Rams Win L.A. Homecoming

Rams Win L.A. Homecoming

By Myles Simmons

[www.therams.com]


On a day full of emotion for the NFL’s first game in Los Angeles in over 20 years, the Rams turned in a strong defensive performance to beat the Seahawks, 9-3.

With an announced crowd of 91,046, Los Angeles did not allow Seattle to get into a rhythm throughout the contest, holding the visitors to 31 percent (4-of-13) in third-down efficiency. The Seahawks ran only 61 plays, rushing for just 67 yards on 24 carries as the Rams picked up seven tackles for loss. Quarterback Russell Wilson finished 22-of-35 for 254 yards passing, and there were few rushing lanes open for him as he registered five carries for 14 yards. L.A. got to Wilson for 2.0 sacks and eight quarterback hits.

“That was a great win for us for all of those obvious reasons,” head coach Jeff Fisher said after the game. “Our first game back here, the fans were incredible. It made this a tough to play starting day one, which was really impressive.”

The crowd was of particular importance once the game had fewer than two minutes in the second half. With the Rams up by six, the Seahawks got the ball back on their own 12-yard line with 1:53 left and only one timeout remaining. Wilson started the possession with a 53-yard pass to wide receiver Tyler Lockett, placing Seattle on Los Angeles’ 35-yard line. But from there the L.A. defense dug in. After a Wilson incompletion, the cheering of 90,000-plus helped induce a false start penalty on tight end Jimmy Graham to make 2nd-and-10, 2nd-and-15.


“We need that,” middle linebacker Alec Ogletree said. “We got them to do a couple false starts and I know it was loud in there and it was hard for them to hear, so we definitely appreciate that.”

On third down, Ogletree would help seal the victory. Wilson completed a pass over the middle to running back Christine Michael, but the middle linebacker and linebacker Mark Barron combined to force the ball out before Michael could reach the first-down marker. Ogletree picked up the fumble, and with a few kneel downs, the Rams had their first victory of the year.

“It kind of happened so fast,” Ogletree said of the takeaway. “I just saw him check it down and I just ran down. Mark did a good job of containing it and it came back to me, and we were able to get the ball and get our offense the ball to get in victory formation.”

With four field goals the only scoring, Sunday’s contest was clearly a matchup of two teams that know one another well and play each other evenly. Plenty of the final statistics bear that out, as the Rams and Seahawks finished with similar numbers in first downs (17 each), offensive plays run (61 for Seattle, 58 for Los Angeles), yards rushing (67 for Seattle, 64 for Los Angeles), and time of possession (30:03 for Seattle, 29:57 for Los Angeles) — to name a few categories.

“We match-up well against them, and strange things happen in these games, too,” Fisher said. “I mean, we beat them a couple of years ago without scoring [an offensive] touchdown. … [We] just figure out a way to beat them.”

“They did a nice job, again,” Seattle head coach Pete Carroll said. “I have to give them credit.”

While the offense was able to improve production enough to win the game, the Rams have not scored a touchdown through the first two games of the season.

“There are some realities to where we are right now,” Fisher said. “We’re 1-1 in the division and we haven’t scored a touchdown yet. We need to score some touchdowns, so we’ll keep working on that.”

“Obviously, I like touchdowns,” quarterback Case Keenum said, “but I love winning.”


Keenum raised his numbers to 18-of-30 for 239 yards — good for an 85.3 rating. He mentioned the offense had opportunities that it did not capitalize on, including a 3rd-and-goal play in the second quarter where the quarterback’s pass fell short and incomplete to wide receiver Kenny Britt.

“We had a chance on that third down to Kenny,” Keenum said. “I underthrew him. I think we had a good play on and just missed.”

Still, Keenum and Britt were able to hook up six times for 94 yards, making Britt the Rams’ leading receiver for Week 2. While Britt had an early drop on a third-down play that would’ve moved the sticks, Keenum continued to go back to his 6-foot-3 target.

“I knew all week Kenny was going to play real well. He was hungry this week,” Keenum said. “He had some really big catches there. Even battling through the drop on the third down, which I immediately told him that, ‘I’m coming to you again.’”

“I remember the big plays, but I also remember the third-down drop, so being more consistent — that’s what we need to do as a group, as a receiving group,” Fisher said. “But he made some big plays and the throws were there.”

It was tough sledding for Todd Gurley once again, as the second-year running back was held to just 51 yards on 19 carries. Gurley did take a screen pass 19 yards, showing his versatility. And Los Angeles’ willingness to continue handing off to the 2015 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year appeared to open up play-action passes.

One such play went to tight end Lance Kendricks for a 44-yard gain in the second quarter that, at first glance at least, looked a lot like a play Kendricks turned into a 37-yard touchdown in last year’s home opener.


“I know the play — we ran it last year a few times,” Kendricks said. “But it’s a play that just kind of gets me out the back door, kind of sneak out and find me open. So it worked. It always doesn’t go our way, but it worked today.”

Enough worked throughout the game for the Rams to come away with a win. It started well for both the offense and defense as L.A. scored a field goal on the contest’s opening possession then forced a Seattle three-and-out. 

Keenum was 5-of-7 on the first drive for 40 yards, as kicker Greg Zuerlein capped it off with a 39-yard strike between the uprights.

Defensive end William Hayes and defensive tackle Aaron Donald started the game with tackles for loss, creating a 3rd-and-21. Seattle’s screen play was well short for the three-and-out.

After that, both offenses mainly traded punts throughout the first half, but Seattle did score a field goal of its own early in the second quarter to the tie game at three.

Los Angeles got back on the board with a field goal late in the second quarter to take the lead. Gurley got the possession going with his 19-yard screen, then a pair of run plays netted the Rams another first down past midfield. Zuerlein would hit a 28-yard field to put the home team ahead, 6-3.

The Rams closed the scoring in the fourth quarter with Zuerlein’s third field goal. Keenum started the drive with a 27-yard pass to wide receiver Tavon Austin that moved L.A. from its own 13 to its 40-yard line. The quarterback also hit Britt with an 18-yard pass to move the offense deeper into Seattle territory. Zuerlein connected 47-yards out to give the Rams a 9-3 lead.

From there, Los Angeles was able to use its four-minute offense to maintain possession for much of the fourth quarter. Keenum turned in two first-down throws to Britt, one for 18 yards, and another for 11 yards. At one point it looked like Keenum would be sacked on 3rd-and-long, but a Seattle facemask penalty instead gave Los Angeles 15 yards and a first down.

While Los Angeles couldn’t finish the game out on offense, Ogletree’s fumble recovery provided a fitting end to a defensive slugfest.

“We pride ourselves in winning games,” Ogletree said. “When the defense goes out there at the las possession to win the game, we take pride in being that defense out there that’s going to win the game.”

Having evened their record at 1-1, the Rams will head east next weekend for the first time this season to face the 1-1 Buccaneers.

“It was a great win, but we’ve got another challenge next week,” Ogletree said. “So we’re going to enjoy this for the day and get ready for next week.”