Dave Boling: Even in loss, Seahawks defense proves elite status against Rams

Even in losses, big games can prove big points.

This one qualified: The showdown between the Seahawks and Rams, both 7-2, battling for NFC West dominance, came down to the final play.

In what could generously be labeled an encouraging loss, Seattle’s shot at a game-winning, last-second field goal fell short, allowing the Rams to hold on to a 21-19 win.

Proven: The Seahawks’ defense, even in the loss, has gone from being very good to extraordinary. Wait until you see some of those stats that provide evidence.

Proven: For all his steady and confident play throughout the first half of the season, quarterback Sam Darnold has not completely shed the unreliability of former incarnations.

Four interceptions led to short-field possessions that even the stalwart Hawk defense couldn’t quite derail.

Even though Darnold was objectively horrible, some faulty protection contributed to his statistical nightmare.

Proven: The Seahawks are right there. So close. The Rams are truly one of the top teams in the league, but after going down 14-0 in the first period, the Hawks nearly shut them down the rest of the way.

Proven: Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is worth the price of admission – every week – and is worthy of being considered unstoppable.

For the seventh time in nine games, the elegant receiver charted 100 yards or more, going for 105 on nine catches.

The highlight of his day was a deep ball up the left sideline that Darnold lofted perfectly in stride, that JSN pulled in with the finger tips of one hand.

Back to the defense. So many ways this defense has become elite.

The biggest was the way they made Matthew Stafford look like an ordinary quarterback. Coming into this one, he was leading the NFL (among regular starters) in passing yards per game (270).

He finished with a paltry 130 passing yards. Time after time, Seattle coach Mike Macdonald cued up pressures and coverages that caused Stafford to complete just 15 passes in 28 attempts – his least yardage of the season, and almost 150 yards below his average.

Stafford, in his 17th season, has been playing with career-high efficiency and accuracy. But the Rams ended up with only 249 yards for the game.

Of course, they only had 50 plays on Sunday – just three in the entire second quarter.

And, despite their four interceptions of Seahawks passes, the Rams only possessed the ball 22 minutes.

Coming into the game, the one statistical advantage that stuck out was in turnover differential, as the Seahawks were minus-4 and LA was plus-7. And that proved to be the difference in the outcome.

Yes, that brings us back to Darnold for evaluation and culpability.

As the Seahawks were climbing in the subjective league power rankings during their recent four-game winning streak, Darnold had been gaining traction in MVP consideration.

Many analysts scoffed at the Seahawks picking him up after having a mostly substandard start to his career after having been the third overall player taken in the 2018 draft. And Darnold largely quieted the doubters.

The Seahawks’ previous two losses were narrow, and quirky turnovers by Darnold surely contributed.

Against the Rams, there were few mitigating factors in his performance, though. At least two of them were bad decisions or faulty deliveries.

However, on Sunday, occasional protection failures made him particularly vulnerable. Those happen to all quarterbacks. Darnold simply didn’t respond appropriately to the pressures.

Encouraging on the offensive side: Behind Kenneth Walker III’s 67 yards on 16 carries, the Hawks rushed for 135 yards, against an L.A. team that had been giving up just 97.

Also, in addition to JSN’s consistently eye-popping receiving totals, tight end A.J. Barner had 10 catches for 70 yards.

Also proven: The Seahawks easily could have gotten their emotions drained after four Darnold interceptions, especially after the Rams went up 21-12 in the fourth quarter.

But the defense remained stout and determined. And Darnold answered by throwing the ball exclusively to players in Seahawks jerseys.

Even when they took possession at their own 1 inside two minutes, they drove 56 yards to give kicker Jason Myers a shot at a 61-yard field on the final play.

The kick, and the chances for a Seahawks win, fell short.

But they proved some important points in the loss, and have seven more games to close the narrow gap with the Rams.