Rams roll past Seahawks on back of strong defensive performance

The Los Angeles Rams had to make an early quarterback change and then lost star defensive tackle Aaron Donald to a rib injury, and yet they somehow still sprung an upset of the Seattle Seahawks. The Rams never trailed and held on for a 30-20 victory.

The game got off to an inauspicious start when Rams starting quarterback John Wolford was knocked out of the game by Jamal Adams. Wolford scrambled for two yards and took a hit to the head from Adams. Wolford was able to walk off under his own power, but he immediately went to the locker room and was later taken from the stadium by ambulance for further observation.

Jared Goff was active but not starting after rehabbing from a fractured thumb. With Blake Bortles inactive, Goff was the backup and only other regular QB. Goff came on and had some decent moments, but struggled much of the game. He finished 9/19 for 155 yards and a touchdown.

The reason the Rams one was their defense and running back Cam Akers. The offense flowed through Akers, who rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown and added 45 yards on two receptions. But it was the defense that took care of business. The point total might indicate otherwise, but the Rams defense made Russell Wilson miserable most of the day. He threw for 174 yards and two touchdowns on 11 of 25 passing. Add in three sacks and all sorts of hurries and it was a brutal day.

This strong defensive effort came even as the Rams lost star defensive tackle Aaron Donald to a rib injury in the third quarter. He had two sacks on the day and got injured taking down Wilson after a pass. Wilson landed on Donald and sent the pass rusher off for the rest of the game.

The Rams will find out their divisional round opponent Sunday afternoon. If the Saints beat the Bears, the Rams will face the No. 1 seeded Packers. If the Bears beat the Saints, the Rams will face the winner of the Bucs-Washington Wild Card game.