Bob Condotta Seattle Times
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — One Sam Darnold interception seemed as if it would be no big deal for the Seahawks’ defense to overcome.
Even two appeared as if it might be a hindrance but maybe not an insurmountable challenge.
But in a game in which the Seahawks defense overcame a slow start to dominate the offense of Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford in the final three quarters, a third and fourth interception by Darnold proved too many.
Though not without some typical Seahawk-esque drama.
The Seahawks scored on a 1-yard TD run by Kenneth Walker III with 2:23 left to cut the lead to 21-19. A defensive stop got them the ball back at its own 1 with 1:41 left.
A pass interference on the Rams moved the ball to Seattle’s own 49 with five seconds left and the Seahawks still holding a time out.
A pass to Rashid Shaheed took the ball to the Rams’ 43-yard-line with one second left.
Jason Myers, who had kicked a 60-yarder here against the Rams in 2020, trotted out for a 61-yarder to try to pull off what would have been one of the most improbable wins in Seahawks history.
Alas, he was short and wide right and Rams players celebrated a win that gave them control in the NFC West.
LA improves to 8-2 while the Seahawks fall to 7-3 in a game mocked by sloppy play and defense.
The Seahawks outgained the Rams 388-249 and 243-114 in the second half.
But the Darnold picks were too much to overcome.
The interceptions tied a career-most for Darnold — he had four with the Jets in the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
He had three last year for the Vikings against Jacksonville.
It was the second time in four games the Seahawks lost four turnovers and they have lost 12 in the last four games.
The team record for most interceptions thrown in a game is six by Jim Zorn against Detroit in 1976 during the team’s first season.
Four other QBs each threw five on one occasion, most recently by Russell Wilson against the Packers at Green Bay on Dec. 11, 2016.
Otherwise, Wilson never threw more than three 158 career regular-season starts with the Seahawks. He famously threw four in the 2015 NFC title game against the Packers, a game they rallied to win 28-22.
Geno Smith threw three picks in an overtime loss to the Rams last Nov. 3 at Lumen Field but otherwise never threw more than two in any of his 52 Seahawks starts.
Darnold’s four interceptions led directly to 14 points by the Rams.
Darnold threw an interception on the third play of the game to foreshadow the tough day ahead.
That pick came when he tried to hit Cooper Kupp on a first down at the 21. Kinchens broke in front of the Kupp to pick it off at the 34 and returned it to the 3.
That led to the first TD for the Rams and a 7-0 lead with 8:38 to play in the first quarter.
The second pick came on the first series of the second half, when Darnold tried to thread it to Smith-Njigba on an out route. Darnold was hit by Rams linebacker Byron Young as he threw and the ball floated to the sidelines where Rams cornerback Cobie Durant picked it off at the Seattle 45 and returned it to the 35.
The Seahawks got out of that drive quickly as Coby Bryant punched the ball out of Rams’ receiver Puka Nacua for a fumble two plays later that was recovered by Drake Thomas.
The third Darnold pick proved disastrous.
The Seahawks had just stopped the Rams again and had the ball at their own 27, a play that followed a holding penalty on Anthony Bradford that moved the Seahawks back 10 yards.
Darnold tried to tight end Elijah Arroyo on a seam route only for Kinchens to again break in front of it and return it to the Seattle 25.
The Rams needed just for plays to convert that into a touchdown and a 21-12 lead with 14:15 remaining.
On a third down on the following possession with Seattle at the Rams 36, Darnold got heavy pressure in the pocket as he tried to step up in the pocket. Appearing not to want to get sacked and take them out of field goal range he threw a pass into traffic to Arroyo. This time, it was cornerback Darious Williams who got the pick, returning it to the Seattle 49.
The defense again held the Rams.
That finally proved too much as the Seahawks couldn’t move it on their next series — a Darnold pass on third down initially called a fumble and a potential fifth turnover before it was changed via replay.
Showing the resilience that the Seahawks have often praised, Darnold was 5 of 5 on the drive for 61 yards and also ran twice for 11 yards.
At that point Seattle had outgained the Rams 371-231. The Seahawks cut the lead to 21-19 on a 1-yard run by Walker with 2:23 remaining.
Rams receiver Puka Nacua picked up 18 yards on an end around on the next play which forced the Seahawks to call a time out with 2:09 remaining.
But the Seahawks stopped the Rams and they had one last chance to pull the game out, only to fall just short in a game that will leave lots of questions about what might have been.