(News4usonline) – Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams just turned the NFL upside down. Well, that might be a little overdramatic. However, the Rams’ 30-13 win against the Seattle Seahawks, their NFC West Division rival, is a big deal.
The fact that the Rams pulled off this upset win in Seattle in the season-opener for both teams is even more stunning.
It’s probably a really good chance that no one saw this coming except maybe McVay and the players inside the Rams locker room. And with their No. 1 wideout, Cooper Kupp, out of uniform and standing on the sidelines, the odds of the Rams kicking Seattle’s tail on their home turf, seemed more than a bit unrealistic.
That goal appeared to be unattainable. But this is why you play the game. Nothing is given. Everything is earned. McVay and the Rams didn’t just beat Seattle. They earned this victory. Whatever McVay told his team it worked.
Who would have thought that rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua would lead the team in pass receptions and do his best Kupp impersonation with 10 catches for 119 yards? Yeah, and what about TuTu Atwell? If you saw Atwell catching six passes for 119 yards against the Seahawks defense, please stand up.
This was not about a two-man show. Winning on the road requires a team effort. The Rams used the team concept in order to beat a team that made it to the playoffs last season. Kyren Williams scored two touchdowns. Quarterback Matthew Stafford played like Matthew Stafford, going for 334 yards through the air.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Rams played lights out in the second half of the ballgame. After giving up 13 points in the first half, the Rams defense didn’t give up a single point over the last two quarters. The Rams held Seattle quarterback Geno Smith to just 112 yards passing and limited the Seahawks to 180 yards in total offense.
What the Rams did to Seattle is a blueprint to getting a win on the road. The reason why this is a surprise win is because the Rams have a lot of young and inexperienced players on their roster. However, by revamping and shuffling their team personnel, the Rams will bring a different energy this season.
The Rams drafted 14 players in the 2023 NFL Draft. Wouldn’t you know it that all 14 of those players are on the team’s 53-man roster. Nacua is one of those players. Byron Young (0.5) and Kobie Turner, both rookies as well as Nacua, had their moments in the sun when they recorded sacks of Smith.
The Rams outscored Seattle 23-0 in the second half of the ballgame. The next big test for the Rams is a home date against the San Francisco 49ers. Expect McVay to have his team fired up and ready to get after their NFC rivals.
Dennis has covered and written about politics, crime, race, sports, and entertainment. Dennis currently covers the NFL, MLB, NBA, NCAA, and Olympic sports. Dennis is the editor of News4usonline.com and serves as the publisher of the Compton Bulletin newspaper. He earned a journalism degree from Howard University. Email Dennis at dfreeman@news4usonline.com