5. 2015 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Record: 10-6
Pythag: 12-4
Off: 4th
Def: 1st
2nd NFC West
d. Vikings WC 10-9
Lost Div Rnd Panthers 31-24
HC: Pete Carroll: OC: Darrell Bevell, DC: Kris Richard
Century Link Field 50 degrees
Steve Raible/Warren Moon
Offense
QB Russell Wilson (27 NC St)
RB Thomas Rawls (22-R C Michigan)
WR Doug Baldwin (27 Stanford)
WR Jermaine Kearse (25 Washington)
WR Tyler Lockett (23-R Kansas St) All Pro
TE Jimmy Graham (29 Miami)
LT Russell Okung (27 Ok St)
LG Justin Britt (24 Missouri)
C Patrick Lewis (24 Tex A&M)
RG JR Sweezy (26 NC St)
RT Garry Gilliam (25 Penn St)
Defense
LDE Michael Bennett (30 Tex A&M)
LDT Ahtyba Rubin (29 Iowa St)
RDT Brandon Mebane (30 Cal)
RDE Cliff Avril (29 Purdue)
LLB Bruce Irvin (28 W Virginia)
MLB Bobby Wagner (25 Utah St)
RLB KJ Wright (26 Miss St)
LCB Richard Sherman (27 Stanford)
RCB Cary Williams (31 Washburn)
SS Kam Chancellor (27 Va Tech)
FS Earl Thomas (26 Texas)
K Stephen Hauschka (30 NC St)
P Jon Ryan (34 Regina)
KR/PR Tyler Lockett (23 Kansas St)
Region 2 continues with the '15 Seahawks who had the best defense in the league. 30 year old Michael Bennett/29 year old Cliff Avril combined for 19 sacks. The offense is #4; Russell Wilson's 27, threw for 34 scores and 8 picks. 27 year old Doug Baldwin caught 14 scores; 23 year old rookie Tyler Lockett was All Pro, he returned two kicks for scores.
12. 1977 LOS ANGELES RAMS
Record: 10-4
Pythag: 12-2
Off: 4th
Def: 2nd
1st NFC West
Lost Vikings Div Rnd 14-7
HC: Chuck Knox OC: Ray Prochaska DC Ray Malavasi
Offense
QB Pat Haden (24 USC)
RB Lawrence McCutcheon (27 Col St)
FB John Capelletti (25 Penn St)
WR Harold Jackson (31 Jack St)
WR Billy Waddy (23-R Colorado)
TE Terry Nelson (26 Ark PB)
LT Doug France (24 Ohio St)
LG Tom Mack (34 Michigan)
C Rich Saul (29 Mich St)
RG Dennis Harrah (24 Miami)
RT Jeff Williams (32 R Island)
Defense
LDE Jack Youngblood (27 Florida)
LDT Larry Brooks (27 Va St.)
RDT Cody Jones (26 S Jose St)
RDE Fred Dryer (31 S Diego St)
LLB Bob Brudzinski (22-R Ohio St)
MLB Jim Youngblood (27 Tenn Tech)
RLB Isiah Robertson (28 Southern)
LCB Pat Thomas (23 Tex A&M)
RCB Monte Jackson (24 S Diego St)
SS Dave Elmendorf (28 Tex A&M)
FS Bill Simpson (26 Mich St)
K Rafael Septien (24 Louisiana)
P Glen Walker (25 USC)
KR Wendell Tyler (22 UCLA)
PR Billy Waddy (23 Colorado)
Good matchup here in the 5/12 game, both squads 10-4, both losers in the division round, both top 5 in offense and defense. Rams had the #2 defense in 1977 led by a 27 year old Jack Youngblood #4 offense, Pat Haden's 24, 11 scores, 6 picks - and backing him up is a broken down legend, 34 year old Joe Namath. 27 year old Lawrence McCutcheon ran for 1238 yards, the Rams are going to look to run the ball on the best defense from 2015. Chuck Knox trying to beat the Seahawks.
Let's head to Seattle for the 5/12 kickoff for Region 2.
First quarter
The Seahawks will open at the 25.
1/10 - Thomas Rawls, the rookie back, gets the first carry and goes for a yard, an offsides call adds five more.
2/4 - Rawls picks it up with a 4 yard gain.
1/10 - Marshawn Lynch played in just 7 games, so he didn't get the start here, but he comes on and busts a 32 yard run all the way to the LA 33.
1/10 - Russell Wilson's first pass is to Jimmy Graham for 18 to the Ram 15.
1/10 - Lynch loses 2.
2/12 - Wilson to Graham again, gain of 8.
3/4 - Rawls picks up another first down, 7 yards, all the way to the Rams 2 for a first and goal.
1/goal - Wilson play action, Lynch diving over the top without the ball - but Jack Youngblood sniffs it out, he's in the backfield, sacking Wilson for a loss of 4.
