- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,170,502
- Reaction score
- 59
Ernest Jones threw his helmet and just ran. Ran to anywhere.
People Kenneth Walker may not have known were picking him up.
Byron Murphy put on glasses speckled with WIN in blue and green.
Sam Darnold? He just put on a blue, team logo cap and calmly shook hands. He hugged his center, Jalen Sundell.
They did it. After 11 years away, the Seahawks are back in the Super Bowl.
Darnold — hindered for the last two games by an oblique injury, doubted because he’s never been on this big a stage yet won on it in his eight, nomadic NFL seasons — silenced the haters. In his the first conference-title game of his eight-year NFL career, the quarterback Seattle signed for this completed 25 of 36 passes for a season-high 346 yards. His three touchdown passes, to Jake Bobo, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp, were his most this season without an interception.
Smith-Njigba had 153 yards receiving, 115 in the All-Pro’s largest first half this season.
Walker rushed 19 times for 62 yards and his own touchdown. And the Seahawks overcame a massive blunder by cornerback Riq Woolen that cost his team seven points late in the third quarter to win the NFC championship for the fourth time in franchise history, 31-27 over the Rams at off-the-hook Lumen Field.
The top-seeded, NFC West-champion Seahawks (16-3) won the first conference championship game inside Lumen Field in 11 years. They advanced to their first Super Bowl since Feb. 2015. They will play in Super Bowl 60 against the AFC-champion New England Patriots Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California.
The game ended, fittingly, with a tackle by Devon Witherspoon.
He saved the season.
The Rams had a third and 4 at the Seahawks 6-yard line down 31-27 with just over 5 minutes left. Witherspoon, Seattle’s three-time Pro Bowl cornerback, uncharacteristically missed tackles and given up catches throughout the game. But on that third down he broke up Stafford’s pass into the end zone at Konata Mumpfield. On fourth down, Witherspoon did it again. He was inside tight end Terrance Ferguson over the middle of the end zone, in better position to catch Stafford’s pass than Ferguson was.
Those incomplete passes gave Seattle a turnover on downs with 4:54 left. The Seahawks still led by four points.
Kenneth Walker then created his own first down following a catch, running inside two Rams past the line to gain. That first down led to Los Angeles coach Sean McVay to begin using its timeouts on defense, with 3:26 left.
On third and 7, Darnold completed a pass to Cooper Kupp short of the line to gain. But the former Rams Super Bowl MVP turned and reached through a defender for the key first down.
The Rams used their final time outs. Then Darnold rolled right, and threw through his injury a strike to Smith-Njigba for another Seahawks first down, out to midfield, with 3 minutes remaining.
Then offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak called a pass. The Rams held Smith-Njigba for another Seattle first down.
The Seahw
Earlier in the game, Rams returner Xavier Smith muffed a Michael Dickson punt. Backup wide receiver and special-teams mainstay Dareke Young was the first Seahawk on the scene, but he ran past Smith and peeled off to the right of him. Young wasn’t in front of him to recover the muff. Smith did and the Rams kept the ball. L.A. turned that into its first lead, a drive to Stafford’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Kyren Williams with 1:55 left in the second quarter.
After the Seahawks re-took the lead to end the half, Smith was back to field another Dickson punt early in the third quarter. This time Young pulled up in front of Smith. He watched the Rams returner fall down as he caught the punt. The fall caused Smith to lose the ball. This time Young was in front of Smith to recover the loose ball.
The Seahawks got the ball at the L.A. 17.
On the next play, Darnold found Jake Bobo breaking free on a pass pattern across the back of the end zone. His throw perfectly hit his chest there for a 17-yard score.
When Bobo reached the sideline, his Seahawks teammates mobbed the third-year former undrafted rookie receiver who’d been a healthy scratch inactive for six games this season. They jumped with him and chanting at him, and Bobo smiled and an assistant kept the touchdown ball for safekeeping. Bobo had fallen on the depth chart behind hotshot rookie Tory Horton and the November acquisition of Rashid Shaheed.
