The Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks are playing catch-up to the undefeated San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West, but the winner of this Thursday’s meeting will gain ground in the division as well as momentum heading into the deeper parts of the season. Read on for a preview of this matchup.
What was that? That’s a pointed question to the Rams’ defense that was supposed to give Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a serious problem, but instead acted like a broken turnstile in a 55-40 home loss last Sunday. What’s more certain is that the Rams need to turn things around defensively over a shorter time, as they play a Thursday game on the road. Against the Bucs, Jared Goff went off for 517 passing yards and two touchdowns, but he also had three interceptions on 45-of-68 completions. The Rams need more support from the backfield, more specifically from running back Todd Gurley, who rushed for two touchdowns against Tampa Bay, but finished with just 16 rushing yards on five carries. In any case, the Rams are sixth in the league with 29.2 points per game, and could pile up points when given the chance.
The Rams are 7-3 straight up (SU) in their last 10 games against the Seahawks.
Betting on the Seattle Seahawks (3-1)
The Seahawks suddenly have a share of the second spot in the NFC West, following Week 6’s loss by the Rams and their 27-10 road win over the Arizona Cardinals. Russell Wilson passed for 240 yards and a touchdown on an efficient 22-of-24 completions. However, Wilson was sacked four times for a loss of 15 yards. The Rams have the talent to constantly pressure Seattle’s pocket and invade it, so the Seahawks will have to be tighter in protecting Wilson. The Seahawks are only 27th in the league with an 8.27 sack percentage on offense.While the Rams seem to struggle in figuring out how to use Gurley, the Seahawks continue to be loyal to running back Chris Carson. Despite his ball-protection issues, Carson was still fed a lot in the Cardinals game, rushing for 104 yards on 22 carries. The Seahawks are going to run no matter the quality of defense in front of it, and they are capable of dealing the Rams’ damage on the ground with Carson knowing that Pete Carroll still trusts him. The Seahawks are averaging 111.5 rushing yards per game.
The Seahawks are 5-4-1 against the spread (ATS) in their last 10 home games.