2/goal - Lynch gets a yard.
3/goal - Lynch again, again just a yard and the Seahawks kick the chip shot. Good stand by the Rams and it's 3-0 Seattle. Rams will start their first possession at the 25, 8:03 left.
1/10 - Lawrence McCutcheon gets a yard. Rams likely to look to run the ball today.
2/9 - McCutcheon is stacked up.
3/9 - Pat Hadens first pass is complete to Harold Jackson, it's 11 yards and a first down.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - McCutcheon goes for a dozen, Rams out near midfield.
1/10 - Haden finds Billy Waddy, it's a 16 yard gain and the Rams are at the Seattle 35.
1/10 - Haden to his TE, Terry Nelson, 9 yards.
2/1 - McCutcheon gets 4 - Rams moving down the field - Rams to the 22 with 3:17 left.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - Incomplete
3/10 - Incomplete. Seattle holds - Rafael Septien ties the game with a 39 yard FG. Seattle to get the ball at their own 40 after the nice Lockett return. 2:46.
1/10 - Bryce Brown gets a carry. 1 yard.
2/9 - He gets another carry, stopped at the line.
3/9 - Wilson finds Rawls out of the backfield, breaks a tackle and goes for 14.
1/10 - Larry Brooks is in the backfield to sack Wilson, 2 yard loss as the quarter ends.
Second Qtr
Both teams moving the ball well in the first quarter, both defenses standing up to force FGs. Seattle with a second and 12 at the LA 47.
2/12 - Rawls gets 4.
3/8 - Wilson goes short to Jermaine Kearse, it's 4 yards, Pete Carroll's going conservative, Seattle punts - Rams will open at the 13, 13:26.
1/10 - Haden to McCutcheon, 2 yard.
2/8 - Haden to Jackson for 8 and the first.
1/10 - McCutcheon busts one - running behind Tom Mack, getting into open field -- 51 yards down to the Seahawk 26. Big play.
1/10 - John Cappelletti gets a carry, 3 yards.
2/7 - Cappelletti again, this time for 15 - and that gives LA a first and goal.
1/goal - Incomplete
2/goal - Cappelletti stopped at the line.
3/goal - McCutcheon gets 3 yards - really conservative call by Chuck Knox, Rams 5 yards short - they kick the chip shot and go ahead 6-3 in this battle of FGs. Seattle will start at the 28, 8:25 left.
1/10 - Lynch gets 9.
2/1 - Rawls for 4 and the first.
1/10 - Lynch loses 3.
2/13 - Wilson finds Doug Baldwin for an 11 yard pickup and it's third and short.
3/2 - Bryce Brown slips through a hole and busts out a 20 yd gain. Seahawks now at the Ram 31. 4:51 left.
1/10 - Lynch for 1.
2/9 - Brown for 3.
3/6 - Incomplete -- Seattle for the game tying FG --- and it's no good -- Hauschka misses the 44 yarder and Rams take over at the 34, 2:56 left, holding onto the 6-3 lead.
And they go 3 and out.
Seattle ball at the 31, 1:26 left.
1/10 - Wilson forced to run, gets 1. Timeout.
2/9 - Wilson to Baldwin for 20 - Seahawks out near midfield, under a minute to go.
1/10 - Wilson to Baldwin again, 9 yards and a timeout.
2/1 - Incomplete
3/1 - Lynch picks it up, 2 yards to the Giant 37, 37 seconds left.
1/10 - Wilson to Kearse for 3 at the sideline.
2/7 - Wilson's flushed - able to get out of bounds back at the line of scrimmage.
3/7 - 12 yard pass from Wilson to Jimmy Graham - he's out of bounds - it's a first down for Seattle at the 22 with 22 seconds to go.
3 straight incomplete passes later, Hauschka is kicking the game tying FG at the gun.
Third Quarter
Battle of FG continues; these are two top 5 offenses and defenses; it's the defenses that are winning today. 6-6. LA starts at the 28.
1/10 - Haden to Billy Waddy for 16.
3 straight incomplete passes follow, the Rams are punting. Michael Bennett gave Haden a huge shot on third down. Seahawks to start at the 25.
3 and out including a Fred Dryer sack. Rams will start at their own 42, 11:22 left.
And the QB....is Broadway Joe Namath. 34 year old Namath makes his way to the field. Haden being checked out on the sideline.
1/10 - McCutcheon run. Nothing. Seahawks really stacking the line.
2/10 - McCutcheon run. Nothing.
3/10 - Namath goes over the middle to John Cappelletti - Capelletti breaks a tackle and that's a dozen yards and a first down at the Seattle 46.
But that's it - 3 runs get 9 yards - and at the Seattle 37 yard line with a 4th and run - Knox decides he's punting. Frustratingly conservative.
