Kyren Williams rushed for the first two touchdowns of his career as the visiting Los Angeles Rams scored 23 unanswered points in the second half to defeat the injury-riddled Seattle Seahawks 30-13 Sunday afternoon in the opening week of the NFL season.
Cam Akers also rushed for a score and Matthew Stanford completed 24 of 38 passes for 334 yards for the Rams, who went 5-12 last season as the defending Super Bowl champions. Rookie Puka Nacua, a fifth-round pick, made 10 catches for 119 yards.
Kenneth Walker III rushed for a game-high 64 yards for the Seahawks and Geno Smith was 16-of-26 passing for 112 yards and a touchdown.
Seattle struggled to move the ball in the second half, running 14 plays from scrimmage for 2 yards after scoring on three of its four first-half possessions.
That was due in large part to losing both their starting offensive tackles to injuries. Right tackle Abraham Lucas sustained a knee injury in the first half and left tackle Charles Cross was taken to the locker room on a cart early in the second half with a toe injury and neither returned. Wide receiver Tyler Lockett missed time in the second half while being checked for a concussion.
After trailing 13-7 at the half, Williams tallied on a 7-yard run to cap the Rams’ opening possession of the third quarter and Brett Maher kicked a 38-yard field goal.
Akers scored on a 1-yard run on fourth down with 9:45 remaining to give the Rams a double-digit lead and Maher added field goals of 54 and 45 yards in the final five minutes.
Smith threw a 10-yard scoring strike to DK Metcalf and Jason Myers kicked field goals of 36 and 42 yards before intermission. Myers had another 39-yard attempt clank off the right goalpost.
Williams scored on a 1-yard run on the Rams’ opening possession, capping a 16-play, 75-yard drive that lasted 9:13. Maher had a 57-yard field-goal attempt blocked by Jarren Reed and a 56-yarder on the final play of the half fade wide right.
Rams receiver Cooper Kupp, a native of Yakima, Wash., who starred at FCS Eastern Washington, didn’t play after being placed on injured reserve (hamstring) Saturday.
–Field Level Media
