Tag: rams seahawks

Rams open as 4.5-point underdogs vs. Seahawks in wild-card round

The Rams are on the road against the Seahawks, so it’s no surprise Seattle is favored.

After splitting the season series 1-1, the Rams and Seahawks will play a rubber match – only this time, the loser’s season will end. The third-seeded Seahawks are set to host the No. 6 seed Rams in the wild-card round of the playoffs this weekend, which will decide who advances to the divisional round.

With the game being played in Seattle, it’s no surprise that the Seahawks opened as the favorites in this one. At BetMGM, the Rams are 4.5-point underdogs to Seattle. That’s tied for the third-smallest spread of the weekend, with only the Browns and Titans being smaller underdogs.

The over/under has been set at 42.5, the lowest of all wild-card games by four points. Neither the Seahawks’ nor the Rams’ offense is playing well right now, though both defenses have been stout as of late – and in the Rams’ case, all season.

This is just the fifth time the Rams will be underdogs this season. The Bucs, Eagles, Bills and Seahawks (Week 16) were all favored over the Rams. Los Angeles went 2-2 in those games and covered the spread twice.

As far as this rivalry goes, Saturday will be only the second time the Rams and Seahawks have met in the postseason. The previous matchup was in the 2004 playoffs, a game the Rams won 27-20 on the road.

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Aaron Donald on facing Seahawks in playoffs: ‘That’s exactly what we wanted’

Aaron Donald is excited to face the Seahawks for the third time this season – this one coming in the playoffs.

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The Rams were left with a sour taste in their mouths last week when they were crushed by the Seahawks on the road, 20-9. It dropped their record to 9-6 and put them in danger of missing the playoffs.

But by beating the Cardinals on Sunday, the Rams set up a third meeting with the Seahawks – their second in a three-week span. As the No. 6 seed, the Rams will visit the Seahawks on Wild Card Weekend to open the playoffs, squaring off on Saturday afternoon.

They split the season series 1-1, and Aaron Donald is excited to face the Rams’ division rival for a third time next weekend in a win-or-go-home rubber match.

After L.A.’s win over Arizona, Donald said facing the Seahawks is “exactly what we wanted.”

Donald has always played well against the Seahawks, so it’s no surprise that he wants another shot at them. Seattle clinched the NFC West by beating the Rams last weekend, but L.A. will try to avenge that loss by eliminating its rival from the postseason with a win.

Kickoff is set for 4:40 p.m. ET on Saturday afternoon on FOX.

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Rams unsure who will start at QB next week vs. Seahawks

Jared Goff was expected to be ready for the playoffs, but that may not be as certain now.

John Wolford wasn’t perfect in his NFL debut against the Arizona Cardinals. He threw an ugly interception on his first pass attempt, missed a few receivers downfield and clearly battled some early-game jitters, which is understandable.

However, he was plenty good enough to help the Rams win the game and clinch a playoff berth. And now that L.A. is in the dance, there’s some uncertainty as to who will start at quarterback against the Seahawks on wild-card weekend.

Will it be Wolford again after he threw for 231 yards and rushed for another 56? Or will Jared Goff reclaim his starting job, assuming he’s healthy enough to play? Sean McVay said last week that Goff would likely be available for the playoffs, saying last Monday that “he actually should be available if we’re able to handle business, for the playoffs, which is pretty amazing.”

But after the Rams’ win on Sunday, he wasn’t so sure about Goff’s availability. He told reporters that he’s “not sure” if Goff will play and the team will think about starting Wolford again.

McVay expressed confidence in Wolford and was impressed with the quarterback in his NFL debut, saying he was “the star of the offense.”

“He showed up in a big way,” McVay added. “I was impressed with him.”

It’s hard not to like what Wolford was able to do in his first action, bouncing back nicely from an early interception. He showed poise and confidence in the pocket, displaying what the Rams saw in him as Goff’s backup.

We should get more clarity as the week goes on whether Goff or Wolford will be the Rams’ starting quarterback.

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Rams unsure who will start at QB next week vs. Seahawks

Jared Goff was expected to be ready for the playoffs, but that may not be as certain now.

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John Wolford wasn’t perfect in his NFL debut against the Arizona Cardinals. He threw an ugly interception on his first pass attempt, missed a few receivers downfield and clearly battled some early-game jitters, which is understandable.

