John Wolford started at quarterback for the Rams before suffering a neck injury and was pictured later being taken to hospital; Seahawks' Russell Wilson completed just 11 of 27 attempts for 174 yards and two touchdowns, being sacked five times
Sunday 10 January 2021 07:29, UK
The Los Angeles Rams edged out the Seattle Seahawks 30-20 in a defensive battle, overcoming the loss of quarterback John Wolford to concussion early and defensive star Aaron Donald to a rib injury late on.
Cam Akers rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown and Darious Williams returned an interception for a score as the No 6 seeded Rams progressed to the divisional round of the playoffs.
Matt Gay also kicked three field goals for the Rams, but it was on the strength of their defence that they won, allowing only 278 yards of total offence from the No 3 seeded Seahawks, who had won their previous 10 postseason games at home - a run stretching back to 2004.
Wolford started at quarterback for the Rams and led them into field-goal range on their second possession before suffering a neck injury while being tackled by Seattle's Jamal Adams. Wolford did not return and was pictured later being taken to hospital.
Jared Goff, who suffered a fractured right thumb at Seattle two weeks ago that required surgery, came off the bench to guide the Rams to victory, albeit his stat line was not an all too impressive 9 of 19 for 155 yards, with the QB obviously still bothered by the injury.
Goff did, however, throw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Robert Woods with just under five minutes remaining that all but assured them of the win.
Seattle's Russell Wilson struggled just as much, completing just 11 of 27 attempts for 174 yards and two touchdowns, both to D.K. Metcalf. Wilson was sacked five times, twice each by Donald and Leonard Floyd, and the Seahawks converted just two of 14 third-down attempts in the game.
Metcalf's 12-yard touchdown reception with two and a half minutes left pulled the Seahawks within 10 points, but the Rams recovered the ensuing onside kick and they ran out the clock.
Earlier, with the game slow to spring to life - Rams up 6-3 with the teams trading in field goals - Williams jumped a Wilson screen pass intended for Metcalf, picked it off and went 42 yards for a touchdown with six minutes and 46 seconds left in the half.
A few plays later, Wilson scrambled to his left and threw a 51-yard deep-ball touchdown to Metcalf. But the Rams answered right back as both offences briefly exploded into life.
On third-and-nine from the Rams' own 26-yard line, Goff hit Akers with a screen pass and rookie took it 44 yards down the right sideline, setting up his own five-yard touchdown run to see the Rams up 20-10 at half-time.
After the break, defense was back on top, with the two teams exchanging field goals until the Goff's touchdown pass to Woods saw the Rams into an ultimately unassailable lead.
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