INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Outside linebacker Leonard Floyd posted three sacks and a fumble recovery, cornerback Darious Williams added a pair of interceptions and running back Malcolm Brown rushed for two touchdowns to lead the Rams (6-3, 1-1) to a 23-16 win over the Seahawks (6-3, 1-2) Sunday afternoon at SoFi Stadium.
In addition to Floyd's production defensively, Los Angeles rookie outside linebacker Terrell Lewis recorded his first two sacks of his NFL career. Williams' two interceptions pushed his season total to four, most on the team.
Offensively, Brown had six carries for 33 yards in addition two his two scores. Running back Darrell Henderson Jr. added seven carries for 28 yards and one touchdown, while rookie Cam Akers led the backfield with 10 carries for 38 yards. Wide receiver Josh Reynolds hauled in a career-high eight receptions for 94 yards, while quarterback Jared Goff completed 27 of 37 pass attempts for 302 yards.
Rams safety Taylor Rapp left the game in the first half with a knee injury and did not return. Left tackle Andrew Whitworth was carted off the field with a knee injury with 1:25 left in the first half and did not return. Whitworth was replaced by Joe Noteboom. Kicker Kai Forbath sustained an ankle injury late in the third quarter and did not return.
An efficient 10-play, 70-yard scoring drive gave the Rams an early 3-0 lead on a successful 23-yard field goal attempt by kicker Kai Forbath. However, the Seahawks answered with 13-yard touchdown run by running back Alex Collins on the ensuing drive to take a 7-3 lead with six minutes left in the first quarter.
The Rams responded with 39- and 14-yard completions to Higbee and a 16-yard completion to Everett on the next drive to set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Henderson and regain the lead 10-7 with 2:24 left in the first quarter.
Following a defensive stop at midfield, a 93-yard, near-seven-minute scoring drive – capped off by a 7-yard touchdown run by running back Malcolm Brown – extended Los Angeles' lead to 17-7 with 6:19 remaining in the first half.
Seahawks kicker Jason Myers' 37-yard field goal reduced the Rams' lead to 10, then a strip-sack of Goff set up the Seahawks at the Rams 27 for a potential game-tying possession. However, the damage was mitigated by cornerback Darious Williams' interception of Wilson's pass intended for tight end Will Dissly in the endzone. Earlier in the first half, Williams had a 41-yard interception return for a touchdown nullified by an offsides penalty against the Rams defense, but this one stuck.
Myers' 61-yard field goal at the end of the first half trimmed the Rams' lead to 17-13 at halftime. The Rams regained a 10-point lead on a 1-yard touchdown run by Brown with 6:22 left in the third quarter, though Forbath missed the extra point attempt.
The Seahawks returned the ensuing kickoff to their own 49, but a pair of sacks by Rams outside linebacker Leonard Floyd derailed the drive and forced them to punt.
Early in the fourth quarter, Floyd recovered a Wilson fumble at midfield, but the Rams were unable to capitalize and forced to punt. On the ensuing possession, Wilson led the Seahawks to the Rams 43 before Williams recorded his second interception to give the Rams the ball back at Seahawks 36 with 7:59 remaining. However, the Rams were forced to punt again.
Taking over with just over three and half minutes left, Seattle reached L.A. 21 and elected to kick a 39-yard field goal with 29 seconds remaining. Though Myers' attempt was successful, the Seahawks' ensuing onside kick was not, as Rams wide receiver Robert Woods recovered it to allow Los Angeles to enter victory formation and run out the clock to secure the win.
