DeMarcus Lawrence clarifies 'fortuitous bust' decision that helped beat Rams

With the NFC Championship game potentially on the line, the Seattle Seahawks' top free agent signing did some undesigned freelancing that came up big.

The Seahawks led 31-27, and the Los Angeles Rams were driving with under six minutes left in the game. Matthew Stafford got his team to the Seahawks' 6-yard line with a 3rd and 4 opportunity. Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon broke up a pass in the end zone, putting LA into desperation mode.

On the next play, Seahawks safety Julian Love was covering the flat. Rams running back Kyren Williams immediately sprinted out of the backfield, but may have had a slight edge on Love. Instead of rushing the passer, Lawrence stuck with Williams — putting two people on the running back and negating that as an option for Stafford.

Stafford had to force a pass into the end zone. The Seahawks nearly ran out of the clock on the next play, sending them to Super Bowl LX.

"The back [Kyren Williams] was too fast," Lawrence told reporters on Thursday, per Seahawks blogger Brian Nemhauser. "If it was a regular design, and the back wasn’t his hot [route], the back would’ve waited to see if Julian [Love] was going to rush first and then flare it out. But, he didn’t wait."

Sean McVay called it a "fortuitous bust" that allowed Seattle to stop the Rams on fourth-and-4 late in the NFC Championship game. He was referring to DeMarcus Lawrence dropping into coverage.

Said Lawrence today: "Fortuitous bust? Yeah man, I’ll take it. I’ll take it all day." pic.twitter.com/k0ytwr9wKy
— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) January 29, 2026

After the game, Rams head coach Sean McVay said it was a "fortuitous bust" in coverage by Mike Macdonald's defense. But Lawrence claims it was an intentional adjustment.

"That was definitely an indicator, like a ‘oh s—’ moment," Lawrence added. "The back is flaring out that fast, that means that’s his hot [route]. So, he’s going to the back first. Playing football as long I’ve played it, I’ve seen so many formations and schemes. You start to pick up on those things."

It should've never been that close in the first place. A Riq Woolen taunting penalty after a third-down stop when the Seahawks were up 11 points extended a Rams drive that immediately gifted LA a touchdown.

The Seahawks punted on the next drive, and that led to the long Rams drive that Lawrence helped negate. Before that, however, it could have been anyone's game.

This Seattle team is as good as it is because of the plays of Lawrence and the team's other defensive stars. General manager John Schneider and Macdonald brought the veteran onto their team to make decisions exactly like that, and it helped them reach their fourth-ever Super Bowl.

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