The Los Angeles Rams did everything they could to extend their season, but ultimately fell to the Seattle Seahawks, who will be moving on to Super Bowl LX.
Matthew Stafford played a great game and gave his team a great chance to win. Stafford went 22/35 for 374 yards, three touchdowns, and was sacked just once.
After a difficult first three drives that resulted in a punt and two field goals, Stafford led the offense to several touchdown drives, and the Rams were in a great rhythm.
Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, and Colby Parkinson were the top targets for Los Angeles, and all made great plays when they needed to. Nacua hauled in nine passes for 165 yards and one score. Adams added 89 yards on four receptions and one touchdown. Parkinson also contributed 62 yards on three catches.
There was also a key play for the running backs in the pass game. Head coach Sean McVay drew up a great play in the red zone, and Kyren Williams found himself wide open for a touchdown to give LA the lead. Blake Corum also had three receptions for 24 yards and was a great option out of the backfield.
On the ground, the Rams did a great job establishing the run with consistency. Los Angeles totaled 22 carries for 114 yards and 5.2 yards per carry. Williams accounted for 55 yards on nine attempts, and Blake Corum generated 39 yards on 10 tries.
Offensively, not generating many points early may have been the difference between moving on and going home in a game with such slim margins.
Defensively, Los Angeles struggled to defend the pass and, unlike previous playoff games, was not able to force any turnovers, which created a tough night. Sam Darnold was dueling and exposed a vulnerable LA secondary.
Darnold on passes went 25/36 for 346 yards, three touchdowns, but was sacked three times. Darnold played one of the best games of his career and showed he can step up in the big moments and will have another opportunity in the Super Bowl.
Darnold distributed the ball all over to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed, Cooper Kupp, Kenneth Walker, and Jake Bobo.
Smith-Njigba was unstoppable all night long, totaling 153 yards on 10 receptions and adding one score. Shaheed had one catch for 51 yards out of the gates, which got the crowd involved and gave the Seahawks a lot of momentum.
Kupp contributed four catches for 36 yards and a score against his former team as a mismatch all over. Out of the backfield, Walker hauled in four passes for 49 yards and was tough to tackle all night long. Bobo had one catch, but it resulted in a touchdown after a Rams’ turnover.
LA did a great job stopping the Seattle run game, which played a big part in how this game played out. The rushing total for the Seawhaks ended with 75 yards on 26 carries, but they did punch one in for a score. Walker led the way with 19 carries for 62 yards.
The Los Angeles defense has had its ups and downs, but the problems in the secondary became insurmountable in this game, with no ability to stop Smith-Njigba or Shaheed deep down the field. To win in this league, the explosive plays must be limited, and the Rams did not do that on Sunday.
The main difference in the game again came on a special teams blunder from LA as punt returner Xavier Smith muffed a punt, which resulted in seven Seattle points and clearly had a huge impact on the game with such tight margins.
Harrison Mevis did kick well, going 2/2 on field goals to keep Los Angeles in the game early, which shows promise heading into next season.
The Rams were flowing offensively, but when issues persist, they will reveal themselves at the most important times. Ultimately, special teams and the secondary have been LA's weaknesses all season, and in the end, that is why they lost.
Heading into the offseason, the number one question will be whether or not Stafford decides to come back for another season. It seems likely, but after a tough loss, he will need some time to think it over.
When looking at the roster, the offense seems pretty set for next season. The offensive line is fairly young, and all played well this season. Robert Havenstein may retire, but Warren McClendon played solidly in the playoffs, so that shouldn’t be an issue.
Most of Stafford’s weapons will return in Nacua, Adams, Williams, Corum, Parkinson, Freguson, and several other skill position players. The only question is the future of Tyler Higbee and whether he will retire or not.
On defense, the front seven played fairly well all season, but in the playoffs, the pass rush was not able to get home as much as they would like, especially in the NFC Championship game, where Darnold was doing whatever he wanted.
The real problem was on the back end with the secondary that consistently got burned in the NFC Championship, but also struggled a lot in the second part of the season. This is an area that must be improved if LA does want to get back to the Super Bowl.
The good news is that, thanks to the trade with the Atlanta Falcons in 2025, Los Angeles owns the 13th pick and their own pick at 29. These selections should provide an ability to bring in young talent in the secondary to start fixing this major issue.
The Rams also need to make sure their special teams improve in 2026. They do seem to have found their kicker in Mevis, but the return game with muffed punts ultimately cost them their season, and with a new special teams coach, this will be a point of emphasis.
LA is also projected to have significant cap space, which will help to add any depth pieces they need as well, and should set up for a great season in 2026.
The Rams will be back contending in 2026, and with great draft capital and cap space, this roster should be much improved and may be hosting Super LXI in SoFi Stadium next season.
