2020 Rams Recall: A playoff win over the Seahawks

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2020 Rams Recall: A playoff win over the Seahawks
By Kenneth Arthur@KennethArthuRS Jun 29, 2021, 10:28am CDT
Wild Card Round - Los Angeles Rams v Seattle Seahawks
Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images
Whatever power it is that the LA Rams hold over the Seattle Seahawks, whether it be Aaron Donald or Sean McVay or the bad side of Russell Wilson, may they also manage to hold it over the San Francisco 49ers in the future.

From 2005 to 2013, the Rams managed two wins against 16 losses when facing the Seahawks. But before that, the franchise was 10-4 against Seattle, and since drafting Donald, they are 10-5. While the Seahawks had their moment, and the Rams lost theirs for a while, things seem to have shifted back into LA’s favor.

Over the last eight meetings, Seattle has only managed two victories — one coming by one point when Greg Zuerlein could have made the difference — and the other being in Week 16 of last season to win the division. That game was in Seattle and the Rams were without Cam Akers, the spark to their offense at that point in the season.

Two weeks later, the teams faced off again, and the Seahawks were at home again. Though Jared Goff would return to action after John Wolford was knocked out of the game early, just a fortnight away from that broken thumb against Seattle, the result of this wild card rematch would be much different.

But for McVay and Donald, it was a repeat of a familiar tune: Rams win, Seahawks lose.

2020 Season Results
Week 1 - Win over the Cowboys
Week 2 - Win over the Eagles
Week 3 - Loss to the Bills
Week 4 - Win over the Giants
Week 5 - Win over a Football Team
Week 6 - Loss to the 49ers
Week 7 - Win over the Bears
Week 8 - Loss to the Dolphins
Week 9 - BYE

Week 10 - Win over the Seahawks
Week 11 - Win over the Bucs
Week 12 - Loss to the 49ers
Week 13 - Win over the Cardinals
Week 14 - Win over the Patriots
Week 15 - Loss to the Jets
Week 16 - Loss to the Seahawks
Week 17 - Win over the Cardinals
Wild Card - Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks
FULL HIGHLIGHTS
Important Personnel Notes:

Cam Akers was back, leading the position with 51 snaps, well ahead of Malcolm Brown’s 20.
David Edwards played in 25 snaps, as compared to 46 for Bobby Evans.
John Wolford started but left with a head injury after 15 snaps. Goff played in 56 snaps.
Aaron Donald, recovering from a ribs injury, played in only 46% of the snaps, same as Justin Hollins and Kenny Young.
That meant 33 snaps for Michael Brockers, 29 each for Morgan Fox and Sebastian Joseph-Day.
Seattle guard Mike Iupati left midway, replaced by Jordan Simmons
This was a win for the LA Rams defense. Maybe as good as any game on Brandon Staley’s coaching resume.


The Seahawks had three first quarter drive, and the result was 10 plays, 11 yards, and three punts. Russell Wilson was sacked twice in the quarter by Aaron Donald, then taken down a third time on the third drive of the second quarter, this time by Leonard Floyd.

LA’s offense didn’t manage much more, with Wolford leaving midway through the first quarter, then Goff returning but being limited with his broken thumb.

Matt Gay hit a 40-yard field goal with 3:56 left in the first, then Seattle kicker Jason Myers tied it with a 50-yard field goal that came with 10:34 left in the second.

The Rams then made a huge gain with 44 yards on a pass from Goff to Robert Woods, but stalled near the Seahawks red zone and settled for another field goal to take a 6-3 lead. It was at this point that Seattle could have taken advantage of Goff’s broken thumb and Donald’s sore ribs, but facing second-and-7 from near midfield, Wilson’s pass was intercepted by Darious Williams and returned 42 yards for a Rams touchdown.

It was Williams’ third interception of Wilson on the season, and it gave the Rams a 13-3 lead.


Though Wilson got the points back on a 51-yard score to DK Metcalf on the ensuing drive, The Rams went back up by 10 points after a 44-yard catch-and-run by Akers, followed by a 20-yard run by Akers, followed by a 5-yard touchdown from Akers.


The score was 20-10 at halftime, then 20-13 after a 52-yard field goal by Myers.

The Seahawks and Rams then traded off six punts, keeping it that score until Gay made it 23-13 with 11:33 remaining in the game.

Key Play:
A 10-point deficit is not unmanageable for Russell Wilson at home, he’s lead comebacks of this nature in the past against the likes of the Patriots and Packers, and Seattle was set to get the ball back with 7:11 remaining after Brown failed to pick up a first down on third-and-1.

However, Seahawks punt returner D.J. Reed gave up the ball on a forced fumble by Samson Ebukam, which was recovered by the Rams at Seattle’s 36.


The Rams took a 30-13 lead on a Goff-to-Woods touchdown pass a few plays later and that was enough to hold for the win.

The Seahawks added a touchdown with 2:28 remaining, but Wilson was sacked twice in four plays on the final drive, once by Floyd and once by Morgan Fox.

As usual, LA would get the win and it was Seattle who would be heading home with a quick playoff exit.

Final Score: Rams 30, Seahawks 20
Up Next: Green Bay Packers