He came up large in the conference title game.
The Rams answered Bobo’s touchdown with a quick drive and TD. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald blitzed for only the second time in 18 pass plays. Stafford burned it, like he did the previous one. His perfect pass to the right sideline deep to Colby Parkinson resulted in a 40-yard gain for the former Seahawks tight end.
That set up Stafford’s 2-yard touchdown pass to Davante Adams, outside left beyond Riq Woolen in the end zone. L.A. cut Seattle’s lead to 24-20.
The Seahawks faced a third and 9 at their own 36 on the ensuing possession. Darnold threw low outside to Cooper Kupp. The Rams Super Bowl MVP from four years ago reached down, caught the pass, then deftly kept his balance to run for the first down.
That sparked a march. It ended with Darnold on another third down completing a pass Kupp took inside a defender and across the goal line. The home fans roared “COOOOOOP!” for the Yakima native first touchdown in a Seahawks home game since he signed with his home-state team last spring.
The Seahawks restored their two-score lead, 31-20, with 4 minutes left in the third quarter.
On the Rams drive following the touchdown, the Seahawks appeared to take control of the game. Woolen broke up a pass on third and long intended for Puka Nacua. The Rams were readying to punt. Woolen amplified his play at the L.A. sideline by woofin’ at it, barking at Rams players. An official appeared to be talking to Woolen. Woolen kept stutting and talking to the Rams. The official threw a penalty flag, for taunting.
Instead of a punt, the dead-ball foul gave the Rams a first down at the Seattle 34. On the next play, Stafford threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Nacua — over Woolen. The Seahawks’ lead was down to 31-27.
On the sideline following the penalty and score, linebacker Ernest Jones tried to play peacekeeper as Seahawks rookie Nick Emmanwori angrily yelled. Safety Coby Bryant had to separate Emmanwori from Woolen and walk him away from his teammate.
With Seattle trailing 13-10, Emmanwori changed the game back in the Seahawks’ favor late in the first half, into the third quarter.
The do-it-all safety/linebacker broke up consecutive passes. The first was with a perfectly timed arm in front of Nacua as Stafford’s pass outside right was arriving. The second one, on the next snap, denied Rams running back Ronnie Rivers of a catch near the line to gain. Emmanwori single-armedly forced L.A. to punt with just under a minute left in the half.
That gave the Seahawks offense, which was receiving the second-half kickoff, the chance to get two scores without the Rams offense coming on the field. Darnold lofted a long pass between L.A.’s safeties that Jaxon Smith-Njigba leaped to catch, then held onto as he got absolutely hammered to the turf. The 42-yard gain got Seattle to the Rams 22-yard line.
Darnold then checked a pass down to George Holani, who made a Ram miss on a 13-yard catch and run inside the 10. Holani, the 2024 rookie free agent from Boise State, replaced injured Zach Charbonnet as Kenneth Walker’s back-up running back, days after coming off injured reserve himself.
After a false-start penalty, Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak schemed Smith-Njigba open in the back right of the end zone, confusing Rams cornerback Darious Williams whether to cover a receiver short or Smith-Njigba long. The NFL’s leader with 1,793 yards this season was alone for a 14-yard touchdown.
The Seahawks led 17-13, and received the second-half kickoff.
The play was a reminder why Kubiak is reportedly a top candidate to be the new head coach of the Raiders, to replace fired former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll in Las Vegas.
The Seahawks rolled to 147 yards on two scoring drives in the game’s first 14 minutes. Walker had 59 of them. That included a heavy workload of eight carries for 35 yards rushing plus two catches for 24 more yards in the first quarter.
Adams 23 yd rec was first time in 4 games #Seahawks D has given up a 20+ yd play. Lawrence sack was first time Sea has sacked Stafford since week 11 of 2023
Continue reading...
People Kenneth Walker may not have known were picking him up.
