Rams Collapse in Seattle: A Special Teams Breakdown That Could Haunt Playoff Hopes
The Los Angeles Rams were on the verge of a statement win Thursday night in Seattle - the kind of road victory that solidifies playoff credentials and sends a message to the rest of the NFC. Instead, a 16-point fourth-quarter lead unraveled in stunning fashion, ending in a 38-37 overtime loss that didn’t just shake up the NFC West standings - it exposed a flaw that’s been festering beneath the surface all season long.
At the heart of the collapse? A single, game-changing play: Rashid Shaheed’s 58-yard punt return touchdown. It was the turning point - the moment when momentum flipped, the crowd came alive, and the Rams’ control of the game slipped away.
And according to the Seahawks, it wasn’t luck. It was the plan.
Seattle Saw the Crack - and Hit It
After the game, Shaheed didn’t mince words. The Seahawks had circled this opportunity well before kickoff.
“Based off field position we knew we were going to be able to get a return,” Shaheed said. “We’ve been focused on that left return all week. We knew they had kind of a weak point with their special teams.”
This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. It was a calculated strike.
With just over eight minutes left and the Rams up 30-14, Seattle got the look they wanted. Shaheed fielded the punt cleanly, followed his blockers to the left - the exact direction they’d scouted - and burst into daylight.
One play, one breakdown, and suddenly a two-score cushion became a one-score game.
That return didn’t just spark the comeback - it lit the fuse.
The Numbers Back It Up: Rams Special Teams Have Been a Problem
Seattle’s confidence wasn’t misplaced. The Rams’ special teams unit has quietly been one of the league’s weakest groups all year.
The data tells the story: entering Week 16, Los Angeles ranked 30th in special teams EPA per play and 25th in DVOA. That’s not a one-off issue - that’s a trend.
Missed field goals. Blocked kicks.
Poor punt coverage. Field position losses that stack up over four quarters.
Thursday night didn’t reveal a new problem - it spotlighted one that’s been simmering since the early weeks of the season.
And this time, it cost them a win.
McVay Reaches His Breaking Point
Sean McVay doesn’t make rash decisions. He’s ridden the highs and lows of NFL life in Los Angeles with a steady hand. But after Thursday’s collapse, he made a move that spoke volumes: the Rams fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn.
It’s the first time McVay has let go of a coordinator midseason. That alone tells you how deep the frustration runs.
Blackburn, a former linebacker and Super Bowl champion with the Giants, had been under fire for weeks. But this wasn’t just about stats or schemes.
This was about accountability - and urgency. With just two games left in the regular season and the playoffs looming, McVay pulled the only lever he had left.
Assistant coach Ben Kotwica steps in to lead the unit, but with so little time to implement change, this isn’t about reinventing the playbook. It’s about damage control - and trying to stop the bleeding before it costs them again.
This Didn’t Start in Seattle - It’s Been Building
The Rams’ special teams issues didn’t come out of nowhere. Go back to Week 3 against Philadelphia - kicker Joshua Karty had two fourth-quarter field goals blocked, including a potential game-winner as time expired. Two weeks later against San Francisco, he missed a long attempt and had an extra point swatted down.
After going just 10-of-15 on field goals and missing three extra points, Karty was replaced by rookie Harrison Mevis. Mevis had been perfect - until Thursday night, when he missed a 48-yarder in tough wind conditions.
But this isn’t just about the kicker. The entire operation has been shaky.
Against Seattle, punter Ethan Evans had a night to forget. One of his punts was returned for a touchdown.
The other? A shank that set up the Seahawks’ game-tying drive.
When every phase - kicking, coverage, execution - is faltering, the margin for error disappears. And in the NFL, that margin is already razor thin.
A Playoff Team with a Playoff-Sized Concern
Here’s the thing: the Rams are still 11-4. They’re still a playoff team. Their offense can light it up, and their defense has the kind of pass rush that can wreck game plans.
But special teams? That’s the wild card. And in the postseason, hidden yards and one-off plays often decide who advances and who goes home.
Seattle found the weak spot. They studied it.
Targeted it. And when the moment came, they pounced.
The Rams didn’t just lose a game Thursday night. They lost control of the narrative. And now, with January football around the corner, they’ve got to ask themselves a hard question:
Can a team with championship aspirations afford to carry a liability into the postseason?
Because the rest of the league just saw what happens when that liability gets exposed.