Rams vs. Seahawks: St. Louis Grades, Notes and Quotes
The St. Louis Rams (7-8) did the unthinkable by beating the Seattle Seahawks (9-6) by a score of 23-17. It's an outcome few would have predicted and St. Louis' biggest win of the year.
The Rams have not won in Seattle since the 2004 season, which is why this victory is particularly meaningful. Even though the playoffs are out of the question, this win is a major morale boost for the team and fans.
St. Louis showed up ready to play. A field goal and defensive touchdown gave the Rams a 10-0 lead in the opening quarter, and they entered halftime with a 16-3 lead. The Rams needed a lightning-fast start to have a chance in this game, and that's exactly what they accomplished.
Seattle came out in the third quarter with a fierce response. Russell Wilson hit Doug Baldwin for a 25-yard touchdown, making it 16-10. For a moment, it appeared the Seahawks would have every opportunity to claw their way back, but the St. Louis defense held strong and the offense provided a fourth-quarter touchdown to put the game away.
This is a sweet win for Rams Nation, but it also serves as a depressing reminder of what could have been. This game showed what St. Louis is capable of, but the Rams spoiled their own season with an inexplicable five-game losing streak in November.
Still, the Rams are on a three-game win streak and the team is looking motivated, so there's plenty of excitement for 2016 and beyond.
For more on this game, including grades, quotes and takeaways, read on.
Position Grades
1 of 7
Quarterback: B+
It was not a flashy game for Case Keenum, but the quarterback continues to be a solid presence under center.
Keenum went 14-for-23 for a solid 60.8 percent completion rate. He was held to just 103 passing yards, but he hit Kenny Britt for a 25-yard touchdown and avoided throwing a pick.
Keenum's ability to extend plays and avoid mistakes has been the engine behind St. Louis' offensive revival.
Running Back: B
As usual, Todd Gurley was the focal point of the offense. He didn't go on one of his signature rampages, but he still had an excellent performance, rushing for 85 yards and a touchdown.
Gurley now has 1,108 rushing yards on the year. The touchdown was his 10th rushing score of the year—making him the first St. Louis back to hit 10 or more touchdowns since Steven Jackson in 2006.
Even so, fumbles by Gurley and Benny Cunningham nearly cost St. Louis the game, so that lowers the grade.
Wide Receiver/Tight End: B
The receivers were quiet as usual and produced low numbers, but they got the job done.
Tight end Lance Kendricks had a drop on a potential first down in the second half, but Jared Cook had a key first-down grab in the first half—a play that got St. Louis away from its own end zone and gave the offense breathing room.
The big play from this group was Britt's 28-yard touchdown grab in the first half, which made it a three-score game at halftime and really gave St. Louis the confidence it needed to secure the win.
Offensive Line: A
The offensive line had a decent game, especially considering the unit was up against a very tough defensive front.
Greg Robinson was beat by Michael Bennett several times early in the game. It looked like it would be a long day for him initially, but he eventually settled down and didn't allow any catastrophic incidents.
Gurley was running into brick walls in the first half, but the run blocking solidified as the game went on, which allowed the offense to show life. The pass protection was also very solid for most of the game, though Keenum's mobility certainly helped out.
The key player for this group was undoubtedly Tim Barnes. The center played with a high motor and lots of intensity in this game. He recovered two St. Louis fumbles on the very same drive, which averted disaster and eventually allowed Gurley to punch in a touchdown.
Barnes deserves the game ball from this win.
Defensive Line: A
William Hayes absolutely dominated the Seattle line from his defensive end position. He led the team with nine tackles and sacked Wilson three times.
Hayes' three sacks are more than he had in the previous 14 games combined (2.5). It was also the first three-sack game of his career.
As usual, Aaron Donald was also a force. He didn't record any sacks, but he drew a holding penalty and was constantly in the backfield.
Even without Robert Quinn in the lineup, the St. Louis defensive line continues to excel.
Linebacker: A
The St. Louis linebackers held the Seattle running backs to just 21 positive rushing yards in this game. Considering the Seahawks offense centers around the run, that's a huge accomplishment.
