Rams know theres no room for error on special

Harrison Mevis has made all but one kick since becoming a member of the Rams in November.

The lone miss?

A 48-yard field-goal attempt against the Seattle Seahawks in a Week 16 sport at Lumen Field in Seattle. The Rams misplaced 38-37 in additional time.

“I just pushed it,” Mevis said this week.

Mevis and Rams return to Lumen Field on Sunday for the NFC championship sport against the Seahawks.

The Rams are coming off a 20-17 divisional-round victory over the Chicago Bears, a sport they received with a 42-yard discipline aim by Mevis in additional time.

The Rams and the Seahawks performed twice this season and both video games had been determined by two factors or fewer.

In Week 11, the Rams escaped with a 21-19 victory at SoFi Stadium when a 61-yard field-goal attempt by Seahawks kicker Jason Myers fell short.

Five weeks later against the Rams, Seahawks receiver Rashid Shaheed returned a punt 58 yards for a landing that helped spark his crew’s additional time victory.

Last week against the San Francisco 49ers, Shaheed returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a landing to start the Seahawks on their manner to a 41-6 divisional-round victory.

Sunday’s sport marks the fourth time the Rams will see Shaheed this season. Playing for the New Orleans Saints on Nov. 2, he caught 5 passes and returned two kicks against the Rams. Two days later, the Seahawks traded for the Pro Bowl choice.

Seattle’s Rashid Shaheed (22) celebrates with teammate Cooper Kupp after scoring on a 58-yard punt return against the Rams on Dec. 18.

(Steph Chambers / Getty Images)

“If there’s one person, two people that aren’t executing to the best of their abilities, he’s going to find that crease,” Rams veteran linebacker Troy Reeder said. “And they have a unit as a whole that does a really good job of getting him started in his returns. … You just want to contain this guy, and not let him make a play that could change the game.”

Myers has made 43 of 50 field-goal makes an attempt and 53 additional factors. Punter Michael Dixon averaged 42.2 web yards per punt, and has had no kicks blocked.

“They’re as good as it gets, collectively, on [special] teams,” Rams coach Sean McVay said this week.

Rams’ special groups have been a work in progress.

Joshua Karty opened the season as the kicker, but after three losses had been decided in half by kicking miscues, the Rams signed Mevis to substitute Karty and veteran snapper Jake McQuaide to substitute Alex Ward.

After the loss to the Seahawks, McVay fired special groups coordinator Chase Blackburn and elevated Ben Kotwica to interim coordinator.

Mevis has made 16 of 17 field-goal makes an attempt — including two against the Bears — and 45 additional factors.

Punter Ethan Evans averaged 38 web yards per punt during the common season. The Carolina Panthers blocked a punt in the Rams’ wild-card victory.

In that sport, Reeder recovered a muffed punt. And coverage groups didn’t give up a breakaway play against the Bears.

“I feel like we found some consistency,” Reeder said, “and it’s happened at a good time.”

Now the Rams go back to Lumen Field, one of the NFL’s loudest environments.

Mevis, who performed in the United Football League before signing with the Rams, said that will likely be no downside.

Crowd noise, he said, makes his job simpler.

“In the UFL, you kind of hear singular noises, like you could hear guys cheering,” he said. “When you’re in a loud environment, you really can’t hear one person or hear anything jump out at you, it’s just the overall noise in a sense, but I love those environments.

“I love being there.”