The most important number in Rams vs Seahawks was three. That was the amount of times the Seahawks drove deep into the Los Angeles Rams territory, but the Rams defense forced the opposing offense to kick field goals rather than allow touchdowns on those drives. Seattle came into the game scoring 22.2 points per game, but the Rams defense limited them to just 16 and just three points in the second half.
Despite their losing record, the Rams have allowed the second-fewest passing touchdowns in the league. The defense hasn’t been good outside of stopping touchdowns, but refusing points is in fact the ultimate goal of defenses. They have allowed 30 or more points just twice this season and three of the team’s losses were one-score games. Only three of the Rams opponents have scored more against this defense than their current scoring average.
The good news is they only play two more teams this season among the 10 top-scoring offenses in the league. So the Rams defense should be able to continue to keep the Rams in games. It’s then up to the offense to score 24 or more points. In the Rams first three wins that was the case.
Aaron Donald: Game Wrecker
The Rams defense as a whole sacked Geno Smith twice and hit him a total of eight times. Aaron Donald was responsible for 3 of those hits, including one that knocked Smith out of the game. That hit represented a distinct turning point in the game that came just in the nick of time to allow the Rams to get back into the game.
Donald always has an effect on games, but in this one, it was felt directly. Donald also came up with a tackle for loss.
Derion Kendrick Redemption Game. Sort of.
Derion Kendrick was benched last week, but due to injuries was back on the field for Rams vs Seahawks. He finished the day with three passes defended and an interception. He also forced an incompletion while covering DK Metcalf expertly early in the second quarter. After this play, he wasn’t targeted again until Drew Lock came in in the 4th quarter. He was targeted five times and allowed only two catches.
He also committed two bone-headed penalties. One on his first target of the day when he suplexed Tyler Lockett resulting in an unnecessary roughness call and the next for taunting the injured Geno Smith on the sidelines after he intercepted a Drew Lock pass. The 30 yards incurred by the penalties represented about a third of all the team’s infractions.
Rams vs Seahawks: Second-Half Clamp Down
As mentioned before, the Rams defense allowed just 3 points in the second half. They also allowed, just 87 yards of total offense; Only 14 yards on the ground. They allowed just two of eight third-down conversions.
Both of the team’s sacks and the interception all came in the second half. The Seahawks made it into Rams territory just twice.
Had the defense not made the adjustments they did, the Rams would have not had a shot in Rams vs Seahawks.
