Rams special teams continue to haunt them as Xavier Smith blunder leads to Seahawks TD

Jake Mozarsky

•
Rams special teams continue to haunt them as Xavier Smith blunder leads to Seahawks TD image

Special teams nightmares continued to plague the Los Angeles Rams at the worst possible moment on Sunday, as a devastating blunder by returner Xavier Smith handed the Seattle Seahawks a golden opportunity in the NFC Championship. With the Rams trailing 17–13 early in the third quarter, Smith misjudged a high-hanging punt, stumbling backward before muffing the catch into the waiting arms of Seattle’s Dareke Young.

The Seahawks wasted no time capitalizing on the mistake, scoring a 17-yard touchdown on the very next play to extend their lead to 24–13 and send Lumen Field into a frenzy. For Sean McVay’s squad, the error felt like a recurring ghost; the Rams had already fired special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn in December after a similar late-game breakdown against Seattle in Week 16, yet the unit’s fatal flaw remains the primary obstacle between Los Angeles and Super Bowl LX.

Here's more on Smith's massive error that might cause the Rams a spot in the Super Bowl.

MORE: LIVE updates from Rams vs. Seahawks

Xavier Smith muffed punt

Early in the third quarter of the NFC championship, with the Rams trailing 17–13, Smith drifted back to handle a high, hanging punt in the damp Seattle air. As he tracked the ball, his footing gave way; he stumbled and fell backward, causing the ball to ricochet off his hand and shoulder.

Seattle’s Dareke Young pounced on the muffed ball at the Los Angeles 17-yard line, giving the Seahawks an immediate red-zone possession. The Seahawks wasted no time twisting the knife, with Sam Darnold hitting Jake Bobo for a 17-yard touchdown on the very next snap to take a commanding 24–13 lead.

MORE: Jaxon Smith-Njigba-Sam Darnold connection takes over NFC championship

Rams special teams issues 

For the Rams, the ghosts of special teams past returned to haunt them at the worst possible moment of the NFC Championship. The unit's season-long struggles reached a boiling point in December when Sean McVay made the rare, mid-season move to fire special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn after a catastrophic collapse against Seattle in Week 16.

Despite that change, the fundamental cracks remained unsealed, leading to a disastrous blunder by returner Xavier Smith that handed the Seahawks a third-quarter touchdown.

Before Blackburn's firing, the team had already endured blocked field goals against the Eagles and 49ers, along with a carousel of kickers that left them ranked near the bottom of the league in field goal accuracy. The cracks, however, were never truly sealed. Throughout the playoffs, the Rams’ third phase remained a liability; just weeks ago in the wild card round against Carolina, Ethan Evans had a critical late-game punt blocked that nearly ended their season prematurely.

By the time Smith muffed the punt in the damp Seattle air on Sunday, it was clear that while McVay had changed the leadership, the flaw of the Rams' special teams remained.

MORE PATRIOTS-BRONCOS NEWS:

Senior Editor