The Los Angeles Rams will be paying a visit to a familiar foe in the Seattle Seahawks for this win-or-go-home Wild Card matchup.
Although the Seahawks finished the 2020 NFL season as the NFC West champs, the winner of this tiebreaker will secure bragging rights by keeping their championship hopes alive.
Rams Offense vs. Seahawks Defense
The biggest question surrounding the Rams’ offense is who will start under center between Jared Goff and John Wolford. Goff is less than two weeks removed from suffering a fractured thumb while Wolford’s promise in his NFL debut has led to speculation regarding which route the team should go in.
Head coach Sean McVay has made it clear that the starter at quarterback will be a game-time decision, and although both Goff and Wolford are officially active for the game, it appears the latter will be getting the start, per Jay Glazer of Fox:
Rams head coach Sean McVay told me John Wolford will be the starting quarterback today versus the Seahawks with Jared Goff backing him up just two weeks after Goff had thumb surgery @NFLonFOX #scoopage
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) January 9, 2021
It remains to be seen how much either quarterback will play, but this is obviously a big decision from McVay if Goff is healthy.
Regardless, the offense will be getting a major boost with the return of left tackle Andrew Whitworth after missing the last two months with a knee injury he suffered versus the Seahawks in Week 10. Wide receiver Cooper Kupp will also be back in the lineup since being taken off the Reserve/COVID-19 list.
Seattle’s defense enjoyed quite the resurgence in the second half of the season by allowing a mere 16 points per game over the final eight games. They also registered a whopping 37 sacks over the final 10 games.
Star safety Jamal Adams sat out practice all week due to injury, but all indications are that he’s good to go for this game.
Rams Defense vs. Seahawks Offense
The Rams defense finished the season ranked as the No. 1-ranked defense after leading the league in both total yards allowed and points allowed. Leading the way for defensive coordinator Brandon Staley are the two First-Team All-Pros in defensive tackle Aaron Donald and cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
Their efforts willed L.A. to the playoffs while the offense continued to struggle mightily down the stretch. However, Seattle’s offense has become accustomed to their style of play and will do all they can to control the clock and keep quarterback Russell Wilson upright.
While they may be at home, having no fans in the stadium robs them of any advantage they had as far as crowd noise goes.
Keys To Victory
Capitalize On Donald Factor
Donald’s affinity for putting the pressure on Wilson has become well-documented through the years and this season was no different. His presence will surely garner plenty of attention from the Seahawks’ offensive line.
The onus will fall on linebacker Leonard Floyd, defensive end Morgan Fox and the rest of the Rams’ pass rush to take advantage when it matters most.
Control The Line Of Scrimmage
Both sides have displayed their preference for going with a balanced approach on offense. Of course, their success this time around will be reliant on the type of push the line is able to generate up front.
Having Whitworth back should help pay huge dividends for the offense, but it remains to be seen if the rest of this group will be up to the task against this surging Seahawks pass rush.
How to Watch
Time: 1:40 p.m. PT
Location: Lumen Field
TV: FOX
