Why Rams-Seahawks was perfect, plus ranking the Zachwards Pass among 2025 gifts

It needs to end in overtime with a walk-off, game-winning catch. A fourth-quarter comeback to get it there. The No. 1 seed should be on the line. The stadium must be loud, and the score should be high, but not too high. Something like 38-37. You'll want excellent quarterback play, a few 20-plus yard runs, some turnovers, and a special teams score. If we're greedy, let's add a play that's so unique it deserves a name.

Yes, last night's game was perfect.

In a battle for the NFC's top seed, the Seahawks -- 0-172 in franchise history when trailing by 16 or more in the fourth quarter (🤯) -- staged a comeback for the ages. They are now 12-3 and in control of the NFC, while the Rams sit fifth in the conference at 11-4.

Matthew Stafford threw for 457 yards and three touchdowns, while Puka Nacua caught everything thrown his way. Ever the resilient one, Sam Darnold shook off interceptions and sacks to complete the rally. Rashid Shaheed even checked the special-teams touchdown box, and we also saw the most improbable 2-point conversion in NFL history. (The only thing missing was some life from the broadcast booth.)

On that conversion, Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet picked up what he thought was a dead ball. Instead, it was the game-tying two points.

The Zachwards Pass tied the game at 30. After Seattle was gifted those two points, it inspired me to think of the gifts other teams received this year.

Inside: Ranking gifts for each team, plus a quick fix for the Chiefs? Ted Nguyen explains.

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Where does the Seahawks' all-time play rank among the top gifts each team received in 2025? Let's start at 32.

32. Maxx Crosby gifted the Raiders his time. The soul of the franchise, Crosby signed a three-year extension this offseason. The rare win for Vegas in 2025.

31. Commanders gave Jayden Daniels a left tackle. Offseason addition Laremy Tunsil has been as good as advertised, not that it helped Daniels much. His lost season was one of Washington's many issues, as Nicki Jhabvala explains after a brutal year.

30. Dolphins will get a new GM. The general manager since 2016, Chris Grier had zero playoff wins and three appearances over nine years. He was fired in October. Finally.

29. Justin Jefferson gifted the Vikings calm. The All-Pro receiver has been a model citizen in Minnesota, despite having every reason to complain as he struggles to reach 1,000 yards (832 with three games remaining) after the team let Sam Darnold go.

28. Giants gave their fans a Brian Daboll firing. The Giants have talent on both sides of the ball, a surprise since they mustered just 11 wins in the past three seasons under Daboll. To celebrate the holidays, my colleague Charlotte Carroll shared the 12 Day-bolls of Christmas.

27. Saints scooped up Tyler Shough. Fresh off an upset win over the Panthers, New Orleans' 26-year-old rookie QB has shown chemistry with receiver Chris Olave and the athleticism to win via the air or the ground. He's almost good enough for the Saints (4-10) to be comfortable skipping a quarterback in the 2026 draft.

26. Jets gifted themselves future picks. Rookie tackle Armand Membou appears to be a franchise left tackle, and the Jets (3-11) can use two first-round picks in the 2026 draft and three first-rounders in 2027 to build a contender. They're bound to mess it up, but still.

25. Myles Garrett gave the Browns something worth watching. The only number that matters at the end of Cleveland's remaining games is Garrett's sack count: 21.5 entering Sunday against the Bills. He's one away from tying Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt's record, but Josh Allen doesn't go down easily.

24. Chargers got a young star in Tuli Tuipulotu. After 8.5 sacks in just nine starts last season, the 23-year-old, third-year edge has 12.5 through 14 starts with Joey Bosa now in Buffalo. Once an overlooked three-star recruit, the former second-round pick Tuipulotu is now one of the league's best players.

23. Ravens got a weak AFC North. After a 1-5 start, it's a miracle that a playoff run is still possible for Baltimore (7-7). Credit the ineptitude of a typically strong division.

22. Texans were gifted a lineman. Ed Ingram was an afterthought when they signed him from Minnesota this offseason, but the 26-year-old guard has been the best player on an offensive line that was expected to sink Houston (9-5).

21. Cowboys stole George Pickens. He's hearing criticism lately, but Pickens averaged 95 receiving yards per game and scored eight touchdowns over the first 12 games of the season, and is third in the NFL with 1,212 receiving yards. Easily worth the third-round pick (and change) and $3.6 million salary he's cost Dallas.

20. Chiefs gave Patrick Mahomes a left tackle. The 32nd pick of this year's draft, Josh Simmons looks like a future Pro Bowler at the second-most important offensive position, and he's on a rookie contract through 2029.

19. Trey McBride gave the Cardinals a WR1. Since Jacoby Brissett took over, McBride's been the NFL's best tight end. Heck, maybe the league's top receiver? He has the third-most yards (796) and a league-leading nine receiving touchdowns since Week 6. Marvin Harrison Jr. continues to miss time.

18. Falcons got their pass rush. The Falcons couldn't figure out how to get sacks. Not anymore, thanks to two first-round edge rushers who helped the Falcons to 48 sacks, second-most in the league. Was it worth the cost? Josh Kendall investigates.

17. Buccaneers got Tristan Wirfs back. Tampa Bay's star left tackle missed the first four games after undergoing offseason knee surgery. Since then, only Penei Sewell has a higher PFF grade among tackles.

16. Panthers got wins. Tied with the Buccaneers at 7-7, Carolina hasn't won this many games since 2018. It could even make the playoffs if it beats a struggling Baker Mayfield twice over the final three weeks.

15. Bills kept the gift that is James Cook. Despite having never extended a rookie-contract running back, Buffalo's management ponied up for Cook. His $11.5 million proved a bargain, as Cook is its second-best (yet not even top-10 highest-paid) player and second in the NFL in rushing yards.

14. Bengals got an elite cornerback in DJ Turner II. The 25-year-old is having a third-year breakout in Cincinnati; he leads the NFL in passes defended and might be the best corner in football.

13. Aaron Rodgers gave the Steelers competency. With Mahomes injured and the conference-leading Broncos and Patriots seemingly unproven, the AFC feels wide open for the first time in years. Rodgers is playing well enough to give Pittsburgh a shot.

12. Colts had a quarterback. At one point this year, fans in Indy could cheer for their 7-1 Colts, led by the unstoppable Jonathan Taylor and franchise QB Daniel Jones. Indy is now 8-6, with Philip Rivers under center. Fun while it lasted.

11. Seahawks' 2-point conversion. It helped Seattle clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2022, and has the team positioned to win the NFC West for the first time in five years. It was also the unforgettable moment from the perfect game.

Andy Reid is one of the greatest schemers the league has ever seen, but even going back to his years in Philadelphia, his biggest weakness has always been his reluctance to run the ball.

With the league trending toward smaller, faster defenders and prioritizing coverage over stopping the run, the Chiefs are fighting fire with fire, continuing to rely on Patrick Mahomes and his passing attack against light boxes and two-deep defenses.

I get it. Taking the ball out of the hands of Mahomes is not an easy decision to make. The Bills gave Josh Allen a legitimate run game built around a physical offensive line and James Cook, and it's taken a considerable load off of his shoulders.

With Mahomes' ACL injury, it's reasonable to expect his mobility could be affected for the entirety of next season. It is more pertinent than ever that the Chiefs build and commit to a legitimate running attack. I explained exactly how they can do that in the full story. You can read it here.

I'll leave you with our Week 16 watch guide. More great matchups incoming.