Turning Points: The plays that won Seahawks the NFC Championship

It took a number of big plays for the Seattle Seahawks to get back to the Super Bowl for the first time in more than a decade.

Seahawks beat Rams | Instant Reaction | Box score

Sam Darnold connected on big passes. Seattle’s standout defensive players made plays when they needed to. And the Los Angeles Rams provided a little help during Sunday’s 31-27 Seahawks victory in the NFC Championship at Lumen Field.

Here’s a look at the plays and sequences that helped the Seahawks punch their ticket to Super Bowl LX.

• Darnold connects with Shaheed for 51-yard gain

The Seahawks couldn’t have asked for a much better time for Rashid Shaheed to have the longest catch of his brief tenure in the Pacific Northwest.

With the Seahawks facing third-and-5 on their first drive of the game, Shaheed got behind the defense on a go route and Darnold found him for a 51-yard gain down to the Rams’ 25-yard line.

SHEED BACK AT IT ‼️ 51-yard reception @RashidShaheed

📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/6XWkx96qfN

— xz* – Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) January 25, 2026

Darnold connected with Jaxon Smith-Njigba for 16 yards on the next play, and Seattle handed it off to Kenneth Walker III on the next three plays, including Walker’s 2-yard score to put the Seahawks up 7-0.

• Emmanwori’s back-to-back pass break-ups

The Rams had a chance to get a second quick score and extend their lead just before halftime, but rookie safety Nick Emmanwori came up with two big pass break-ups to make sure that didn’t happen, which was potentially a 14-point swing for the Seahawks.

Emmanwori was able to knock away a second-down pass intended for star wide receiver Puka Nacua, which would have went for a first down. And on the next play, he broke up a pass near the chains to running back Ronnie Rivers to force a punt and get the Seahawks the ball back with 54 seconds until halftime and all three timeouts remaining. Those plays by Emmanwori set up what came next.

Emmanwori let Stafford know after he forced this incompletion 👀

(📺 FOX) pic.twitter.com/8Gq3nGb5bm

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) January 26, 2026

• The Darnold-JSN drive

After Emmanwori helped force the punt, Darnold and Smith-Njigba put on a show before halftime.

The pair connected for a 10-yard pass on the first play. Then, Darnold found the NFL’s leading receiver deep down the middle of the field, and Smith-Njigba held on through a huge hit for a 42-yard gain.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba becomes the 4th player in NFL history to record 90+ receiving yards in at least 14 games in a season, including playoffs 😮‍💨

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— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) January 26, 2026

Three plays later, Darnold stayed poised under pressure and found an open Smith Njigba for a 14-yard TD strike and 17-13 lead with 20 seconds until halftime.

• Xavier Smith fumbles punt

The Seahawks were able to get a two-for-one in an unconventional way thanks to some help from the Rams’ special teams unit.

After it appeared the Rams had forced a three-and-out on the first drive of the second half, punt returner Xavier Smith couldn’t corral a Michael Dickson punt and Dareke Young recovered for the Seahawks at the Los Angeles 17-yard line.

HUGE turnover on special teams. Seahawks take over.

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— NFL (@NFL) January 26, 2026

Jake Bobo hauled in a 17-yard touchdown pass from Darnold on the very next play to go up 24-13.

Did someone order a Jake Bobo touchdown?

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— NFL (@NFL) January 26, 2026

• The Darnold-Kupp drive

It didn’t take the Rams long to answer back after Bobo’s TD catch. Matthew Stafford and the offense marched 75 yards for a TD of their own on just four plays.

Los Angeles was just one play away from getting the ball back quickly before Cooper Kupp caught a pass for 12 yards to convert a third-and-9. Kupp capped the drive with a 13-yard TD grab to go up 31-20 with 4:52 left in the third quarter, which proved to be the game-winning score.

COOPER KUPP COMES THROUGH.

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— NFL (@NFL) January 26, 2026

• Spoon locks down in the red zone

Standout cornerback Devon Witherspoon had some uncharacteristic mistakes in this game, but he came through with a couple of massive plays late when the Seahawks needed him to.

With the Rams trailing 31-27 during the fourth quarter in what would end up being their best chance to take the lead late, Witherspoon broke up a pass in the end zone on third down intended for wide receiver Konata Mumpfield and got in front of tight end Terrace Ferguson to break up a pass on fourth down and force a turnover on downs.

Big plays, big moments. @DevonWitherspo1 pic.twitter.com/BgtnCl3umx

— xz* – Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) January 26, 2026

More on the Seattle Seahawks

• Seahawks’ ‘Dark Side’ defense has its legacy moment
• Seahawks avoid disaster after Riq Woolen’s taunting penalty
• Stacy Rost: Sam Darnold meets the moment for Seahawks
• On to the Super Bowl! Seattle Seahawks win NFC title
• Seahawks chair Jody Allen raises 12 Flag for NFC Championship

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