- The Seattle Seahawks defeated the Los Angeles Rams 38-37 in an overtime thriller.
- Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford threw for 457 yards and three touchdowns.
- The Seahawks scored a touchdown and a two-point conversion in overtime to win the game.
Game of the year.
That’s how we’ll remember the Seattle Seahawks’ 38-37 overtime victory Thursday, Dec. 18, over the Los Angeles Rams that tilted the power balance of the NFC West in favor of the ‘Hawks.
Here are 10 moments that will always stand out from the “Thursday Night Football” thriller.
Kenneth Walker’s 55-yard TD run
After a somewhat pedestrian first half, the Rams led 13-7 entering the third quarter. Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker found daylight for a 55-yard touchdown that gave Seattle a 14-13 lead on its first possession of the second half.
Puka Nacua, Pt. 1
One of many times the much-in-the-news Puka Nacua inserted himself in the game, Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford found Nacua over the middle for 58 yards on the final play of the third quarter to set the Rams up for another touchdown.
Matthew Stafford’s no-look TD pass
By this point in the game, Stafford – who finished with 457 passing yards and three touchdowns – was dealing. The Rams achieved their largest lead of the game thanks to a no-look, 1-yard touchdown from Stafford to Nacua, and the point-after made it 30-14.
Rams INTs
A Darnold interception felt inevitable. The dam broke with 6:44 remaining in the third quarter when Rams cornerback Josh Wallace picked off Darnold, who threw blindly into the crowded passing lane; Wallace returned the ball all the way down to the Seattle 1-yard line.
The second Darnold pick was even more brutal, as the Seahawks were on the verge of pulling the game back within reach when Darnold’s pass over the middle found the clutch of Rams defensive lineman Kobie Turner.
Rashid Shaheed punt return for TD
That’s why you trade for the big-time playmaker at the deadline. Shaheed started the Seahawks’ comeback with a 58-yard punt return for a touchdown, his second special teams score since being traded to Seattle from the New Orleans Saints in November.
The Craziest Two-Point Conversion Ever
Harrison Mevis missed FG
Playing in his seventh career game, the Missouri kicker finished 3-for-4 and made four of his extra points. But he missed a pivotal 48-yarder just before the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter that would have given the Rams a 33-30 lead.
Puka Pt. 2
Nacua finished with 225 yards and two touchdowns. As Rams head coach Sean McVay said, “he went off.” His 41-yard touchdown score in overtime was an exclamation point.
Darnold to Kupp
Perhaps Darnold’s finest career moment to this point. The No. 3 pick of the 2018 draft pinpointed a pass to ex-Ram Cooper Kupp for a 21-yard gain that had the Seahawks in business before the game-winning score.
Seahawks walk-off
Mike Macdonald went for two and it worked. Seattle walked off the Rams.
First, Darnold completed a pass in the back of the end zone to Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a touchdown.
After, Seattle offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak dialed up the team’s best two-point option and it resulted in Darnold finding a wide-open Eric Saubert, the No. 2 tight end, for the game-winning conversion that left the Seahawks in control of the NFC West.