FootballOutsiders: Rams-Seahawks in-game comments

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Seattle Seahawks 3 at Los Angeles Rams 9

Carl Yedor: Predictable start in Los Angeles so far. The Rams defensive line has been making the Seahawks offensive line look like they should've been playing yesterday. But a key offsides penalty on a third-and-long gives the Seahawks a second chance and they subsequently convert the third-and-5. There have been a lot of penalties so far (eight at the end of the first quarter), and I don't expect that to change going forward.

Vince Verhei: So you know how San Francisco has had 16 possessions (and counting) today? First quarter ends, and the Seahawks are still in their second drive. I believe four of their five rushing plays have been stuffed for no gain or a loss, but unlike last week, Russell Wilson has found just enough receivers open downfield to move the ball.

And as the second quarter begins, the Rams defense stands and Seattle kicks a short field goal to tie the game 3-3. Rams got on the board first with the usual anti-Seattle, death-by-a-thousand-curl-routes game plan to get a field goal.

Sadly, the Rams' magic talisman that makes Seattle play so bad apparently made the trip from St. Louis. I was really hoping it was buried under the dome. Thomas Rawls currently has seven carries for minus-7 yards. I believe that is bad. And he has a knee injury and may not return. The pass blocking has actually been much better for Seattle, until the last play of the half, when Robert Quinn smokes Bradley Sowell for a sack-fumble to ensure Seattle doesn't get a chance at a field goal. Still, the passing game has worked so much better, you have to think they'll stick with it more in the second half.

The Rams added a field goal on their last drive, thanks mostly to a 44-yard Lance Kendricks reception when Seattle blew coverage against him. Second time in a week that the opponents' biggest play has come from blown coverage. So they're up 6-3 going into the second half.

But yes, it's the usual Rams-Seahawks game, where it seems like it they may as well just get rid of the ball and have a big battle royal instead.

Bryan Knowles: Seattle just doesn't seem right. At the half, they've run the ball 14 times for a grand total of 14 yards. Wilson has been sacked once and hit five more times. The Rams' defense is taking advantage of Seattle's questionable offensive line... but can't get anything going themselves when they have the ball. They're holding on to a 6-3 lead, and with the way Seattle's offense is going, that just might be enough. L.A. would be doing better if they could get a rushing game going, too, but Todd Gurley's at just 19 yards on the ground.

Football's weird sometimes, and the fact that the Rams are 3-1 against Seattle over the past two years is exhibit A.

Vince Verhei: Rams are moving on their first drive of the second half and threatening to move into scoring range, but Frank Clark gets a sack on third-and-long to stop that. Clark actually lined up at nose tackle on the play, and knifed through the A-gap so quickly the guard and center couldn't even get out of their stances.

Three quarters down in Los Angeles, and the Rams are still up 6-3 and once again threatening to cross into the red zone. I can accept the offensive struggles because Seattle's line is so bad and L.A.'s defensive line is so good. But I would sure like to know why all these terrible Rams quarterbacks look so good against Seattle.

Cian Fahey: Sheil Kapadia had a great tweet on Tavon Austin. "Through six quarters, Rams WR Tavon Austin has 34 receiving yards on 19 targets. 21 yards on 7 targets today vs. Seahawks."

Aaron Schatz: Tavon Austin would be a lot more useful if he was in the Randall Cobb role on a team that had an Aaron Rodgers and a Jordy Nelson, but even then, he wouldn't be a good enough slot receiver to be the equal of Cobb. You can't make a gimmick player your No. 1 receiver.

Vince Verhei: Seahawks get a sack on third-and-long inside the Rams 10 and are going to get the ball back in great field position with plenty of time -- but it's a face mask on Cassius Marsh, and a first down for L.A. Remarkably, Seattle still forces a punt, but now they need 89 yards with one timeout and 1:53 to go.

Welp. Wilson hits one big play to Tyler Lockett to enter Rams territory, but then on third down Christine Michael fumbles after a reception, Rams recover, and that's that.

For all the success Seattle has had in recent years, they are now 4-5 against the Rams in the Russell Wilson era.

Bryan Knowles: Rams force a fumble, fall on it, and that will be the game. Jeff Fisher has a voodoo doll of Seattle hidden somewhere... or is it possible the Seahawks just aren't as good as they have been? That's two games now where they have struggled with a powerful defensive line. Things don't get a heck of a lot easier for them coming up, either -- the 49ers are the easiest draw, with two first-round picks on their line, and then they get the Jets with Leonard Williams and Muhammad Wilkerson. I'd predict they'd get quite a bit of their mojo back next week at home against San Francisco, but the interior of their offensive line is just a disaster at this point, relying too much on Wilson making something out of nothing play in and play out.

Rivers McCown: Been seeing some Twitter talk about Russell Wilson's numbers being way down -- he's on a ridiculous pressure pace right now. I'm honestly not sure the Seahawks would have a worse offensive line if they signed five new guys off practice squads. It's almost like relying on Bradley Sowell and J'Marcus Webb was not wise.

Bryan Knowles: Russell Wilson did not throw a touchdown pass, breaking the longest-active NFL streak.

The new active leader? Blaine Gabbert.

We live in interesting times.

Vince Verhei: You know the worst thing about this loss? Once again, a horrible Rams quarterback looks great against what is usually a very good defense. Case Keenum completed 60 percent for an 8.0-yard average, and if anything looked better than that -- a lot of those were throws into very tight windows, often down the left sideline.

Oh, and I did some math. Seahawks had 24 runs. Ten of them went for no gain or a loss. That's a stuff rate of 42 percent. Forty. Two.