch the ball.” A Seattle holding penalty stopped the drive and forced a 27-yard field goal from Jason Myers.

In the second quarter, trailing the Seahawks 10-3, Sean McVay mixed in the running game with Kyren Williams, and Matthew Stafford found Davante Adams crossing the field for a 23-yard completion that took the ball inside the Seahawks' 25-yard line. Demarcus Lawrence then sacked Stafford on third down to force another Harrison Mevis field goal. It was the first time Seattle had sacked Stafford in three games this season.

The Rams gained momentum by forcing a punt on the Seahawks’ ensuing possession. The Los Angeles offense then orchestrated a 12-play drive deep into Seattle territory. Blake Corum and Kyren Williams moved the ball on the ground, and Puka Nacua checked back in with a 21-yard catch. Kyren Williams finished the drive by burning the Seahawks with a 9-yard touchdown catch out of the backfield, giving the Rams a 13-10 lead. 

The teams would trade three-and-outs over the next two drives, giving the Seahawks the ball with 54 seconds remaining in the first half and all three of their timeouts. Jaxon Smith-Njigba came down with a 42-yard catch at the Rams’ 22-yard, taking a huge hit on the play. Sam Darnold found Smith-Njigba again for a 14-yard touchdown on a route out of the backfield three plays later, giving Seattle a 17-13 lead at the half. 

The third quarter was the marquee stretch of the game. The Rams quickly forced a Seahawks punt on the opening drive, but the kick was muffed by wide receiver Xavier Smith on the Rams’ 17-yard line. The Seahawks recovered the ball and scored on the next play as Sam Darnold found Jake Bobo in the back of the end zone. 

McVay said, “That was a tough one where we get a great stop coming out of the second half. You feel like you’ll be able to get some good momentum. Then they score on the very first play after we turn it back over to open it up to an 11-point lead.”

Stafford and the Rams answered quickly. Stafford found tight end Colby Parkinson for a 40-yard completion, and then hit Davante Adams twice for 31 total yards and a touchdown. Stafford went three-for-three for 71 yards on only four plays, willing his team back into the game.  

Leading 24-20, Sam Darnold responded with his arm. Darnold converted on third down to Cooper Kupp after two failed running plays to keep the drive alive. Darnold completed his next four attempts before finding Kupp for a 13-yard score with just under five minutes remaining in the third quarter. 

Down 11 points, Stafford found Davante Adams for 35 yards, but a three-play sequence including a penalty, a short run and an incompletion forced the Rams to punt. However, after the third-down incompletion, Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen was flagged for taunting the Rams’ bench– the penalty gave the Rams an automatic first down. Stafford found Puka Nacua for a 34-yard touchdown on the very next play with Woolen in coverage. The drive shrank Seattle’s lead to 31-27 through three quarters. 

After forcing a punt, the Rams took the ball with just over twelve minutes remaining in the game and potentially their season. Los Angeles orchestrated a 14-play drive that was balanced between the run and the pass. The Rams took the ball to the Seattle 6-yard line, but found themselves on third down with four yards to go. 

Stafford targeted wide receiver Konata Mumpfield, but Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon broke up the play. On fourth down, McVay elected to go for it, trying to take the lead late in the game. 

Witherspoon emerged again and single-handedly gave Seattle control of the game by deflecting a Stafford pass intended for tight end Terrance Ferguson. There were fewer than five minutes remaining after the turnover on downs.

Mike Macdonald said, “Oh, my God. That’s Devon Witherspoon. That’s him. We didn’t execute that play well on the fourth down, but he just covered his guy forever and just refused to let his guy catch the ball. That’s who he is. That’s who he is every day. So incredibly proud of him.”

Seattle came back with an 11-play drive that ran four-and-a-half minutes off the clock. The Seahawks ran the ball, forcing McVay to use his timeouts. Cooper Kupp converted a key first down on a borderline catch that came loose as he went to the ground. The possession resulted in a punt, but it left the Rams with only 25 seconds remaining and the ball at their own 7-yard line. 

With their backs against the wall, Stafford and Nacua connected twice for 44 yards. After the second play, the Rams were unable to get off a Hail Mary throw before the clock hit zero, making the Seahawks the NFC champions by a score of 31-27. 

Darnold was lights out on Sunday going 25 of 36 for 346 yards and three touchdowns. Macdonald said, “Everyone wants to make a narrative about this guy, but he’s been the same guy since he walked in the door. You don’t want me writing the stories because I would not write the narratives out there. This guy is the man and his teammates love him.”

Smith-Njigba also came up big in the Seahawks’ victory with 10 catches for 153 yards and a touchdown. For the Rams, Stafford finished with 365 yards through the air and three touchdowns. Nacua led the way among the Los Angeles skill players with nine catches for 165 yards and a touchdown. 

The Seahawks advanced to their fourth Super Bowl in franchise history. Seattle attributed its success to the group’s ability to play as a unit. Smith-Njigba said, “This is better than any individual award or goal that I had in mind. This is the ultimate goal that we’ve had; get to the Super Bowl, win the Super Bowl. This feeling is something that I can’t really explain. I’m just super proud of everyone involved.”

The Seahawks will take on the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, Calif. The two franchises met in Super Bowl XLIX, a 28-24 win for New England that ended famously with the Seahawks turning the ball over at the goal line. Seattle looks to rewrite its history on the NFL’s biggest stage and claim its second Super Bowl title.