SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JANUARY 25: DeMarcus Lawrence #0 of the Seattle Seahawks reacts during an NFC Championship NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field on January 25, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Michael Owens / Getty Images)
RENTON, Wash. - On the critical fourth down stop of the Los Angeles Rams in Seattle's NFC championship win on Sunday night, DeMarcus Lawrence didn't do what he was supposed to do.
And it helped send the Seahawks back to the Super Bowl.
Lawrence bailed on rushing quarterback Matthew Stafford to help cover running back Kyren Williams out of the backfield instead. It left just two players rushing the quarterback with nine dropping into coverage, but it took away Stafford's primary target as the Rams looked for a go-ahead score with five minutes left to play.
Stafford's throw for tight end Terrance Ferguson was broken up by Devon Witherspoon in the back of the end zone instead, and the Seahawks ran out the clock for a 31-27 victory to advance to Super Bowl LX.
"I'm just glad that, you know, that moment Spoon knocked the ball down and we got off the field and won," Lawrence said.
Rams head coach Sean McVay thought Lawrence's decision was more like a Bob Ross-style "happy accident" than a deliberate choice by Seattle's 12-year veteran pass rusher.
"They kind of lucked out on two guys peel on Kyren right there, I know that can't be a part of their design. Fortuitous bust by them," McVay said. "… Can't imagine that's what they were really trying to do."
And to be fair, it wasn't what they were trying to do. Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald was caught on tape yelling ‘where’s the end?!' about Lawrence's decision as the play was unfolding, and said after the game they "didn't execute that play well."
But Lawrence had his reasons for freelancing, and it helped keep the Rams out of the end zone.
"I understood that the back was flaring," Lawrence said. "(Julian) Love came down, let me know he was here, so that means he has the back. But the back flared out so fast I knew, you know, it was a funky look, and I had to use my Law logic and, you know, help out."
Lawrence said it was the speed Williams was releasing at that made him realize that he needed to help Love. And with Stafford not providing a threat to run, Lawrence just let his instincts take over.
"The back was too fast," he said. "If it was a regular design and the back wasn't his hot (read), the back would have, you know, waited to see if Julian was going to rush first and then flare it out. But he didn't wait, so that was definitely an indicator like ‘oh s--- moment,' you know. The back is flaring out that fast, that means that's his hot, so he's going to the back first.
"And, you know, playing football, as long as I've played it, I've seen so many formations and schemes, you start to pick up on those things."
For Lawrence to recognize that Love had gotten a bit over-committed with his coverage of Williams and was able to make a split-second decision to help out might be the reason the Seahawks are playing for their second Lombardi Trophy next week.
"I'm just glad that, you know, that moment Spoon (Devon Witherspoon) knocked the ball down and we got off the field and won," Lawrence said.
After 11 years in Dallas and having never even made it to a conference championship game, Lawrence signed with the Seahawks this offseason seeking a chance to reach greater heights. Lawrence had six sacks, three forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries, including two for touchdowns en route to the fifth Pro Bowl selection of his career.
"Twelve years of hard work," Lawrence said. "You know, the days that nobody can see the pain or the days that my wife had to help me get out of the bed, or take care of the family, because I had to go work out and do all the things to be able to play football on Sunday.
"You know, it was definitely a special moment for me. I know it was a special moment for her to see now all my hard work coming into how I dreamed of it being. But, yeah, man, it's definitely special."
Injury Report:
The Source: Information in this story came from FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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