Seahawks overcome 16-point deficit to stun Rams 38-37 in OT in NFC West showdown

SEATTLE (AP) — Mike Macdonald was in no mood to play for a tie, and the Los Angeles Rams’ defense had no interest in letting Sam Darnold connect with any of his top receiving options.

After Darnold hit Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a touchdown in overtime, Macdonald entrusted his quarterback to win it for Seattle.

Darnold did just that, hitting a wide-open Eric Saubert for the 2-point conversion, and the Seahawks overcame a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit to stun the Rams 38-37 on Thursday night for a one-game lead in the NFC West.

“It was something we talked about throughout the season and particularly for this game because of the playoff situation,” Macdonald said. “You know, you play for the tie and lock up a playoff seat, but I just felt great about our play and I trusted our guys.”

The Seahawks became the first NFL team to win on an overtime 2-point conversion. They attempted two other 2-point conversions and converted both, none more improbable than the one that tied it at 30 in the fourth quarter.

Darnold’s deflected pass intended for Zach Charbonnet was initially ruled incomplete, but after a replay review was determined to be a backward pass. Charbonnet, who had casually picked up the loose ball in the end zone, was credited with the points.

“I’m glad Charbs picked it up,” Darnold said, “and that obviously was a game-changing play.”

So, too, was Rashid Shaheed returning a punt 58 yards for a touchdown with 8:03 remaining in the fourth, which was followed by Darnold connecting with Cooper Kupp for the 2-point conversion.

“It just takes one play,” Kupp said. “... It’s that one punt, Rashid takes it to the house and we’re in a situation where you can convert a 2-point conversion, and suddenly it’s a one-score game. And those little momentum shifts, the energy in the stadium has changed.”

After a three-and-out by the Rams, Darnold found tight end AJ Barner for a 26-yard TD, and Charbonnet tied it on the quirky 2-point play.

The Rams got the ball first in overtime and Matthew Stafford connected with Puka Nacua, who cruised untouched into the end zone for a 41-yard touchdown to make it 37-30. Nacua finished with 12 catches for 225 yards and two TDs, and Stafford had 457 yards passing — the third-most of his career — and three scores as the Rams' offense totaled 581 yards without a turnover.

Nonetheless, the Seahawks came up with some big stops in the fourth quarter. The Rams had four punts and a missed field goal on their final five possessions of regulation.

“We’re a very resilient, relentless group,” Darnold said.

Seattle (12-3) clinched a playoff spot and moved into position for the top seed in the NFC, while LA (11-4) faces a road playoff opener if it can’t overtake the Seahawks.

Darnold, who threw four interceptions against the Rams in a 21-19 loss on Nov. 16, had two in this one, including by 297-pound defensive end Kobie Turner. But he made clutch throws in the fourth quarter and OT, finishing with 270 yards passing and two TDs.

“He’s resilient,” Kupp said. “His steadiness. His leadership. I mean, all these things that you want in a quarterback."

Smith-Njigba and Nacua entered the evening as the NFL’s leading and second-leading receivers in total yardage. By the end of the night, Nacua had the NFL’s receptions lead with 114.

“Puka is a great player,” Macdonald said of Nacua. “He made some great contested catches that you got to kind of chalk up to him being a great player.”

Smith-Njigba, meanwhile, increased his total yards receiving to 1,637 in 15 games. He also set the Seahawks’ single-season franchise record with his 101st catch of the season. Smith-Njigba pushed the total to 104.

The Rams played without Davante Adams, who was ruled out with a hamstring injury. Adams aggravated his hamstring injury while running a long route in the fourth quarter of the Rams’ 41-34 win over Detroit on Sunday.

Without the NFL’s leader in touchdown receptions, the Rams settled for field goals in the red zones three times.

Rams: Offensive lineman Kevin Dotson injured his ankle in the first quarter and did not return.

Seahawks: Three players in the secondary left in the fourth quarter: Safety Coby Bryant (knee), safety Nick Emmanwori (evaluated for a concussion) and cornerback Riq Woolen (knee).

Rams: At Atlanta on Monday, Dec. 29.

Seahawks: At Carolina on Sunday, Dec. 28.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Seattle Seahawks tight end Eric Saubert (81) celebrates after making a two-point conversion during overtime in an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks tight end Eric Saubert, second from left, celebrates after making a two-point conversion during overtime in an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) scores a touchdown during overtime in an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua scores a touchdown during overtime in an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws during the second half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold throws during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks tight end Eric Saubert, second from left, celebrates after making a two-point conversion during overtime in an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Information from a tipster who had a strange encounter with another man on a sidewalk outside Brown University was key to police identifying the suspect they believe killed two students at the school and then two days later gunned down a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor.

Known only as “John” in a Providence police affidavit, the source is being hailed by investigators as the key figure who gave law enforcement the details needed to determine who was behind the Brown shooting, as well as the killing of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor who was shot in his Brookline home Monday.

Ever since a shooter unloaded more than 40 rounds inside a Brown engineering building, anxiety and frustration has plagued the Providence, Rhode Island, community as police appeared no closer to identifying the person.

Yet on the sixth day of the investigation, the case gathered steam, ending with police announcing late Thursday they had found the suspected gunman dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The tipster, John, was the reason why.

“He blew this case right open," said Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha of the information provided by the individual that resulted in finding the gunman nearly 24 hours later.

“When you crack it, you crack it,” he said.

According to police, John had several encounters with 48-year-old Claudio Neves Valente before Saturday's attack. As police posted images of a person of interest — now identified as Neves Valente — John began posting on the social media forum Reddit that he recognized the person and theorized that police should look into “possibly a rental” grey Nissan. Reddit users urged him to tell the FBI, and John said he did. The police affidavit said they learned about the tip on Dec. 16, three days after the shooting and a day after the tip line was created.

Up until that point, the police affidavit says officials had not connected a vehicle to the possible shooter.

That detail led them to get more video of a Nissan Sentra sedan with Florida plates and enabled Providence police officers to tap into a network of more than 70 street cameras operated around the city by surveillance company Flock Safety.

The affidavit says John gave investigators additional critical details: he encountered Neves Valente in the bathroom of the engineering building just hours before the attack, where John noted the suspect's clothing was “inappropriate and inadequate for the weather.”

John also bumped into Neves Valente outside, mere blocks from the building, where John watched Neves Valente “suddenly” turn around from the Nissan when he saw John. What ensued was then a “game of cat and mouse,” according to John's testimony — where the two would encounter each other and Neves Valente would run away.

At one point, John says he yelled out "Your car is back there, why are you circling the block?”

“The Suspect responded, ‘I don’t know you from nobody,’ then Suspect repeatedly asked, ’Why are you harassing me?'” according to the affidavit.

John told police he eventually saw Neves Valente approach the Nissan sedan once more and decided to walk away.

“Respectfully, I have said all I have to say on the matter to the right people,” John wrote on Reddit Wednesday night.

As of Thursday, it's unknown whether John will receive the $50,000 reward the FBI had offered for information about the Brown shooting.

Ted Docks, special agent in charge of the FBI, said it was possible when asked by reporters.

“It would be logical to think that, absolutely, that individual would be entitled to that,” he said.

Associated Press writer Matt OBrien contributed to this report.

Law enforcement officers search the area for the Brown University shooting suspect, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Salem, N.H. (AP Photo/Reba Saldanha)

Law enforcement officers are seen outside a storage facility where a suspect in the shooting at Brown University was found dead, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Salem, N.H. (AP Photo/Reba Saldanha)

A poster seeking information about the campus shooting suspect is seen on the campus of Brown University, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, in Providence, R.I. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)