LOS ANGELES - A playoff atmosphere permeated the Coliseum on Sunday - and with good reason.
Each of the Los Angeles Rams remaining games is essentially an elimination game as they attempt to make a run to a third consecutive postseason berth.
The Rams stayed in the hunt by defeating the Seattle Seahawks, 28-12, before a crowd of 71,501.
Jared Goff passed for two touchdowns, Malcolm Brown and Todd Gurley rushed for touchdowns and the defense neutralized Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson as the Rams improved their record to 8-5.
The Rams survived interceptions on consecutive series, including one that was returned for a touchdown, and a blocked field-goal attempt thanks to a defense that has surrendered only a touchdown and two field goals in the last two games.
The Rams' victory does not affect their standing much in the NFC West.
The San Francisco 49ers bounced back from a narrow defeat to the Baltimore Ravens and improved to 11-2 Sunday with a 48-46 last-second victory over the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Seahawks are 10-3.
But the Rams avoided falling off the pace for a possible NFC wild-card spot. They are chasing the Minnesota Vikings (9-4), a 20-7 winner Sunday over the Detroit Lions.
The Rams play the Dallas Cowboys next Sunday at Dallas, and then play the 49ers at Levi's Stadium before concluding the season against the Arizona Cardinals at the Coliseum. The Rams probably need to win all of their games - and receive help from Vikings opponents - to secure the wild-card spot.
The Rams' performance was uneven at times Sunday. But it was far better than the last time they played at the Coliseum. Two weeks ago, fans booed them during a 45-6 rout by the Ravens.
The Rams went into Sunday's game coming off last week's 34-7 victory over the Cardinals, a win that showcased what appeared to be the rejuvenation of an offense that featured heavy doses of Gurley, play-action passes by Goff and career performances by Robert Woods and tight end Tyler Higbee.
On Sunday, they picked up where they left off, building a 21-3 halftime lead on Brown's short touchdown run and Goff's scoring passes to Woods and Cooper Kupp.
But the Seahawks quickly closed the gap in the third quarter when Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs intercepted a pass intended for Woods and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown.
On the ensuing possession, Goff again tested Diggs and Diggs again made him pay, intercepting a pass at the Seahawks three yard-line.
But the Rams' defense forced the Seahawks to go three and out.
The Seahawks prevented the Rams from increasing the lead when they blocked Greg Zuerlein's 39-yard field goal attempt.
Early in the fourth quarter, however, Gurley scored on a seven-yard run to increase the lead to 29-8.
The Seahawks added a field goal midway through the fourth quarter.
Goff completed 22 of 31 passes for 293 yards.
Gurley rushed for 79 yards and a touchdown in 23 carries. He also caught four passes for 34 yards.
Higbee caught seven passes for 116 yards, Woods seven for 98.
On Oct. 3 at Seattle, Wilson torched the Rams for four touchdown passes in a 30-29 victory. But he faced a different defense Sunday, one that no longer featured cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib - who were traded - and now includes star cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
On Sunday, Wilson completed 22 of 36 passes for 245 yards, with an interception. Rams linebackers Dante Fowler and Samson Ebukam each sacked him twice and lineman Aaron Donald sacked him once.
Goff completed 15 of 18 passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns, and Gurley rushed for 43 yards in 13 carries, while building the 21-3 halftime lead.
Wilson appeared on track for another big night when he guided the Seahawks down the field on the first possession. But Ebukam sacked him on third down at the Rams' 15-yard line, forcing the Seahawks to settle for a field goal.
Goff completions of 19 and 15 yards to Woods keyed a drive that featured a 33-yard strike from Goff to Higbee that set up Brown's touchdown run.
Late in the first quarter, the Rams began another drive that once again featured Woods and Higbee catching play-action passes. Goff's two-yard touchdown pass to Woods also came after a play-fake to Gurley.
The defense stepped up midway through the second quarter when Seahawks coach Pete Carroll opted to go for it on fourth-and-one at the Rams' 24-yard line. Ramsey broke up Wilson's pass intended for receiver Malik Turner.
The Rams were unable to capitalize in the ensuing possession, but they got the ball back with about four minutes left.
Gurley carried four times during a drive that featured a 21-yard gain by Kupp, who also capped the drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass for a 21-3 lead..