Byron Murphy put on glasses speckled with WIN in blue and green.
Sam Darnold? He just put on a blue, team logo cap and calmly shook hands. He hugged his center, Jalen Sundell.
They did it. After 11 years away, the Seahawks are back in the Super Bowl.
Darnold — hindered for the last two games by an oblique injury, doubted because he’s never been on this big a stage yet won on it in his eight, nomadic NFL seasons — silenced the haters. In his the first conference-title game of his eight-year NFL career, the quarterback Seattle signed for this completed 25 of 36 passes for a season-high 346 yards. His three touchdown passes, to Jake Bobo, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp, were his most this season without an interception.
Smith-Njigba had 153 yards receiving, 115 in the All-Pro’s largest first half this season.
Walker rushed 19 times for 62 yards and his own touchdown. And the Seahawks overcame a massive blunder by cornerback Riq Woolen that cost his team seven points late in the third quarter to win the NFC championship for the fourth time in franchise history, 31-27 over the Rams at off-the-hook Lumen Field.
The top-seeded, NFC West-champion Seahawks (16-3) won the first conference championship game inside Lumen Field in 11 years. They advanced to their first Super Bowl since Feb. 2015. They will play in Super Bowl 60 against the AFC-champion New England Patriots Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California.
The game ended, fittingly, with a tackle by Devon Witherspoon.
He saved the season.
The Rams had a third and 4 at the Seahawks 6-yard line down 31-27 with just over 5 minutes left. Witherspoon, Seattle’s three-time Pro Bowl cornerback, uncharacteristically missed tackles and given up catches throughout the game. But on that third down he broke up Stafford’s pass into the end zone at Konata Mumpfield. On fourth down, Witherspoon did it again. He was inside tight end Terrance Ferguson over the middle of the end zone, in better position to catch Stafford’s pass than Ferguson was.
Those incomplete passes gave Seattle a turnover on downs with 4:54 left. The Seahawks still led by four points.
Kenneth Walker then created his own first down following a catch, running inside two Rams past the line to gain. That first down led to Los Angeles coach Sean McVay to begin using its timeouts on defense, with 3:26 left.
On third and 7, Darnold completed a pass to Cooper Kupp short of the line to gain. But the former Rams Super Bowl MVP turned and reached through a defender for the key first down.
The Rams used their final time outs. Then Darnold rolled right, and threw through his injury a strike to Smith-Njigba for another Seahawks first down, out to midfield, with 3 minutes remaining.
Then offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak called a pass. The Rams held Smith-Njigba for another Seattle first down.
The Seahw
You must be registered for see images
Dareke Young’s key adjustment
Earlier in the game, Rams returner Xavier Smith muffed a Michael Dickson punt. Backup wide receiver and special-teams mainstay Dareke Young was the first Seahawk on the scene, but he ran past Smith and peeled off to the right of him. Young wasn’t in front of him to recover the muff. Smith did and the Rams kept the ball. L.A. turned that into its first lead, a drive to Stafford’s 9-yard touchdown pass to Kyren Williams with 1:55 left in the second quarter.
After the Seahawks re-took the lead to end the half, Smith was back to field another Dickson punt early in the third quarter. This time Young pulled up in front of Smith. He watched the Rams returner fall down as he caught the punt. The fall caused Smith to lose the ball. This time Young was in front of Smith to recover the loose ball.
The Seahawks got the ball at the L.A. 17.
On the next play, Darnold found Jake Bobo breaking free on a pass pattern across the back of the end zone. His throw perfectly hit his chest there for a 17-yard score.
When Bobo reached the sideline, his Seahawks teammates mobbed the third-year former undrafted rookie receiver who’d been a healthy scratch inactive for six games this season. They jumped with him and chanting at him, and Bobo smiled and an assistant kept the touchdown ball for safekeeping. Bobo had fallen on the depth chart behind hotshot rookie Tory Horton and the November acquisition of Rashid Shaheed.
He came up large in the conference title game.