Good kick. Seattle to start at their own 5. 8:05.
1/10 - Rawls for 3.
2/7 - Rawls for 1
3/6 - Wilson finds Marshawn, he goes for 13, Seattle out at the 22.
1/10 - Wilson to Baldwin for 13 more.
That's it - 3 straight incomplete passes and the Rams get the ball back after a punt - and Billy Waddy has a big return --- Waddy takes it back to the Seattle 22 - Rams in business with 3:55 left in the third.
Haden returns to the field.
1/10 - Cappelletti pounds away for 18 - Rams have a first and goal.
1/goal - Cappelletti gets to the goal line - he is just short of the end zone.
2/goal - McCutcheon is met head on at the line by Brandon Mebane and stopped dead.
3/goal - Play fake - Haden looking to squeeze the ball in to Jimmy Nelson --- broken up by Earl Thomas.
4th and inches. 6-6. Knox decides to go for it.
It's a Haden sneak. There's a measurement......
...He's Short! Short! The Seahawk defense with the tremendous goal line stand and Seattle will take possession just outside their own goal line. 1:40 left.
1/10 - Rawls gets 2
2/8 - Incomplete
3/8 - Wilson dropping back - huge pressure - he finds Kearse - 14 yard gain. first down at the 17.
A Lynch run gets back to the line as the quarter ends.
4th Quarter
Tied at 6 after the Seattle goal line stand; 2nd and ten for Seattle at their own 17.
Two runs gain 5 yards. LA gets good field possession after the punt at the Seattle 47.
1/10 - Haden to Harld Jackson for 10.
1/10 - Incomplete
2/10 - McCutcheon gets 1
3/9 - McCutcheon gets 1.
The Rams have 4th and 8 at the 35.
And Knox decides to go for it. So - they could punt - they could try the long FG -- instead, right after the failed 4th and inches at the goal line - it's a 4th and 8.
4/8 - Haden to Jackson gets 13 yards and the first down. The Rams are at the 22, 10:31 left. 6-6.
The next 3 plays gain 1 yard. Rafael Septien hits a 38 yard FG. 9-6 Rams. Seattle will get the ball at the 22, 8:58 left.
1/10 - Lynch for 11.
1/10 - Lynch for 1
2/9 - Rawls breaks one - goes for 35 yards all the way to the LA 31 yard line.
1/10 - Lynch for 3
2/7 - Lynch for 2
3/5 - Wilson in trouble, but he escapes contain, he's near the sticks -- just short.
So - Carroll has a call to make, 4th and inches at the 22, under 5 to play, down a FG.
He kicks. Hauschka makes the 39 yard FG and we are all tied at 9.
The Rams to take over at their own 24, 4:50 left.
3 and out.
Seattle regains at the 35. 3:16 left.
1/10 - Wilson to Lynch for 4.
2/6 - Lynch is stopped at the line at the two minute warning.
3/6 - Wilson finds Rawls for 10 - Seahawks are near midfield and call timeout.
And that's it - a Jack Youngblood sack will move them backwards, they kick it back to LA to the 21 with 64 seconds left.
3 and out - the punt is the last play of regulation.
Overtime
We go to sudden death. 9-9. Someone is going to advance. Someone is going home.
Rams win the toss. They will start at the 30. Namath is back out on the field.
No magic though. 3 and out. Seattle at their own 43 after the nice return by Lockett.
1/10 - Wilson finds Baldwin for a 14 yard gain. Seattle to the Rams 43.
But that's it - and when Larry Brooks sacks Wilson on third down - it pushes Seattle back into their own territory -- a tremendous punt by Ryan is downed at the LA 2 yard line which is where the Rams take over with 10:52 to go.
3 and out.
Rams punt again to Lockett -- another really good return - Lockett brings it back to the LA 20 and that's where Seattle takes over with 9:24 left.
1/10 - Rawls is shut down at the line.
2/10 - Lynch gets 3 to the 17.
3/7 - Lynch loses a yard.
Haushchka lines up for an attempt at a 34 yard game winning FG......
IT'S GOOD! IT'S GOOD! Stephen Hauschka with the GW 34 yard FG in OT and the Seattle Seahawks defeat the LA Rams 12-9 to advance in the tournament!
Final: Seahawks 12 Rams 9 (OT)
The first OT final in the tournament ends a 7 FG game; Seattle advancing.
Wilson: 18-27 170 yds
Haden: 9-23 92 yards
Rawls: 13 carries, 68 yds
McCutcheon: 20 carries, 94 yds
Baldwin: 6 catches, 65 yds
Jackson: 4 catches, 42 yds
Wagner: 13 tackles
Ja Youngblood/Brooks : 2 sacks
Hauschka: 4 FG
Player of the Game: STEVEN HAUSCHKA
