From the moment Rams cornerback Troy Hill stepped on the Coliseum field early in the second quarter on Sunday, he could sense Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson eyeing him like a vulture sizing up his prey.
Hill, an undrafted free agent from Oregon who replaced the struggling Coty Sensabaugh on the right side, played sparingly in his only four NFL games, so he knew he would be a prime target of Wilson, an accomplished passer who has thrown for 14,486 yards and 107 touchdowns in four-plus seasons.
But even Hill seemed surprised by the aerial assault that rained down on him during the final 45 minutes of the Rams’ 9-3 victory.
“I’m an unproven corner, so I know I’m gonna get tested,” Hill said. “But man, they took shots at me. They were picking on me. They threw the deep ball on me four or five times.”
The last of those bombs nearly sank the Rams. The Seahawks took over on their 12-yard line with 1 minute 53 seconds left, plenty of time for Wilson, who needed 3 1/2 minutes to drive Seattle 75 yards in 14 plays for the game-winning score with 31 seconds left in a season-opening 12-10 win over Miami.
“The Seahawks always finish games,” Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson said. “Just like they did last week, when they went all the way down to score.”
Wilson dropped back on the first play and launched a long pass down the middle to Tyler Lockett, who beat Hill cleanly and made the catch for a 53-yard gain to the Rams 35-yard line.
“He put that pass right on the money,” Hill said of Wilson. “Those guys get paid, too. Of course they’re gonna make plays.”
But Hill salvaged the play by making a desperate lunge for Lockett and grabbing just enough of the receiver’s ankles to trip him up and prevent a game-winning score.
Two plays later, Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree stripped the ball from Seattle running back Christine Michael after an eight-yard pass play and recovered the fumble, sealing the Rams’ first win of the season.
“He got beat, but he made a big tackle to save a touchdown and gave us a chance,” Rams safety T.J. McDonald said of Hill. “That’s all you can ask for. … He did a good job of standing some guys up and making some plays.”
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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) The Rams secondary, which lost cornerback Janoris Jenkins and safety Rodney McLeod to free agency last winter, was suspect in the exhibition season and in a season-opening 28-0 loss at San Francisco, and the Rams played Sunday without injured cornerback E.J. Gaines.
Sensabaugh started against the Seahawks, but when he was beat down the left sideline by Lockett for a 35-yard gain with five minutes left in the first quarter, Hill was told he would be going in.
On Seattle’s first two possessions of the second quarter, Wilson tested Hill deep three times. The first, a 40-yard completion to Lockett, was negated by Lockett’s offensive pass-interference call.
The second, intended for Paul Richardson, was batted down by Hill. The third, to Lockett, fell incomplete, but Hill was flagged for defensive pass interference, giving the Seahawks a first down.
Hill played most of the second half and didn’t get burned too badly again until Lockett’s 53-yard gain with 1:33 left.
“I’m not gonna lie to you — I didn’t expect to play that much,” said Hill, a Ventura St. Bonaventure High product who played for the Cincinnati Bengals last season. “I thought it would be a couple of series.
“It was my first real game being out there, and there were some good things, and some bad things. That’s just learning. I think I did all right, but I know I can do better. I have a lot of expectations.”
mike.digiovanna@latimes.com
Twitter: @MikeDiGiovanna
