LOS ANGELES – Andrew Whitworth led the way for the community.
Then the left tackle led the way for Todd Gurley II and the Los Angeles Rams as they defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 36-31, on Sunday at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum.
Gurley scored in his 13th consecutive game, with Whitworth out front on the 17-yard touchdown run.
Jared Goff passed for 318 yards and with touchdowns to tight ends Gerald Everett and Tyler Higbee. It was Goff’s first career game with multiple touchdown passes to tight ends, according to ESPN Stats and Info.
Aaron Donald sacked Russell Wilson 2 ½ times to set a new franchise single-season defensive tackle sack record with 12.5 this season
It was a trying week for the Rams and the greater Los Angeles area.
On Thursday, the organization awoke to the news of a mass shooting at Borderline Bar and Grill, located just over 4 miles from the team’s practice facility in Thousand Oaks and seven miles from their business headquarters in Agoura Hills.
A gunman killed 12 people, including Ventura County Sheriff Sgt. Ron Helus, who was on duty and rushed into the bar to save lives.
Whitworth implored teammates to wrap their arms around the community, before setting an example.
Whitworth will donate his game check from Sunday to the Ventura County Community Foundation’s Conejo Valley Victims Fund, a fund to support the families of the victims.
“You’re looking for any answer, you’re looking for what can we do to solve this or what can we do to help people that are going through this, in the tragedy, in the moment, there is no perfect way,” Whitworth said earlier this week. “I just don’t — the way that I believe and operate, I just don’t believe that sitting there wondering is the best way, I believe in finding a way to put your feet on the ground.”
Then on Friday, the Rams canceled practice, as wildfires raged across Ventura County and eventually spread to Los Angeles County, invading communities where many in the Rams organization live.
This photo was taken last night by one of the coaching staff members on the Rams. This is from the parking lot of the practice facility. pic.twitter.com/XvFXvJrppM
— Sarina (@sarina) November 10, 2018
At least 45 Rams employees, including around 20 players and coaches, were among the 250,000 that have been evacuated across Ventura and Los Angeles Counties.
Included in the evacuations, Jared Goff, Wade Phillips and general manage Les Snead.
But so far, none of the Rams’ homes are expected to be among the 170 that have been destroyed by the fires.
Rams ownership and management assumed financial responsibility in covering expenses for employees, many of whom are young professionals and interns, who had to evacuate and relocate because of the wildfires.
And despite all that, the Rams improve to 9-1 and will spend the next week in Colorado Springs, Colorado, before a highly anticipated Week 11 matchup against the 9-1 Kansas City Chiefs in Mexico City on Monday Night Football.
Source : ESPN
