Seattle Seahawks (7-2) at Los Angeles Rams (7-2)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EST, FOX
BetMGM NFL Odds: Rams by 3
Against the spread: Seahawks 7-2, Rams 7-2
Series record: Seahawks lead 28-27.
Last meeting: Seahawks beat Rams 30-25 in Inglewood, California, on Jan. 5.
Last week: Seahawks beat Cardinals 44-22, Rams beat 49ers 42-26.
Seahawks offense: overall (9), rush (17), pass (6), scoring (3).
Seahawks defense: overall (9), rush (3), pass (19), scoring (5).
Rams offense:
overall (5), rush (T-18), pass (2), scoring (5).
Rams defense: overall (11), rush (9), pass (18), scoring (2).
Turnover differential: Seahawks minus-4; Rams plus-7.
LB DeMarcus Lawrence is coming off an incredible performance after returning two fumbles for touchdowns in Seattle’s rout of Arizona. The four-time Pro Bowl linebacker is getting his first taste of the Seahawks-Rams rivalry on Sunday, but he has provided toughness, veteran savvy and credibility since joining Mike Macdonald’s defense this year following his 11 seasons in Dallas.
QB Matthew Stafford became the first player in NFL history to throw for four touchdowns and no interceptions in three straight games when he torched the 49ers for 280 yards and four scores. He has 20 touchdown passes without a pick over his past six games. Stafford has never made an All-Pro team, but that seems like that could change as he is leading the league in touchdown passes. More importantly, he has the Rams on a path to Super Bowl contention for the second time in his six seasons in Los Angeles.
Seahawks QB Sam Darnold vs. Rams OLB Byron Young and Jared Verse. Darnold couldn’t figure out the devastating Los Angeles pass rush last season, taking 12 sacks in two losses with the Minnesota Vikings. Young and Verse had 2 1/2 of the Rams’ NFL playoff-record nine sacks in a wild-card game win over the Vikings, bringing Darnold’s surprise resurgence in Minnesota to an abrupt end. Darnold has taken 10 sacks in nine games to start his time in Seattle, and how he handles pressure in his first taste of this NFC West rivalry will show what the USC product learned.
Seahawks: Starting C Jalen Sundell (knee) is out, but almost everybody else on their lengthy injury report will be ready for Sunday. Former Rams LB Ernest Jones (knee) is expected to play despite being limited in practice, as are CB Jake Jobe (concussion) and WR Tory Horton (groin).
Rams: WR Davante Adams (oblique) will play after being banged up against the 49ers, though his minimal workload in practice this week reflects head coach Sean McVay’s cautious approach. The same is true for DT Kobie Turner, who is dealing with a back injury.
The Seahawks got the better of the Rams in the 2024 regular-season finale when Los Angeles rested many starters after having already clinched the division title. The Rams had won the previous three games in the series. … McVay has an 11-6 record against Seattle, including a wild-card win following the 2020 pandemic season.
The Seahawks have won a franchise-record 10 straight road games. Head coach Mike Macdonald is 11-1 in road games, with his only defeat coming at the Detroit Lions on Sept. 30, 2024. … WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba can become the first player in the Super Bowl era to have at least 75 yards receiving in each of the first 10 games of a season. … Smith-Njigba already has six 100-yard games, one behind Steve Largent’s franchise single-season record of seven in 1979. … WR Cooper Kupp will play against the Rams for the first time. He ranks third in franchise history in receptions (634), third in touchdown receptions (57), and fourth in yards receiving (7,776). … The Seahawks have 19 sacks in their past four games. … Seattle had a franchise-low 12 pass attempts in its win over Arizona, with Darnold completing 10 of 12 throws for 178 yards, one touchdown and one interception. … The Rams have held six of their past seven opponents under 100 yards rushing. They have allowed 649 yards and three touchdown runs in that span. … Stafford needs three touchdown passes to pass Marc Bulger (122) for third in franchise history. … Stafford can join Tom Brady and Dan Marino by throwing four touchdown passes for the fourth straight game. … WR Puka Nacua had five receptions for 64 yards against San Francisco, his lowest totals in both categories this season in a game he finished. … Adams has six touchdown receptions in the past three games, none longer than four yards. … Adams needs one catch to become the 17th player in NFL history with 1,000 career grabs. … The Rams’ offensive line leads the league in penalties per game (5.13) and ranks fourth in sack rate (4.3%).
If new Rams PK Harrison Mevis is still on the waiver wire, this is the time to grab him given the terrific upside of kicking for a high-powered offense. Although he didn’t attempt a field goal in his Los Angeles debut, Mevis was 6 of 6 on extra points, securing the job for at least another week.
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