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# Halftime Observations: Explosive Plays Lead Seahawks to 17-13 Lead in Thrilling NFC Title Game
- URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/halftime-observations-seattle-seahawks-los-angeles-rams-sam-darnold-shines/
- Published: 2026-01-26T01:19:08.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-08T05:53:58.000Z
- Author: Corbin Smith
- Tags: Analysis, Game Day, Seahawks, Sam Darnold, Ken Walker III, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Rashid Shaheed, Nick Emmanwori, Devon Witherspoon

\[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="6483"\]

![  Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) reaches for a touchdown against Los Angeles Rams linebacker Byron Young (0) in the first half in the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images  ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/usatsi_28086151-format-original.jpg)

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) reaches for a touchdown against Los Angeles Rams linebacker Byron Young (0) in the first half in the 2026 NFC Championship Game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images \[/caption\]

SEATTLE, Wash. - In the midst of yet another see-saw battle between two incredibly evenly matched rivals, the Seattle Seahawks got the upper hand in the first half against the Los Angeles Rams with a Sam Darnold touchdown pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba putting them in front 17-13 in the NFC Championship Game.

Here are three quick takeaways from an exciting 30 minutes of play at Lumen Field:

**1.** **Sam Darnold comes out firing, Rashid Shaheed rises to the moment once again.**

Limited once again during the practice week and partaking in an abbreviated pregame warmup routine due to an oblique strain, Darnold showed no ill effects from the injury, ready to launch from the outset. On the third play from scrimmage, Shaheed quickly got a couple steps on his opposing defender and turned on the afterburners, providing a wide open shot play opportunity for the quarterback. While the throw may have been a touch underthrown, the receiver hauled it in to the cheers of a booming sellout crowd for a 51-yard catch, his longest reception since joining the team at the trade deadline. A 16-yard pitch and catch to Jaxon Smith-Njigba on the next play move Seattle into the red zone, setting up a Ken Walker III touchdown run.

Though the next possession didn’t result in a touchdown due to a holding penalty knocking the offense off schedule, Darnold linked up with Walker on a 14-yard screen reception and Smith-Njigba made a miraculous one-handed catch along the sideline to set up 1st and goal for the Seahawks. He later added another 16-yard completion to Smith-Njigba, though that drive sputtered with a botched snap that the quarterback failed to catch and an eight-yard sack on back-to-back plays. To close out the half, he fluttered a beautiful ball down the seam to Smith-Nijgba, who managed to hold onto the catch through a massive hit from safety Kamren Curl for a 42-yard gain, leading to a Smith-Njigba 14-yard touchdown as Darnold threw a dime while getting blasted to go back up 17-13\. The veteran gunslinger finished an impressive half with 12 completions on 18 attempts for 209 yards and 11.6 yards per attempt, squashing any injury concerns.

**2\. Approaching free agency, the Ken Walker Show continues to be prime time worthy television.**

Coming off arguably the best game of his career by tying a franchise record with three rushing touchdowns in the Divisional Round against the 49ers, Walker kept rolling as the bell cow for the Seahawks early on. Following Darnold’s successive explosive pass plays to Shaheed and Smith-Njigba, he impressively displayed his power, speed, quickness, and sheer will on three hard-nosed runs inside the 10-yard line, powering through multiple tackles on second down for a four-yard gain before squirting outside on 3rd and goal from the two-yard line to outrun Byron Young for the right pylon to put Seattle up 7-0 in quick fashion.

On the ensuing drive, Walker kept shaking and baking, refusing to be brought down by the first tackler every time he touched the ball. He ripped off two fantastic eight-yard runs on consecutive plays, drawing plenty of jaw drops on the second one when he left linebacker Omar Speights grasping for air with a filthy juke that looked like it came out of a video game simulation. Klint Kubiak picked the perfect time for a screen on the following snap, as Walker had multiple blockers out in front of him creating space as he turned upfield for a 14-yard gain to set up a 27-yard field goal by Jason Myers. Giving the Rams fits for most of the half, he finished with 61 total yards on 11 touches.

**3\. Big plays once again problematic for a Seattle defense that can’t quite figure Sean McVay out.**

On the plus side, after yielding 37 points to the Rams at their home stadium in Week 16, the Seahawks weren’t near as charitable in the first half. Two of Los Angeles’ first three drives stalled out in Seattle territory, as Matthew Stafford uncorked three straight incompletions on one series and a sack by Demarcus Lawrence set back the other one, leading to a pair of field goals by Harrison Mevis. From a bend but don’t break standpoint, Mike Macdonald’s managed to do fairly well in that capacity, but that good fortune didn’t last into the second quarter as McVay continued to dial up plays that netted explosives.

Continuing to terrorize Seattle’s secondary after racking up 225 yards in the last meeting, Puka Nacua hauled in a 44-yard catch on the Rams’ second drive after beating Devon Witherspoon down the right sideline to set up the first field goal. ‘Spoon got beat again on the next drive when he lost his footing and Davante Adams raced past him inside on a slant, turning the catch into a 23-yard gain to lead to another field goal. After holding strong in their own territory the previous two drives, the dam finally broke on L.A.’s fourth possession, as Nacua struck again with a 21-yard reception and Blake Corum darted for a 19-yard gain to advance into the red zone. Catching the defense napping, Stafford hit a wide open Kyren Williams for a 10-yard touchdown to put the Rams in front 13-10\. Thankfully, the unit amended for those mistakes late in the half, as Nick Emmanwori’s two pass breakups forced a three-and-out and got the ball back to Darnold and the offense with time left to retake the lead.