01/25/26 09:04:00
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01/25 21:03 CST Sam Darnold and Seahawks advance to Super Bowl with thrilling
31-27 win over Rams in NFC title game
Sam Darnold and Seahawks advance to Super Bowl with thrilling 31-27 win over
Rams in NFC title game
By ANDREW DESTIN
AP Sports Writer
SEATTLE (AP) --- Sam Darnold threw for three touchdowns, the Seahawks' "Dark
Side" defense came up with a critical fourth-down stop, and Seattle advanced to
the Super Bowl, beating the Los Angeles Rams 31-27 in an electrifying NFC
championship game on Sunday.
Led by second-year coach Mike Macdonald and Darnold --- an eight-year veteran
playing for his fifth team --- the Seahawks (16-3) reached the fourth Super
Bowl in franchise history and first in 11 years. Seattle lost that most recent
appearance to New England, its opponent in two weeks at Levi's Stadium in Santa
Clara, California.
With Los Angeles (14-6) facing fourth-and-4 at the Seattle 6, coach Sean McVay
elected to go for it and Matthew Stafford's pass was broken up in the end zone
by Devon Witherspoon. The Rams didn't get the ball back until there were 25
seconds left, and Puka Nacua was tackled inbounds near midfield on the final
play.
Stafford threw for 374 yards and three touchdowns, but the Rams were undone by
critical errors, including a muffed punt by Xavier Smith in the third quarter.
On the next play, Darnold connected with Jake Bobo for a 17-yard touchdown.
Darnold, who flopped in his playoff debut last season with the Minnesota
Vikings, played through an oblique injury and completed 25 of 36 passes for 346
yards with no turnovers. Jaxon Smith-Njigba had 153 yards receiving and a
touchdown on 10 catches.
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