Special teams play end Rams’ season

The Achilles heel all season long for the Los Angeles Rams was special teams. At first it was blocked kicks and missed field goals. By the time the Rams’ season ran its course in the NFC Championship game against the Seattle Seahawks, the culprit had moved to another area of special teams.   

The kicking game became such a concern during the season that the Rams ultimately made the decision to replace Joshua Karty in favor of Harrison Mevis. 

The team then moved to part ways with then special teams coach (coordinator) Chase Blackburn a few games before the NFL playoffs began. That didn’t solve the issue for the Rams as the play of special teams reared its dramatic head in the NFC Championship game.

And it largely played a part in the Rams being stuck in neutral and one game away from playing in Super Bowl LX. Playing a third time against the Seattle Seahawks, a costly fumble by Rams returner Xavier Smith during a punt return led directly to a Seattle score in the third quarter. 

The Seahawks would go on  to defeat the Rams 31-27 to advance to Super Bowl LX and the right to play the New England Patriots. The Rams can only wonder what could have been and what should have been.    

The play of special teams played a critical part in the outcomes of all three of the playoff games the Los Angeles Rams played in. 

The Rams nearly lost their NFC Wild Card game to the Carolina Panthers because of a blocked punt. Yet they managed to win that game. In a divisional playoff contest against Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears, special teams provided drama again for the Rams. 

This time around it played in their favor as Mevis kicked a 42-yard field goal in overtime to give LA a 20-17 overtime win. The play of special teams, more specifically on punt returns turned out to be the Rams’ undoing in the loss to the Seahawks in the NFC Championship. 

The Rams came up one game short of making it to Super Bowl LX. While there are several areas to point to as to why the Rams dropped the third game they have played against the Seahawks, trying to field a couple of punts became a difficult task for Smith, who had two muffs in the game.

Smith made a recovery of his own bobble the first time he bobbled the ball. The second time around he wasn’t so lucky. In his haste to catch the football, Smith tripped over the turf and wound up coughing up the football. 

The Seahawks recovered and went to score a touchdown. The miscue by Smith caused the Rams seven points. This made the difference in the outcome of the game.   

Photo credit: SEATTLE, WA – JANUARY 25: Puka Nacua #12 of the Los Angeles Rams gets tackled after a reception by Ernest Jones #13 and Julian Love #20 of the Seattle Seahawks during the NFC Championship game on January 25, 2026 at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire)