Los Angeles Rams vs Seattle Seahawks prediction, NFC Wild Card game preview
Los Angeles Rams vs Seattle Seahawks Broadcast
Date: Saturday, January 9
Game Time: 4:40 ET
Venue: Lumen Field, Seattle, WA
Network: FOX
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(6) Los Angeles Rams (10-6) vs (3) Seattle Seahawks (12-4) NFC Wild Card Game Preview
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Why The Los Angeles Rams Will Win The NFC Wild Card
Seattle is fading at the exact wrong time … sort of.
Now, things aren’t that bad – the team has won its last four games with a tweak over the last month with the defense taking over more – but can the offense get it going again?
The Rams might have lost 20-9 in the meeting just a few weeks ago, but the defense worked allowing just 292 yards of total Seattle offense.
Last year, the Seahawks dropped three of their last four regular season games with the offense struggling a bit too much. They managed to get by Philadelphia in the Wild Card round before losing to Green Bay, but again, is this the style of play that can work if the Ram offense gets going?
The Seahawk defense was an issue for most of the season – more on that in a moment – against the good passing teams, but now the O is having problems, coming up with fewer than 330 yards in five of the last six games.
The Ram attack has hardly set the world on first over the last month with a puzzling loss to the Jets, a dud against Seattle, and with a rough performance without Jared Goff in a knockout game against Arizona. However, Goff’s surgically repaired hand seems okay, the midrange passing game should work if the offense can get into an early rhythm, and the defense is still the defense.
Get up fast, get into a groove, and then turn the game over to the best defense in the NFL. The Rams are particularly strong at limiting the big plays downfield, and that’s what Seattle does.
However …
– Why Seattle Will Win
– What’s Going to Happen, Prediction
NEXT: Why The Seattle Seahawks Will Win The NFC Wild Card
Why The Seattle Seahawks Will Win The NFC Wild Card
All of a sudden, the Seattle defense has been terrific.
The Seahawks were getting roasted in wild shootouts, the offense was turning it over way too much, and the team was sliding into the abyss with four losses in seven games. However, during the end of the run, the defense started to step it up a bit.
– CFN Experts Picks: NFL Wild Card Weekend
There were more key stops, the secondary was stronger, and things started to change a bit. The D has allowed more than 350 yards just once over the last seven games – giving up 353 to Washington – after now allowing fewer than 350 in any of the first nine games.
It’s not exactly a ball control attack, but the big turnover issues stopped – Seattle is 0-4 when giving it up multiple times – the pass D isn’t getting torched, and it’s winning games in the 20s instead of in the high 30s.
Now, it helps to play the Giants, Jets, Football Team, 49ers and Eagles to make the defense look better, but it was able to keep the Rams from hitting anything big and bothered Jared Goff into his second-worst game of the season.
– What’s Going to Happen, Prediction
NEXT: What’s Going To Happen: Los Angeles Rams vs Seattle Seahawks NFC Wild Card
What’s Going To Happen: Los Angeles Rams vs Seattle Seahawks NFC Wild Card
There’s way, way, way too much talent on both sides for the two offenses to be just okay, but that’s what we’re about to get for the second time in three weeks.
The defenses are just too good. The LA D is special, the line is a rock, and no one’s able to get the passing game going against a group that hasn’t allowed over 200 yards in any of the last five games.
But Seattle will battle through.
Again with the turnovers. It really is a thing with this Seattle team that it has far too many issues when it gives the ball away multiple times – it’s a sign that something’s off, like it was with the three giveaways in the 23-16 loss to LA in mid-November.
Duh – everyone has problems when the turnovers are flowing – but even with 13 picks on the year, Russell Wilson doesn’t make mistakes. When he does, they come in bunches, and that can’t happen.
Los Angeles – as amazing as the defense is – has forced just two takeaways in the last four games.
Jared Goff and his injured hand will be off just enough to not get the Ram attack moving, and Seattle will survive a grind of a game with Wilson coming up with a gem.
Los Angeles Rams vs Seattle Seahawks NFC Wild Card Prediction, Line
Seattle 23, Los Angeles 17
Bet on Los Angeles Rams vs Seattle Seahawks with BetMGM
Seattle -3.5, o/u: 42.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2.5
Must See Rating: 4.5
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