Dissecting the Rams' Loss to Seattle in Week 16 Mailbag

WOODLAND HILLS, Ca. The Los Angeles Rams dropped a heartbreaker to the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night and the fans had questions from the game. Let's answer them in this week's mailbag.

The last play, and mainly if it was Speights doing the wrong coverage again, costing the Rams a game?

I'm assuming we're just talking about the two-point conversion and not the touchdown to Smith-Njigba. From my perspective, it was good call, better play. Emmanuel Forbes confirmed on social media that they weren't playing man coverage so I have to assume Omar Speights was supposed to pass off the running back to Forbes while maintaining the hook but again, until the team says who had what, we'll never be sure.

Dec 7, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Rams linebacker Nate Landman (53) and Omar Speights (48) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Either way, that didn't cost the Rams the game. The play before did. The Seahawks came out in 12 personnel that Shula matched with nickel. No problems so far. However, he had Derion Kendrick rushing the left tackle, Nate Landman crashing the right, and Omar Speights was caught in no man's land, blitzing late since the running back stayed into block, opening up the entire inside for Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

While not his fault as he was doing as instructed, it has been clear for weeks that teams are going after him in the passing game, and the Rams put him in a bad spot twice in overtime. Derion Kendrick has no business going one-on-one with a left tackle and Nate Landman is better in coverage.

Why is the defense continuing to not blitz when the D-line is failing to get enough pressure?

Creates too many holes. The Rams were already getting picked apart with seven in coverage and if they blitz, I promise you, Seattle's offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak went over every blitz Shula has this week and gave Sam Darnold the answer on how to beat it. Kubiak comes from the Shanahan tree and that tells you everything.

Plus the Rams' effective blitzers who play defensive back are Jaylen McCollough, who's had to play more snaps, thus he can't blitz all the time, and Ahkello Witherspoon who was inactive.

On top of that, blitzing takes energy, and the Rams have no depth at linebacker or dime backer. Troy Reeder is used if necessary, and Shaun Dolac appears to be too young to put it. For players like McCollough, he and Josh Wallace only have each other to rotate out unless they use an outside corner. The injuries to Quentin Lake and Roger McCreary have taken it's toll.

Why would the defense not blitz on the final 2-point conversion?

Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike MacDonald embraces quarterback Sam Darnold (14) after defeating the Los Angeles Rams in overtime at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Great question, and I'm assuming it's due to having to respect the run and the RPO. If Shula dials up a blitz, it looked like Darnold and the Seahawks had every answer to beat it. Shula's whole identity is reliant on giving his defensive line every second possible to make a play on the quarterback and blitzing chips away at that time. At least that's my take.

Why is the player who stomped on Dotson only getting one game!?!

Lack of violent history and an argument (a questionable one, but enough to induce doubt) that the stomp committed by Derick Hall was unintentional in nature, but not in execution.

Why are we not blitzing more, our DBs can’t cover regardless

As mentioned above, it's about health. The Rams do not have the reserves in the secondary to burn on blitzing. Kam Curl and Kam Kinchens virtually never leave the game, the outside corners run a three-man rotation that has evolved to then having one of them rotate inside to slot corner, and then the actual slot corners are used repeatedly.

Dec 14, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams safety Kamren Kinchens (26) is seen during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Lions at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Shula loves to play dime, which requires constant defensive back play. Josh Wallace and Jaylen McCollough only have each other to take turns while they also help relieve Omar Speights and Nate Landman. If Quentin Lake, who can play every snap, or Roger McCreary were healthy, we'd be having a different discussion. Add Ahkello Witherspoon to that list, too.

What’s Santa bringing the Rams? And might any players or coaches receive coal in their stockings?

Hopefully health. Kevin Dotson and Davante Adams could be out for the rest of the regular season if not longer while the team still has several veterans on injured reserve. For coal, the only guy just got fired in Chase Blackburn and to be frank, that situation still remains confusing.

Regardless, Blackburn is out and the gift of Ben Kotwica, Blackburn's replacement, could be the thing the Rams need to compete.

Do the Rams need to re-evaluate the rotation of players at keys moments of the game? It seemed like SEA adjusted to the players on the field and took advantage leading to explosive plays. When is Q expected to return?

Yes. Anytime Josaiah Stewart isn't on the field, it's a missed opportunity. Desjuan Johnson deserves more snaps as well after his play over the last few weeks. Both Stewart and Johnson played 11 and 10 snaps, respectively, and only five of them were pass-rushing reps.

If Braden Fiske continues to endure injury issues, the Rams must go back to having Jared Verse, Byron Young, and Stewart on the field. Have Stewart and Young attack the edges on obvious passing downs while letting Verse bully, playing off of Kobie Turner. Turner is going to draw the double team, leaving Verse with a one-on-one for which he can utilize his patented bull rush to close the pocket, squeezing the quarterback.

The opposition will either have to keep a running back in to block but at that point, it's four eligible pass catchers against seven defenders. Give me that math all day. At least that's my opinion.

For Lake, he won't be back until the playoffs at the earliest.

Is there anyway to know what “immediate continues action” means after a play is blown dead on a live ball?

Yes. Basically, it boils down to this question. Was the player in the middle of the action when the whistle was blown? For Zach Charbonnet, he was in the process of going after the ball on the two-point conversion, leading to the successful try.

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