Seahawks beat Rams 24-3

Published 12:00 am Thursday, December 15, 2016

The Seattle Seahawks again own the NFC West.

Seattle’s defense dominated the struggling Rams, and Russell Wilson threw three touchdown passes as the Seahawks clinched the division title with a 24-3 victory over Los Angeles Thursday as 69,067 watched at CenturyLink Field.

The win improved Seattle to 9-4-1 and clinched its third division title in four years.

With two games left in the regular season, the Seahawks are third in the NFC standings.

The Seahawks play their final final regular-season home game on Christmas Eve. Arizona visits CenturyLink at 1:25 p.m. on Dec. 24.

Seattle visits San Francisco on Sunday, Jan. 1 to finish the regular season.

Wilson threw for 229 yards and three scores on Thursday, two of them short touchdowns after given an extra chance in the red zone.

Tyler Lockett caught seven passes for 130 yards including a 57-yard touchdown on the second play of the fourth quarter that pretty much sealed the victory.

The Rams’ (4-10) defense limited the Seahawks to 72 rushing yards — 26 of those on a fake punt run by Jon Ryan. But Wilson made the most of his red-zone chances.

The Seahawks defense sent an early message when Bobby Wagner stuffed Todd Gurley on a fourth-and-1 from the Seahawks’ 7-yard line. Los Angeles originally was given the first down. but Seahawks coach Pete Carroll won his second challenge of the first quarter to give the ball to Seattle.

Wearing highlighter-bright uniforms for Thursday Night Football, the Seahawks then marched 93 yards to the game’s first touchdown. Wilson completed a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Luke Willson one play after a fourth-down defensive holding penalty against the Rams extended the drive.

A failed fake punt on the Rams’ next possession set up the Hawks at the Los Angeles 30, leading to a 48-yard Steven Hauschka field goal that made the score 10-0.

In the third quarter, Wilson threw a 1-yard touchdown pas to Doug Baldwin. That came after the Rams challenged that Bryce Hager had intercepted the ball while wrestling the ball away from Seattle tight end Jimmy Graham. But after review, the call stood as an incomplete pass.

With the game in hand late, Seattle punter Jon Ryan ran for 26 yards on a fourth down but took a hard hit and had to be helped off the field.

Ryan and defensive end Michael Bennett were evaluated for concussions after the game.

Rams rookie quarterback Jared Goff also left the game in the fourth quarter to be evaluated for a concussion.

The Seahawks limited the Rams to 183 net yards. Todd Gurley ran for 38 net yards, 22 on one play. They had four QB sacks and held Los Angeles to 3 of 12 third-down efficiency and stopped the Rams on fourth down four times.