Puka Nacua ejected, Seahawks lead Rams 13-3 at halftime

The Rams are down 13-3 at halftime and will have to play the rest of Sunday’s game against the Seahawks without one of their best offensive players.

Receiver Puka Nacua has been ejected from the game after throwing a punch late in the first half.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford was looking for Nacua deep down the field when he threw an interception to cornerback Riq Woolen. After Woolen picked off the ball, linebacker Tyrel Dodson shoved Nacua. But Nacua threw a punch back at Dodson, which drew a flag and was why he got ejected.

The Seahawks took advantage of their extra opportunity. Geno Smith’s cadence had been able to draw the Rams offside multiple times in the first half, with the last leading to a 46-yard completion to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. A play later, Smith-Njigba caught a 24-yard touchdown to give Seattle a 10-point lead heading into halftime.

Seattle had struggled on offense for much of the first half, but first got on the board late in the second quarter.

Smith found Tyler Lockett for a 30-yard touchdown on a free play, with the Rams having jumped offside.

Jason Myers’ extra point was blocked by Michael Hoecht, keeping the score at 6-3.

Smith ended the first half 10-of-17 for 190 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. With DK Metcalf out, Smith-Njigba leads with three catches for 92 yards.

Notably, after having snap issues last week, the Seahawks have had two issues with shotgun snaps in the first half. On the first, the snap from Connor Williams looked like it could have been fielded by Smith but it went all the way back for a 21-yard loss. The Seahawks should have overcame the second-and-31 to covert on third-and-9 but Smith’s pass was intercepted after the ball went off Smith-Njigba’s hands.

Then in the second quarter, Williams snapped the ball over Smith’s head for a 19-yard loss on second-and-11. Smith was barely able to recover the loose ball before a Rams defender pounced on it.

That helped set up the game’s first points. Though Michael Dickson’s punt went 62 yards, the Rams started their drive at their own 37. They were able to get down to Seattle’s 18-yard line before the drive stalled — with Stafford throwing a near interception to former Rams linebacker Earnest Jones.

But the club was able to settle for a Joshua Karty 38-yard field goal to go up 3-0 with 3:31 left in the second quarter.

Stafford is 12-of-22 for 133 yards and a pick. The Rams have not been able to run the ball, with Kyren Williams gaining just 15 yards on six carries. Cooper Kupp has seven catches for 81 yards. Nacua had just one catch on four targets for 11 yards before his ejection.

Down by 10, the Rams will receive the second-half kickoff.