Tavon Austin is regarded as the Rams’ No. 1 receiver, but Kenny Britt was Case Keenum’s top target on Sunday in the Rams’ 9-3 victory over the Seattle Seahawks at the Coliseum.
Britt caught six passes for 94 yards.
“We have that rhythm,” Britt said of his connection with Keenum. “We have a thing going on where he can tell where I’m going to be without being told.
“He looks at me, gives me that wink, a signal, and he knows I’m going to be there.”
Britt had two catches during the Rams’ first scoring drive, but he had a key drop on a third-down play early in the second quarter.
“Kenny Britt came to work and I knew he was going to have a special game,” Keenum said, adding, “Even battling through the drop on third down, which I immediately told him that, ‘I’m coming to you again.’
“I love throwing him the ball.”
Coach Jeff Fisher recalled Britt’s drop and said he was looking for more consistency from all of the receivers.
“But he made big plays and the throws were there,” Fisher said. “And the throws were timing throws, and he’s showing some run-after-catch, which we expect out of him.”
The Rams have yet to score a touchdown, but Britt said the offense took some of the pressure off the defense by sustaining more drives than in the opener.
“We got into red zone and our kicker saved our butt,” he said, “but we definitely need to score touchdowns.”
Wilson limited
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson completed 22 of 35 passes for 254 yards and was sacked twice.
Wilson escaped trouble several times, but Rams defensive tackle Michael Brockers said Wilson’s mobility was adversely affected by the ankle sprain he suffered during last week’s 12-10 victory over the Miami Dolphins.
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Rams Robert Quinn celebrates his sack on Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson but the play was nulified by offsetting penalties.
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Rams Michael Brockers makes a tackle on Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls without his helmet at the Coliseum Sunday.
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Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, left, and Rams head coach Jeff Fisher shake hands after the game.
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Rams receiver Kenny Britt watches head coach Jeff Fisher kiss the forehead of his daughter Ava after the game.
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Bet they wish they had Carson Wentz right about now.
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Rams Mark Barron (26) causes a fumble as Alec Ogletree recovers the ball from Seahawks running back Christine Michael late in the 4th quarter to preserve the Rams win.
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Rams Mark Barron (26) causes a fumble as Alec Ogletree recovers the ball from Seahawks running back Christine Michael late in the 4th quarter.
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James Corden performs with Rams cheerleaders between quarters.
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Rams quarterback Case Keenum is sacked by Seahawks Cassius Marsh who was called for a penalty for grabbing the face mask in the 4th quarter.
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Rams running back Todd Gurley is brought down by Seattle Seahawks defenders in the fourth quarter at the Coliseum on Sept. 18. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll reacts to a penalty in the second quarter.
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Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett hauls in a long pass in front of Rams defensive back Troy Hill late in the fourth quarter on Sept. 18. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Rams fans cheer for their team against the Seahawks. The Rams won their home opener, 9-3.
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Seahawks quarterback Russell Willson barely gets a pass off as Rams Aaron Donald tackles him in the 4th quarter.
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Rams quarterback Case Keenum is sacked by Seahawk defenders in the 3rd quarter.
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Rams receiver Tavon Austin makes a catch in front of Seahawks Bobby Wagner.
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Rams head coach Jeff Fisher watches a play from the sidelines against the Seahawks.
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Rams cornerback Troy Hill breaks up a pass intended for Seahawks receiver Paul Richardson in the second quarter.
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Seahawks running back Christine Michael tries to get away from the Rams defensive pursuit in the fourth quarter.
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Rams quarterback Case Keenum is brought down by Seahawks defensive end Frank Clark after a short gain in the fourth quarter.
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Rams defensive end William Hayes celebrates after dragging down Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls for a loss in the first quarter.
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Rams defensive end Robert Quinn forces a fumble by Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson in the closing seconds of the second quarter.
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Rams receiver Tavon Austin is tackeld by Seahawks Frank Clark, center, and Kam Chancellor in the after an eight-yard gain in the first quarter.