However, he was plenty good enough to help the Rams win the game and clinch a playoff berth. And now that L.A. is in the dance, there’s some uncertainty as to who will start at quarterback against the Seahawks on wild-card weekend.

Will it be Wolford again after he threw for 231 yards and rushed for another 56? Or will Jared Goff reclaim his starting job, assuming he’s healthy enough to play? Sean McVay said last week that Goff would likely be available for the playoffs, saying last Monday that “he actually should be available if we’re able to handle business, for the playoffs, which is pretty amazing.”

But after the Rams’ win on Sunday, he wasn’t so sure about Goff’s availability. He told reporters that he’s “not sure on that right now” when asked if Goff will play and the team will think about starting Wolford again.

“You know what, we will talk about that, but I thought he did a great job today,” McVay said of Wolford possibly starting. “He made plays. I know there is guys around him that are capable of making some of those and I expect those guys to be able to do that but I thought that he really gave us a chance offensively with the amount of plays that he made in the pass game with his legs, athleticism, being able to extend things, I thought he was outstanding against a really tough defense that came ready to go. I was really pleased with John.”

McVay expressed confidence in Wolford and was impressed with the quarterback in his NFL debut, saying he was “the star of the offense.”

“He showed up in a big way,” McVay added. “I was impressed with him.”

It’s hard not to like what Wolford was able to do in his first action, bouncing back nicely from an early interception. He showed poise and confidence in the pocket, displaying what the Rams saw in him as Goff’s backup.

We should get more clarity as the week goes on whether Goff or Wolford will be the Rams’ starting quarterback.

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NFL announces date and time of Rams-Seahawks playoff game

The Rams will visit the Seahawks on Saturday afternoon in the first round of the playoffs.

The Rams will have a quick turnaround before their playoff game this week. After beating the Cardinals to lock up a postseason berth, Los Angeles will face the Seahawks in the wild-card round.

The NFL announced Rams-Seahawks will be played at 4:40 p.m. ET on Saturday afternoon, with the game being broadcast by FOX. It’s the second game of wild-card weekend, right after Colts-Bills on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET.

The nightcap on Saturday will be the Buccaneers against the winner of the NFC East, which will either be Washington or the Giants.

Here’s the full wild-card schedule, as announced by the Rams on Sunday night.

NFC playoff picture: Rams and Seahawks to clash on wild-card weekend

The Rams secured the No. 6 seed in the NFC, setting up a rubber match with the Seahawks next weekend.

Two games weren’t enough to decide the winner of Rams-Seahawks this year, so they’ll take things into the postseason for a wild-card rubber match next weekend. For the second time in three weeks, the Rams and Seahawks will square off in Seattle with the winner advancing to the divisional round of the NFC playoffs.

By beating the Cardinals on Sunday, the Rams secured the No. 6 seed in the conference. The Seahawks also locked up the No. 3 seed and will host the Rams in the first round of the postseason.

Here’s how the NFC playoff picture looks ahead of Sunday Night Football.

1. Packers (13-3)

2. Saints (12-4) vs. 7. Bears (8-8)

3. Seahawks (12-4) vs. 6. Rams (10-6)

4. Washington/Giants vs. 5. Buccaneers (11-5)

The Rams beat the Seahawks in their first meeting this season, 23-16, back in Week 10. The Seahawks avenged that loss in Week 16, however, by beating the is just the second time ever the Rams and Seahawks will meet in the playoffs.

The other came after the 2004 season when the Rams beat Seattle, 27-20, in the wild-card round. The Rams made the playoffs at 8-8 that year, while Seattle finished the season 9-7.

NFL power rankings: Rams drop again after Week 16 loss to Seahawks

The Rams are barely in the top 15 after losing two straight games.

Two straight losses haven’t knocked the Rams out of playoff contention, but a third consecutive defeat paired with a victory by the Bears next week will. Their confidence has been shaken and the fanbase has lost hope in Jared Goff, who will miss the finale after undergoing thumb surgery.

And on a more national scale, pundits have sunk the Rams in their power rankings ahead of Week 17. They plummeted from No. 6 to 14 after their loss to the Jets, and this week, they dropped a bit further.

