Seahawks Show Grit, Resilience, and Just Enough Chaos in Wild OT Win Over Rams
If you’re looking for a signature win that defines a team’s identity, the Seahawks just delivered one - in the most chaotic, improbable, and downright thrilling way possible.
Down 16 points midway through the fourth quarter. Minus-3 in turnover margin.
Giving up a franchise-record 581 yards. And somehow, some way, they walked out of that stadium with a 38-37 overtime win over the Rams - a victory that clinched a playoff berth, vaulted them into control of the NFC’s No. 1 seed, and may have finally silenced the lingering doubts about Sam Darnold in big-game situations.
Head coach Mike Macdonald didn’t hold back postgame, addressing his team with a mix of awe and pride: “What a friggin’ football team you guys are… We’re the freaking Seahawks! Let’s go!”
Honestly, it’s hard to argue with him.
This wasn’t just a comeback. It was historic.
No team in NFL history had ever won a game after allowing 500+ yards, turning the ball over three times, and failing to record a single takeaway. And until this one, the Seahawks were 0-172 all-time when trailing by 15 or more points in the fourth quarter.
That’s not just resilience. That’s rewriting the script.
A Game That Felt Like January
From the opening whistle to the final two-point conversion in overtime, this one had the energy of a playoff game - and it might not be the last time these two teams see each other this season.
With a mini-bye ahead and games against Carolina and San Francisco to close out the regular season, the Seahawks are in position to lock up the top seed. If both they and the 49ers handle business the next two weeks, that Week 18 matchup could be for all the marbles. And if Seattle earns the bye, there’s a real possibility of facing the Rams again in the divisional round or even the NFC Championship.
But before looking too far ahead, the Seahawks have some cleaning up to do - especially on defense.
Defensive Breakdown: What Happened?
Let’s be clear: the Seahawks’ defense got torched.
The front four struggled to generate pressure, and the secondary - already dealing with injuries - couldn’t contain the Rams’ passing attack. It was a step back from even their Week 5 loss to the Bucs, and that’s saying something.
In their Week 11 meeting, the Seahawks held Matthew Stafford to just 130 yards through the air. The Rams won that one because Darnold threw four picks.
This time? Stafford lit them up for 457 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 9.3 yards per attempt.
Puka Nacua had a monster day - 12 catches, 225 yards, two scores - including the go-ahead 41-yard touchdown in overtime. That’s the second-most receiving yards ever allowed by Seattle to a single player.
“They had a great game plan,” Macdonald admitted. “They’re elite coaches over there… But obviously you can’t give up 200-yard games to anybody.”
Seattle had no answers for McVay’s 13 personnel packages, and the Rams’ receivers were finding soft spots in coverage all game long. It’s the kind of performance that could be fatal in the playoffs - unless it gets fixed, fast.
Darnold Delivers When It Matters Most
For Sam Darnold, this was more than just a win. It was a statement.
After throwing four interceptions in the first matchup with the Rams, the narrative around Darnold was familiar: talented, but unreliable in big moments. This time, he flipped the script.
Yes, he still threw two picks. But he also led four touchdown drives, converted two two-point conversions (including one on a heads-up backward pass to Zach Charbonnet), and showed the kind of composure late in games that Seattle’s been waiting to see.
“It’s not great when you have interceptions and turnovers - you want to limit that,” Darnold said. “But all you can do is fight back.”
Macdonald, for his part, never wavered.
“Our story has stayed the same since Day 1 with Sam,” he said. “It’s everybody else that has different stories. This is the guy that we watch every day… We weren’t worried about it one bit.”
Rashid Shaheed: The Spark That Lit the Comeback
Down 30-14 with less than a 3% chance to win, according to NextGen Stats, the Seahawks needed a miracle. Rashid Shaheed gave them one.
The midseason trade acquisition has been electric in recent weeks, and he delivered again with a 58-yard punt return touchdown - his second return score in three weeks - to breathe life back into the game.
Shaheed became just the fourth Seahawk ever to return both a punt and kickoff for touchdowns in the same season, joining Tyler Lockett (2015), Nate Burleson (2007), and Charlie Rogers (1999).
Julian Love summed it up: “When we got Rashid this year, it gave us a whole new sense of focus and energy on special teams, just knowing that he can return a kick at any moment.”
Shaheed wasn’t done. On the next drive, he ripped off a 31-yard end-around that helped set up the game-tying score at 30-30.
Walker Finds His Groove
Kenneth Walker III picked a great time to have his best performance of the season.
The second-year back totaled 164 yards from scrimmage and scored a touchdown, looking like the explosive playmaker Seattle needs heading into January.
He set the tone early with a 46-yard gain on a beautifully executed screen - arguably the best screen play the Seahawks have run in years - to set up Charbonnet’s touchdown. Then, in the third quarter, he broke loose for a 55-yard touchdown run down the right sideline.
Walker finished with 100 rushing yards - just his second 100-yard game of the season - and helped power a ground game that racked up 171 yards, second only to the 198 they posted against Arizona in Week 10.
“I believe we just executed better,” Walker said. “All week we talked about the run game and ways that we can spring it open, so the execution was much better this week.”
What Comes Next
The Seahawks now get a short breather before heading to Carolina in Week 17. If they take care of business there, and if the 49ers handle the Colts and Bears, that Week 18 showdown in San Francisco could decide the NFC’s top seed.
But no matter how this regular season ends, one thing is clear: this Seahawks team is built to win in different ways. They can grind it out.
They can blow teams out. And now, we’ve seen they can rally from the brink in a wild, high-scoring shootout.
That kind of versatility - and that kind of fight - travels well in January.
And if they do meet the Rams again in the playoffs? Buckle up.