Sean McVay Keeps Outfoxing the Seahawks - and Mike Macdonald Needs Answers Fast
At halftime of the Week 16 clash between the Seahawks and Rams, the scoreboard read 13-7 in favor of Los Angeles. But if you were watching the game, you know that number didn’t tell the whole story.
Outside of a failed fourth-down attempt on the opening drive and a meaningless possession just before the break, the Rams were in full control. And once again, Sean McVay had Mike Macdonald’s defense on its heels.
This wasn’t just about a few missed tackles or blown assignments. It was about a Rams offense that looked like it knew exactly what was coming-and a Seahawks defense that couldn’t do much to stop it.
Let’s be clear: Mike Macdonald is a sharp football mind. Seattle brought him in to fix a defense that had grown stale under Pete Carroll, especially against NFC West rivals like the Rams and 49ers.
But through nearly two full seasons, the results against those two teams have been a mixed bag. Seattle is 3-4 in seven matchups against McVay and Kyle Shanahan since Macdonald took over, and the defensive dominance he was hired to bring hasn’t consistently shown up in those games.
This latest loss to the Rams was a glaring example. Yes, Seattle held L.A. to 21 points in their earlier meeting this season, but that was more about Sam Darnold throwing four picks than the Seahawks locking things down defensively. The Rams didn’t rack up the yardage that day because they didn’t need to-Darnold kept giving them short fields.
Fast forward to Week 16, and it was a different story. The Rams had already piled up more yards by halftime than they had in the entirety of that Week 11 game.
They controlled the clock, dominated possession by over 12 minutes in the first half alone, and outgained Seattle 257 to 120. The 13-7 score was flattering to the Seahawks.
In reality, they were hanging on by a thread.
McVay, as he’s done so many times before, dialed up a masterclass in offensive play-calling. He seemed to anticipate Macdonald’s every move, exploiting Seattle’s coverages and finding mismatches across the field.
The Seahawks couldn’t get stops when they needed them, and the Rams kept the chains moving with ease. By the end of the day, Los Angeles had racked up a jaw-dropping 581 total yards-the most ever allowed by a Seahawks defense in franchise history.
Seattle did show some signs of life in the fourth quarter, forcing a few punts and clawing their way back into the game. But when it mattered most-in overtime-the Rams struck again.
This time, it was rookie sensation Puka Nacua who delivered the knockout punch, hauling in a 41-yard touchdown to seal it. Nacua was electric all game long, torching Seattle’s secondary with 12 catches for 225 yards and two scores.
The Seahawks simply had no answer for him.
If not for some key adjustments by offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, a strong second half from Sam Darnold, and a game-changing punt return touchdown by Rashid Shaheed, this game could’ve been a blowout. Seattle’s offense kept them in it. The defense, once again, let them down against McVay.
And that’s the bigger concern moving forward.
In the three most recent matchups against the Rams-excluding that turnover-heavy Week 11 game-McVay’s offense has averaged 450 total yards against Macdonald’s defense. That’s not a fluke.
That’s a pattern. And it’s one that should have the Seahawks coaching staff burning the midnight oil this offseason.
Because if Seattle wants to contend in the NFC West, they’ll need to figure out how to slow down McVay’s attack. So far, that puzzle remains unsolved. And until it is, the Rams will continue to be a thorn in the Seahawks’ side.