LOS ANGELES (AP) — Greg Zuerlein kicked three field goals — the longest a 47-yarder in the fourth quarter — and the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Seattle Seahawks 9-3 on Sunday that marked the return of pro football to the nation’s second-largest market for the first time in nearly 22 years.
Plenty of penalties slowed down the game for the announced crowd of 91,046 on a searing day at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where the Rams marked the long-awaited occasion by wearing blue-and-gold throwback uniforms for their regular-season home debut.
The Rams (1-1) are still without a touchdown after losing 28-0 at San Francisco in their season opener. With field goals accounting for all the offense, it was hardly the high-scoring show Los Angeles sports fans are known to crave.
At times, the dull roar of chatter was the loudest sound from the crowd until the fourth quarter when they were on their feet cheering the Rams’ defense.
Alec Ogletree recovered a fumble by Seattle’s Mark Barron at the Los Angeles 29 with 57 seconds left in the game, ending the Seahawks’ last scoring bid.
Seattle racked up 10 penalties for 114 yards; the Rams had nine penalties for 78 yards.
Both teams put on a defensive slugfest, with passes getting broken up in the end zone, offensive drives ending in punts and neither quarterback airing it out much.
Seattle’s Russell Wilson was 22 of 35 for 254 yards, getting sacked twice. He had sprained his right ankle in last week’s win over Miami.
Rams starter Case Keenum was 18 of 30 for 239 yards. He was sacked three times.
The victory extended the Rams’ recent dominance against their NFC West rival. They’ve won four of their past five against the Seahawks, including both games last season. The Rams’ defensive line has sacked Wilson 18 times in the past five meetings.
Zuerlein got the Rams on the board in the first quarter with a 39-yard field goal. The Seahawks (1-1) tied it on a 23-yard field goal by Steven Hauschka in the second.
Zuerlein put the Rams in front 6-3 on a 20-yarder with 1:04 left before halftime. Early in the fourth, he made it 9-3 on his longest kick of the game.
RED HOT
The temperature hit 88 degrees under cloudless skies and lead singer Anthony Kiedis stripped off his No. 16 Jared Goff jersey during the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ pre-game concert in the west end zone. A group of Rams Hall of Famers, including Jackie Slater, Marshall Faulk, Eric Dickerson and Jack Youngblood helped light the Coliseum’s torch, which also burned when the stadium hosted the 1932 and 1984 Olympics.
STILL WAITING
Goff, the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, was promoted to backup for the game after being the inactive third-stringer in the Rams’ opening-week loss. Goff practiced with the first-team offense more often during the week, but has yet to make his regular-season debut.
BACK HOME
Seattle coach Pete Carroll returned to the Coliseum, where he oversaw Southern California’s football dynasty for nine years that included two national championships before jumping to the NFL. Rams coach Jeff Fisher was back in the same stadium where he played for the Trojans in college. Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman played for the first time near his hometown of Compton.
LBJ IN THE HOUSE
LeBron James of the NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers attended the game as did members of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings.
WORTH NOTING
The Rams sacked Wilson for an 8-yard loss and they recovered the ensuing fumble to end the first half. … The last time the Rams wore their throwback uniforms was throughout the 1999 season, when they went 13-3 and won the Super Bowl. … The Seahawks have scored a combined 15 points in their first two games, having beaten Miami 12-10 last week. … The Rams shared the Hollywood spotlight Sunday with the Emmy Awards, which were being held up the street from the Coliseum.
UP NEXT
Seahawks: They host San Francisco next Sunday.
Rams: They travel east next Sunday to play Tampa Bay.
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