SEATTLE -- Pharoh Cooper kept making moves, kept finding holes, kept running vertically, and the Seattle Seahawks just kept right on punting to him. The Los Angeles Rams' second-year wide receiver finished Sunday's 42-7 win from CenturyLink Field with 128 yards on seven returns.

"I ain't gonna lie, I was kind of surprised," Cooper said of Seahawks punter Jon Ryan continuing to feed him opportunities. "I thought they were going to try to kick them short to allow their coverage team to get down the field a lot faster. He kept booting them far, and that just kept giving us opportunities to make some more plays."

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Cooper, who leads NFC return specialists in fan votes for the Pro Bowl, returned the second punt 53 yards, all the way to the 1-yard line to set up an easy touchdown run for Todd Gurley. He returned the fourth one 26 yards to the Seahawks' 36. The next one also went 26 yards, to Seattle's 47. It helped the Rams start five first-half drives within enemy territory, a major reason they led 34-0 at halftime.

"He's been tremendous all year for us and has done a great job in the return game," Rams quarterback Jared Goff said of Cooper. "He's found a little niche for himself."

Cooper, a second-year receiver out of South Carolina, entered the year without a defined role. But he quickly shined as a kickoff returner, where he scored a touchdown and currently ranks second in the NFL while averaging 28.17 yards per return. An uncommon amount of early season muffs by Tavon Austin then prompted Cooper to take over as the Rams' punt returner by Week 6. And since then, his 13.45 yards per return trail only the Detroit Lions' Jamal Agnew for the NFL lead.

The key, Cooper said, is trusting his blockers enough to display the patience that helps them set up their blocks.

"Really, I knew I could do it all along," Cooper said of returning punts at the NFL level. "I just never really had the chance because Tavon was back there. I never doubted myself coming into the league as far as punt returner, kick returner. It’s just my opportunity came, and I took advantage of it."