The Los Angeles Rams secured an absolutely monumental victory over their division rivals, the Seahawks, in a game that could not only play a part in deciding the NFC West but will have wide-ranging implications in the overall NFC playoff picture.
The win brings the Rams to 2-1 in the NFC West with wins over the Seahawks and 49ers and a loss to the 49ers. They are now tied with the Eagles for the best record in the NFC and they have a one-game lead over Seattle in the division (and a game and a half lead over the 49ers).
Coming up, Los Angeles faces the Buccaneers, Panthers, Cardinals, Lions, Seahawks, Falcons, and Cardinals. It’s a tough stretch to close the year, though the Rams will be favored in most of those games. This win over Seattle gives the Rams a little margin for error and a major head-to-head tiebreaker — at least for now.
The Los Angeles Rams’ Unsung Hero was Punter Ethan Evans
Ishika Samant/GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – SEPTEMBER 21: Ethan Evans #42 and Joshua Karty #16 of the Los Angeles Rams celebrate a field goal during the first quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on September 21, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images)
There are many who deserve credit for the Rams’ massive win. RB Kyren Williams had 91 yards on just 12 carries, powering the offense in the first quarter and scoring a touchdown. WR Puka Nacua had 75 yards and seven receptions and had several key conversions late, both through the air and on the ground. Los Angeles’ defense held Seattle without a touchdown until late in the fourth quarter and picked off Seahawks QB Sam Darnold four times.
But when the Rams needed it most, veteran punter Ethan Evans delivered a knockout blow. With 1:50 left in the fourth quarter and the Rams leading by just two, Evans punted the ball back to the Seahawks from his own 49-yard line and pinned them inside their own one-yard line. It was a perfect punt, bouncing out of bounds just shy of the pylon.
“It was great, you know? I didn’t even realize it was like a game-saving punt,” Evans said after the game. “I just went out there and treated it like it was any other punt. Shoutout to [Rams special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn] and [Rams assistant special teams coach] Ben Kotwica for trusting me to go out and execute in a big moment. I’m thankful for my teammates and everything.”
Los Angeles Rams P Ethan Evans on the Impact of His Punt
“No, I realized on the field,” Evans said in response to a question on if his teammates told him how impactful his punt was. “I saw it bounce way up in the air, and then saw it bounce out of bounds, and then the ref finally called it [out] at the one-yard line. So that’s when I just went crazy.”
The Rams defense played lights-out all afternoon, but Evans’ punt essentially ended the Seahawks’ hopes of a game-winning field goal drive. They had to settle for a 61-yard field goal, which Seattle K Jason Myers missed. Had Evans not pinned them so deep, the kick would have been shorter, and perhaps Myers would have made it, leading to a Rams loss.
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