The St. Louis Rams came within one yard of handing the Seattle Seahawks a surprising defeat on Monday night. Instead, the Seahawks defense kept the Rams out of the end zone to hold on for a 14-9 victory to improve to 7-1 on the season.
The Rams gave Seattle everything they could handle. St. Louis held the Seahawks to just 135 yards of total offense in the game and sacked quarterback Russell Wilson seven times on the night. With left tackle Russell Okung and right tackle Breno Giacomini still sidelined due to injury, the Seahawks just couldn’t handle the Rams defensive front. Robert Quinn and Chris Long each sacked Wilson three times on the night.
Seattle’s running game was non-existent and Wilson was harassed all game. Wilson’s 80-yard touchdown pass to Golden Tate in the third quarter was the only big play for Seattle’s offense.
But Seattle’s defense managed to keep St. Louis from getting in the end zone.
A missed 50-yard field goal from Greg Zuerlein on their penultimate possession forced the Rams to need a touchdown instead of just a field goal to earn the victory. Seattle pinned the Rams at their own 3-yard line with 5:42 left to play.
Trailing by five and needing 93 yards for the win, Kellen Clemens made some big throws on the final drive and the Rams continued to open holes in the running game for Zac Stacy as the Rams marched to the Seahawks’ doorstep. St. Louis had five shots at the end zone from inside the 10-yard line and three chances from inside the 2-yard line and couldn’t convert.
Daryl Richardson was stuffed at the 1-yard line on third and goal and a pass from Clemens to Brian Quick was incomplete on the final play of the game as the Seahawks held on for the win.
The Rams were effective running the ball all game against a usually strong Seattle rush defense. Stacy carried 26 times for 134 yards on the night as the Rams ran for 200 yards against the Seahawks. Stacy is only the second running back this season to break the 100-yard mark against Seattle. Arian Foster ran for 102 yards for the Houston Texans in Week 4.
Marshawn Lynch was held to just 23 yards rushing. Wilson was just 10 of 18 for 139 yards on the night with two touchdown passes to Tate.