Also, Akeem Ayers had a monster game. In the first half, he recovered a fumble, broke several tackles and muscled his way into the end zone. That first-quarter touchdown really set the tone of this game. Ayers also had a second recovery in the final quarter.
Secondary: B
Trumaine Johnson continues to make plays in the secondary. He batted away a Wilson red-zone pass in the first half, which helped St. Louis hold Seattle to a field goal. Johnson also intercepted his seventh pass of the season.
The Rams allowed Baldwin to haul in eight receptions for 118 yards and a touchdown, so it wasn't all good. Also, Wilson was able to complete 60.9 percent of his passes.
Even so, the secondary held strong and allowed few back-breaking plays.
Special Teams: A
The special teams unit had plenty of positives from this game.
Tavon Austin had a 21-yard punt return that set up the Britt touchdown reception. Unfortunately, Greg Zuerlein missed the extra-point attempt. However, Zuerlein did make up for it with a 42-yard field goal.
The hands team only came up big at the end of the game by recovering Seattle's onside-kick attempt. There was only 17 seconds left on the clock, so it likely wouldn't have mattered. Even so, it was a six-point game, so that play sealed the victory for St. Louis.
Rams Finally Put an End to a Monumental Embarrassment
2 of 7
Rams fans have little to celebrate this season, as the team will once again watch the playoffs from home. Even so, this victory in Seattle is a huge silver lining.
The Rams have not won in Seattle since the 2004 season. It was January 8, 2005, during the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. The Rams pulled off a 27-20 victory and went on to lose to Atlanta in the divisional round—which happens to be the St. Louis franchise's last playoff game to date.
After 10 straight losses at CenturyLink Field, the decade-long drought had become a major embarrassment for the franchise. It was a curse seemingly impossible to break.
In 2010, the Rams played Week 17 in Seattle with a playoff berth on the line. Sam Bradford and the offense imploded and St. Louis suffered a loss on prime-time television. Last season, the Rams owned a 6-0 lead over Seattle at halftime and things were looking good, but a 20-point rampage by Seattle in the second half spoiled it for the Rams.
This time, there was no implosion or letdown. The Rams pulled off the biggest win of the year, and the drought is officially over.
Trumaine Johnson Making His Case for a New Contract
3 of 7
According to Spotrac, the Rams have a high number of players hitting the free-agent market in 2016, particularly on defense. That group includes both starting cornerbacks—Johnson and Janoris Jenkins.
Since the Rams have many players to re-sign and decent depth at the cornerback position, it's reasonable to expect that St. Louis will only retain one of the two starting corners. Right now, it's looking like Johnson could be the better option for a long-term deal.
Johnson had yet another interception against Seattle, giving him seven on the year. He entered this game with the fourth-most picks in the NFL (six). The seventh interception now ties him with Carolina's Kurt Coleman for third most in the league.
Johnson's overall grade on Pro Football Focus is 11.2, which is the 11th best among 117 corners. His grade of 8.3 in coverage is the 13th best in the NFL.
Not only can Johnson make a case that he's the best corner on the team, but he might be the easier player to re-sign. According to NBC Sports, the Rams tried to hammer out a contract extension with Jenkins early in the season, but Jenkins' camp ended contract talks back in October.
Jenkins decided to bet on himself—not a bad idea considering he's had a great year—but Johnson's performance this season may have moved him ahead of Jenkins on St. Louis' offseason to-do list.
Johnson has established himself as a key member of the St. Louis defense, and this latest game only further demonstrated his value. Expect the Rams to pursue him this offseason.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Case Keenum Continues to Prove His Worth
4 of 7
Since the beginning of the Jeff Fisher era, the lack of a quarterback has held back the team.
Last year, the quarterback duo of Austin Davis and Shaun Hill had some promising flashes, but neither player was consistent enough to keep the offense afloat. The offense crumbled and was not able to keep up with the capable St. Louis defense.
In 2013, Sam Bradford went down midseason and the Rams were forced to finish the year with Kellen Clemens, who was unable to put the Rams in a position to win.
