The Rams secured the No. 4 seed in the NFC on Sunday with the 30-25 loss to the Seahawks. A win would have seen Los Angeles hold onto the No. 3 seed, but it fell short of the end zone in the final seconds.
This game featured one of the Rams' better passing performances of the season behind backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Rookie kicker Joshua Karty had a career day and the defense, which rotated in some previously unseen talent, generated a high pressure rate against Seattle.
Here are five interesting stats from the Rams' Week 18 loss to the Seahawks:
Jimmy Garoppolo's 334 passing yards was the Rams' highest single-game mark this season
The previous season-high was 320 from Matthew Stafford in Week 14 against the Bills. Garoppolo completed 27 of 41 passes for 334 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Ultimately, it wasn't enough to come away with the win, but Garoppolo's fourth-down pass in the red zone fell incomplete and Los Angeles couldn't come away with the victory.
After the game, Garoppolo said he will have to go back and look at the tape to evaluate his play because he is "pretty critical" of himself.
The Rams' 44.8% pressure rate generated was their best since Week 11 against the Patriots, via Next Gen Stats
Kobie Turner, Jared Verse, Braden Fiske and Keir Thomas all produced three pressures. One of those names doesn't match the others. The first three starters produced those pressures on just 11 snaps each, but Thomas, a practice squad player who was elevated for Week 18, played 38 snaps.
Verse, Fiske and Turner each generated a 37.5% pressure rate, tied for the highest single-game of the season for a Rams pass rusher this season. Meanwhile, Thomas got his first game action and didn't disappoint, while Desjuan Johnson also "showed up," said head coach Sean McVay, and registered a sack.
Joshua Karty made five kicks (four field goals and one extra point) without a miss, tying his career-high
The rookie kicker out of Stanford has made six kicks in a game, but never without a miss. On Sunday, Karty set a career-long with a 58-yard field goal to end the first half. He also made a 57-yarder after entering the game with a career-long of 55 yards. This game was a "confidence-builder" entering Karty's first postseason game.
Jordan Whittington's 50-yard reception was tied for the Rams' fourth-longest play of the season
On a third-and-three from Rams territory in the fourth quarter, Whittington left Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett in the dust on an out-and-up. Garoppolo hit him on the back shoulder and he sprinted downfield for the longest gain of his career and the fourth-longest play of the Rams' season.
That catch and run produced 4.04 expected points added (EPA), which is the fourth-best from a single offensive play this season, according to nflverse data. EPA measures how many points a play is expected to add or lose based on historical context like field position, time and other factors. It also added 20.7% to the Rams' win probability, making it the second-most impactful offensive play of the season after Demarcus Robinson's walkoff touchdown against Seattle in Week 9.
The Rams only committed two penalties against Seattle, tied for their fewest of the season
This was a very clean game from the Rams penalty-wise, which is a positive sign. When backups get in the game, their lack of recent game experience can sometimes cause mishaps and penalties. The fact that Los Angeles matched their season-low in that stat is a testament to how disciplined this team is.
The Rams also committed two penalties against the Cardinals in Week 2. They will need to be just as disciplined next week in a rematch with the Vikings in the Wild Card round.