Cooper Kupp stings old team
The Rams answered Bobo’s touchdown with a quick drive and TD. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald blitzed for only the second time in 18 pass plays. Stafford burned it, like he did the previous one. His perfect pass to the right sideline deep to Colby Parkinson resulted in a 40-yard gain for the former Seahawks tight end.
That set up Stafford’s 2-yard touchdown pass to Davante Adams, outside left beyond Riq Woolen in the end zone. L.A. cut Seattle’s lead to 24-20.
The Seahawks faced a third and 9 at their own 36 on the ensuing possession. Darnold threw low outside to Cooper Kupp. The Rams Super Bowl MVP from four years ago reached down, caught the pass, then deftly kept his balance to run for the first down.
That sparked a march. It ended with Darnold on another third down completing a pass Kupp took inside a defender and across the goal line. The home fans roared “COOOOOOP!” for the Yakima native first touchdown in a Seahawks home game since he signed with his home-state team last spring.
The Seahawks restored their two-score lead, 31-20, with 4 minutes left in the third quarter.
Riq Woolen’s massive blunder
On the Rams drive following the touchdown, the Seahawks appeared to take control of the game. Woolen broke up a pass on third and long intended for Puka Nacua. The Rams were readying to punt. Woolen amplified his play at the L.A. sideline by woofin’ at it, barking at Rams players. An official appeared to be talking to Woolen. Woolen kept stutting and talking to the Rams. The official threw a penalty flag, for taunting.
Instead of a punt, the dead-ball foul gave the Rams a first down at the Seattle 34. On the next play, Stafford threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to Nacua — over Woolen. The Seahawks’ lead was down to 31-27.
On the sideline following the penalty and score, linebacker Ernest Jones tried to play peacekeeper as Seahawks rookie Nick Emmanwori angrily yelled. Safety Coby Bryant had to separate Emmanwori from Woolen and walk him away from his teammate.
Emmanwori creates 7 points
With Seattle trailing 13-10, Emmanwori changed the game back in the Seahawks’ favor late in the first half, into the third quarter.
The do-it-all safety/linebacker broke up consecutive passes. The first was with a perfectly timed arm in front of Nacua as Stafford’s pass outside right was arriving. The second one, on the next snap, denied Rams running back Ronnie Rivers of a catch near the line to gain. Emmanwori single-armedly forced L.A. to punt with just under a minute left in the half.
That gave the Seahawks offense, which was receiving the second-half kickoff, the chance to get two scores without the Rams offense coming on the field. Darnold lofted a long pass between L.A.’s safeties that Jaxon Smith-Njigba leaped to catch, then held onto as he got absolutely hammered to the turf. The 42-yard gain got Seattle to the Rams 22-yard line.
Darnold then checked a pass down to George Holani, who made a Ram miss on a 13-yard catch and run inside the 10. Holani, the 2024 rookie free agent from Boise State, replaced injured Zach Charbonnet as Kenneth Walker’s back-up running back, days after coming off injured reserve himself.
After a false-start penalty, Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak schemed Smith-Njigba open in the back right of the end zone, confusing Rams cornerback Darious Williams whether to cover a receiver short or Smith-Njigba long. The NFL’s leader with 1,793 yards this season was alone for a 14-yard touchdown.
The Seahawks led 17-13, and received the second-half kickoff.
The play was a reminder why Kubiak is reportedly a top candidate to be the new head coach of the Raiders, to replace fired former Seahawks coach Pete Carroll in Las Vegas.
Another fast Seahawks start
The Seahawks rolled to 147 yards on two scoring drives in the game’s first 14 minutes. Walker had 59 of them. That included a heavy workload of eight carries for 35 yards rushing plus two catches for 24 more yards in the first quarter.
Adams 23 yd rec was first time in 4 games #Seahawks D has given up a 20+ yd play. Lawrence sack was first time Sea has sacked Stafford since week 11 of 2023
Continue reading...