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Rams safety Maurice Alexander puts a hit on Seahawks wide receiver Jermaine Kearse in the second quarter.
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The Rams’ Lance Kendricks makes a catch in front of the Seahawks’ Mike Morgan during the second quarter of a Sept. 18 game at the Coliseum. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin tries to get around Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman in the second quarter. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Rams cornerback Troy Hill is called for pass interference as he defends against Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett in the second quarter Sunday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Rams running back Todd Gurley looks for room to run against the Seahawks in the second quarter.
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Rams coach Jeff Fisher walks along the sideline in the fourth quarter.
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Rams players prepare to take the field before a game with the Seahawks at the Coliseum.
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Rams fans cheer during the NFL football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum on Sunday, September 18, 2016 in Los Angeles.
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A Rams Melonheads fans cheer during the NFL football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks.
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Jack Youngblood, from left, Eric Dickerson, Orlando Pace, Marshall Faulk, Jackie Slater and Tom Mack are honored during a Pro Football Hall of Fame ceremony.
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Rams owner Stan Kroenke talks with NBA susperstar LeBron James before the start of the game.
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LA Rams owner Stanley “Stan” Kroenke stands during a hall of fame ceremony.
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Red Hot Chili Peppers lead singer Anthony Kiedis performs before the first Rams home game at the Coliseum.
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Red Hot Chili Peppers Flea, let, and lead singer Anthony Kiedis perform before the first Rams home game.
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Flea and Anthony Kaedis from the Red Hot Chili Peppers perform before the Rams-Seahawks game. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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The Melonheads pose before the Rams-Seahawks game on Sunday at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Rams home opener is the first regular season game for the team in Southern California in 22 years.
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Rams fans walk by the Metro Expo Line light rail before the start of the game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks at the Coliseum on Sunday.
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Rams fans party and play parking lot football before the Rams-Seahawks game on Sunday.
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Rams fan Lance Miller barbecues chicken before the Rams-Seahawks game.
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Grant Mogford peers out of the window of his party bus before the Rams-Seahawks game at the Coliseum.
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Rams fans and a lone Seahawks fan gather for a tailgate party before the game.
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A police officer sets up outside the Coliseum before the Rams-Seahawks game.
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A lot attendant poses with an old sign offering parking for $180, after the price was lowered to $140, near the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Sunday.
(Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times) Wilson rushed for 14 yards in five carries.
“There were some plays — playing against him for five years — he would have took off and maybe got 30 or 40 yards,” Brockers said. “And now he was getting tackled for a two-yard gain.
“Definitely, his mobility was a struggle, which definitely helped us get to him and kept him from getting out and making some big plays.”
Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll agreed that Wilson was limited.
“I thought he did great under the cirumstances,” Carroll said, “and he was able to get out a few times and avoid some pressure, and I thought it was a really good effort by him.”
Penalty problems
Touchdown scoring isn’t the only Rams problem area.
After being flagged 10 times for 102 yards in a 28-0 opening loss at San Francisco, the Rams were penalized nine times for 78 yards against the Seahawks, three against the defense on Seattle’s only scoring drive. Defensive penalties also kept alive two 49ers’ scoring drives last week.
With Seattle facing a third-and-10 from its 19-yard line with 5 1/2 minutes left in the first quarter, defensive end Ethan Westbrooks was called for offsides. Wilson passed seven yards to Doug Baldwin on the next play.
Four plays later, Wilson scrambled for a five-yard gain and was hit hard by linebacker Alec Ogeltree as he slid into the turf. Ogeltree was flagged for unnecessary roughness, a 15-yard penalty, giving Seattle a first down at the Rams’ 24-yard line.
Later in the drive, cornerback Trumaine Johnson was called for a facemask penalty that gave the Seahawks a first-and-goal at the four. But Ogeltree tackled Christine Michael for a one-yard loss, Wilson threw two incomplete passes, and Seattle settled for Steven Hauschka’s 23-yard field goal.
gary.klein@latimes.com
mike.digiovanna@latimes.com