This year, Nick Foles began the season as the starter. He had a four-interception performance in Week 5 against Green Bay and seemed to lose his confidence after that game. He had just one touchdown and five picks in his final six starts.
However, with Keenum under center, the offense finally has hope.
Keenum is now 3-1 as a starter. He isn't flashy, as he's exceeded 200 passing yards just once this season, but he's effective. He had four touchdowns and just one pick in 88 pass attempts. He also has an impressive 61.3 percent completion rate.
His ability to escape pressure with his legs, find receivers with great accuracy and avoid mistakes has forced opposing defenses to respect the pass. Teams no longer have the luxury of focusing solely on Gurley.
Rams fans know better than anyone that one impressive stretch of games for a quarterback doesn't mean he's a long-term answer. Things can certainly change and there's no guarantee Keenum will maintain his current level of play.
Even so, Keenum is making a strong case as the Rams' 2016 starter. That's not to say the Rams should avoid grabbing a quarterback this offseason, especially if there's a talented one to be had, but he deserves the opportunity.
If this is the real Keenum we're seeing, the offense will be in good shape in 2016 and beyond.
Chris Myers on Aaron Donald's Penalty
5 of 7
"(Aaron Donald) was just a half step too late." -Fox commentator Chris Myers during the in-game broadcast.
During Seattle's opening drive of the second half, Donald was flagged for a roughing-the-passer penalty against Wilson. Never mind that Wilson was out of the pocket and the contact was incidental and extremely mild—the officials made the call regardless.
As Fox commentator Chris Myers mentions, Donald was a step too late. In reality, the referees decided to soften up the game and allow penalties to dictate the on-field results.
Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson was flagged for unnecessary roughness during Seattle's field-goal drive at the end of the first half. That flag was deserved. The Donald penalty extended the drive that allowed the Baldwin touchdown, though that penalty was utterly ridiculous.
Seattle was only capable of producing on offense when the refs were willing to throw flags.
Usually, when the Rams are heavily flagged, they receive criticism for a lack of discipline. This time, the discipline wasn't really an issue. It was a hard-fought, well-played game by the defense that was not spoiled due to a lack of discipline, but rather an officiating crew that decided to transform the contest into a game of lawyer ball.
There's not much a tough defense can do in a league that discourages toughness.
Luckily, it didn't make a difference in this game, but it very well could have.
Jim Thomas on Nick Fairley's Concussion
6 of 7
"Fairley, Westbrooks both being evaluated for concussions." -Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, via Twitter.
In the first half, Rams defensive tackle Nick Fairley dived for the ball-carrier but instead had a violent collision with a teammate.
The intensity and the thunderous sound of the hit was jaw-dropping. It was a collision similar to the hit on Tulane safety Devon Walker several years ago—a hit that left walker paralyzed from the neck down, according to the Tulsa World.
Luckily, the hit on Fairley did not have the same awful consequences. He walked off the field and, as Thomas reports, was evaluated for a concussion.
It was a very lucky break for Fairley, and more news on his condition will surface in the coming days, but it appears he'll be fine.
Jim Thomas on Tim Barnes' Second Fumble Recovery
7 of 7
"Gurley fumbles, Barnes again on recovery." -Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, via Twitter.
On a vital drive in the fourth quarter, with the Rams only up by six points, the Rams faced a critical 3rd-and-1 situation. St. Louis took Gurley out of the game and replaced him with Cunningham, who gained the first down but fumbled the ball.
The ball was nearly recovered by Earl Thomas, but Barnes muscled his way to the pile and saved the day. The Rams retained possession.
St. Louis fans were not happy that the Rams took Gurley out. Then, moments later, Gurley broke free for a 20-yard gain. After hurdling a defender, he fumbled the ball on the landing—the second fumble by the Rams on the same critical drive.
As Thomas mentions, it was Barnes who once again saved the day with the recovery.
This is an example of how the Rams can sometimes be allergic to success, but Barnes wasn't having any of it. He saved the drive for the Rams, which resulted in a Gurley touchdown—and that was the difference in this game.
Barnes deserves the game ball more than any other St. Louis player in this game.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
