Seahawks Rout Rams 24-3 To Clinch NFC West Title

The Seattle Seahawks crushed the hopeless Los Angeles Rams 24-3 at home on Thursday night to secure the top spot in the NFC West.

Seahawks Rout Rams 24-3 To Clinch NFC West Title

Russell Wilson finished 19-of-26 for 229 yards and threw three touchdown passes, but also tossed a careless interception at the goal line midway through the fourth quarter. Tyler Lockett had 130 yards receiving and a score, as the Seahawks (9-4-1) claimed their third division title in four seasons. Seattle has now assured themselves of at least one home game in the playoffs and maintained the pressure on Detroit in the race for the No. 2 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye. Seattle also snapped a three-game losing streak to the Rams (4-10).

Los Angeles has now lost five straight and nine of their last 10. Special teams coordinator John Fassel took over as interim coach after head coach Jeff Fisher was fired earlier this week.

In the third quarter Thursday, Seattle faced a first-and-goal from the Rams’ 1-yard line and chose to throw the ball to Jimmy Graham in the end zone.

Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman did not appreciate that decision, and thus began shouting at members of his team’s coaching staff on the sideline.

“I’m upset about us throwing from the 1,” Sherman said afterward. “I’d rather do what most teams would do, making a conscientious decision to run the ball.”

Sherman stated he was initially speaking to head coach Pete Carroll on the sideline, but then offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell got involved.

“Yeah, I was letting [Carroll] know. We’ve already seen how that goes,” Sherman said, alluding to the Seahawks’ Super Bowl XLIX loss to the New England Patriots, which ended on a Wilson interception by Malcolm Butler in a similar situation.

Doug Baldwin also made a 1-yard TD catch to give Seattle a 17-3 lead in the third quarter, and then Wilson helped put the game away by firing a 57-yard pass to Lockett on the second play of the fourth quarter. . Luke Willson also had an 8-yard touchdown catch in the first half.

Another mostly forgettable Thursday night game was made at least somewhat more entertaining by the Seahawks and their highlighter green (“Action Green”) uniforms that drew wild opinions all over social media.

Jared Goff was 13-of-25 for 135 yards before leaving in the fourth quarter to be checked for a possible concussion. The Rams finished with 183 total yards, but 90 of those came in the fourth quarter. Case Keenum stepped in for Goff.

Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett suffered a neck strain in the fourth quarter on a collision with Rams running back Todd Gurley, Carroll said.

Seattle had two sacks in the first half and finished with four.

The Rams will next host San Francisco on Saturday, Dec. 24, when the Seahawks host Arizona in their final home game.

SEATTLE, WA – DECEMBER 15: Cornerback Richard Sherman #25 of the Seattle Seahawks almost intercepts a pass by the Los Angeles Rams at CenturyLink Field on December 15, 2016 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)