Touchdown Wire has the Rams ranked 15th, one spot behind the Cardinals, their Week 17 opponent.

According to ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI), even in the wake of the Los Angeles Rams’ loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon the Rams have almost a 90% chance at still getting into the postseason. With a win next week over the Arizona Cardinals, or a loss by the Chicago Bears (against the Green Bay Packers), the Rams are in.

That fact is probably of little comfort to Rams fans given how the team has played recently, and the status of their quarterback.

It’s hard to feel good about the Rams as the postseason approaches. The offense scored nine points against the Seahawks after putting up only 20 against the Jets. They’ve scored at least 30 points just once since Week 6 and now rank 19th in scoring.

The defense continues to carry the team, allowing fewer than 30 points in 14 of their 15 games so far, but the offense has lagged behind too often and lost close games.

Maybe John Wolford will provide a spark. Maybe Andrew Whitworth will make a difference if he returns in the playoffs. Maybe Sean McVay will correct his play-calling struggles. Or maybe the Rams will just fizzle out in January the way they have in the last two weeks.

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Jared Goff had surgery on thumb, will miss Week 17 vs. Cardinals

John Wolford will get the start in Jared Goff’s place this week.

Jared Goff showed remarkable toughness during Sunday’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks, even if he wasn’t able to lead the Rams to victory. He dislocated his thumb and popped it back into place between plays, and it’s since been reported that Goff’s thumb is actually broken.

He finished the game without missing a snap, but he won’t be available for Week 17 against the Cardinals. Sean McVay shared an update on Monday, saying Goff underwent surgery on his thumb and will miss the season finale.

It’s a huge blow to the Rams’ playoff hopes, as this is the first time Goff will miss a game due to injury in his career. He’s played every offensive snap this season and is the only player to attempt a pass for the Rams.

John Wolford will take over as the starting quarterback against Arizona, his first NFL action. He’s never played a regular-season snap in the pros, but he’s performed well in limited preseason action and was a stud in the AAF. McVay did say that he’s hopeful Goff will be back for the postseason if the Rams are able to secure a spot in the playoffs,

McVay is confident Wolford will be prepared to start the season finale against the Cardinals. The Rams can clinch a playoff berth with a win over Arizona or a loss by the Bears to the Packers.

Rams Week 16 snap counts: L.A. tweaks OLB rotation with Terrell Lewis back

Terrell Lewis returned after missing four games and was the Rams’ No. 3 outside linebacker.

The Rams haven’t made major changes to their starting lineup this season, mostly sticking with the same key contributors throughout the year when health has allowed it. Sure, they’ve had to replace the likes of Micah Kiser, Taylor Rapp and Jordan Fuller at points, but their starters have remained mostly unchanged.

That held true against the Seahawks in Week 16, though Darrell Henderson Jr. got the start with Cam Akers out. On defense, Samson Ebukam officially got the start opposite Leonard Floyd, but he didn’t get much playing time at outside linebacker.

Below are the Rams’ complete snap counts, with analysis of each position.

Jared Goff could put off surgery on thumb, adamant about playing vs. Cardinals

There’s a chance Jared Goff could still play in the season finale against the Cardinals.

As their season crumbles before their eyes, the Rams may have to play their final game against the Cardinals without Jared Goff. He suffered a broken thumb in Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks, according to multiple reports, and will require surgery to repair the issue.

But Ian Rapoport of NFL Network is reporting that Goff could put off the procedure in an attempt to play through the injury, just as he did on Sunday. It all comes down to pain management and his ability to grip and throw the football, which could be difficult.

Goff will undergo more testing once the swelling goes down, but his status in practice will be closely monitored leading up to the season finale.

After the loss to Seattle, Goff said he’s “uncertain” about whether he’ll be able to play in Week 17. He said his thumb didn’t hurt while playing through the injury and that it felt OK after the game ended.

Sean McVay also wouldn’t speculate on his quarterback’s health, saying they’ll “see what the final verdict is on that.”

If Goff can’t play, John Wolford and his zero career snaps will take over as the starting quarterback in the Rams’ biggest game of the season. Fortunately, they can still get into the playoffs with a loss if the Bears also lose, but they’d prefer not to enter the postseason on a three-game losing streak.