Seahawks-Rams Preview 10 Things

[travisduncan]

Rams DE Chris Long will be a load for Breno Giacomini to handle on Sunday ICON SMI

1.The Seahawks have a tough enough schedule not to beat St. Louis. Sunday's game goes down as a game the Seahawks should win. In fact the Seahawks have played the toughest schedule in the NFL so far this season, with an opponent's combined record of 45-37.

With 49ers poised to win the division, the NFC West is about second place. Any of the positive momentum and respect gained by the fans with the win over Baltimore would all be for not if the Seahawks fall to Rams and drop to 3-7.

It's the games you should win which often mean the most.

2. The Seahawks have beaten the Rams in every regular season matchup since 2005, except for last season's Week 4 20-3 loss. Besides that game the Seahawks have owned the Rams, winning 11 of the last 12.

3. Marshawn Lynch has never posted three straight 100-yard rushing games. The run game was M.I.A. in the early part of the season, but he's come out with two straight in the last two weeks.

Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo seems blown away by the 'Hawks rushing game.

"We're about to face - I think - one of the better rushing teams in the league," Spagnuolo said, via the Seattle Times.

"It's evident. They've shown what they can do as a rushing team the past two weeks, and if we don't find a way to somehow control that, it will be a very long day for us."

Spagnuolo's concern is no doubt rooted in the fact the Rams are dead last in the NFL against the run giving up an average of 150.6 yards per game.

The Rams allowed Cowboys rookie DeMarco Murray to rush for 253 yards back on Oct 23.

Rams defensive end Chris Long said after that game "it was just terrible. It was terrible run defense."

4. Chris Long has five sacks in the last three games and will go up against right tackle Breno Giacomini, who will be starting in place of rookie James Carpenter who can't play because a knee injury suffered in Wednesday practice.

That could be a big time matchup problem. The Seahawks will most likley slide people over if Giacomini gets into trouble, which could then change the overall strategy on offense.

Long is the NFL's seventh leading sacker with eight on the season.

5. Fred Robbins vs Paul McQuistan.

With the season ending injury to John Moffitt, McQuistan will get the start at right guard. Robbins doesn't have the stats but has 12 years NFL experience and like Long can still cause disruption at the tackle position.

6. T-Jax vs the Rams secondary

Rams corner Al Harris was placed on injured reserve this week with a knee injury, ending his season. Harris was actually a backup who came in because of injuries.

The Rams have put nine cornerbacks on IR this season because of injuries, which has to be an NFL record.

Injuries considered, Rams have done very well against the pass ranking 12th giving up an average of 220.8 per game.

Still most consider the Rams pass defense ripe for giving up the big play, so look for Jackson to take a shot or two to his main big play target Sidney Rice down the field.

7. Despite the defensive struggles early, the Rams have allowed just two TDs in the last two weeks. They allowed zero against the Browns in a win a week ago, and allowed just one offensive touchdown two weeks ago in a loss to Arizona.

8. Steven Jackson against the Seattle rush defense. No doubt St.Louis' "MO" will be to give the ball to Jackson and see what he can do.

Jackson has rushed for 139 yards per game in his last three games, or 417 total yards.

QB Sam Bradford says "He's running possessed. He's been huge for us over these last three games."

9. Bradford had a fine rookie NFL season a year ago. But the No. 1 overall pick struggled as of late, even by his own standards.

"I think my performance so far has been a little disappointing, especially from my perspective," Bradford said via the Belleville News-Democrat, Ill.

"I expect a lot of myself. I expected to come in and have a great year, and obviously I have struggled at times."

Bradford has thrown four touchdown passes this season and is completing just 55.3 percent of his passes.

10. Here's how the Rams and Seahawks matchup statistically.

Rams (rank) Seahawks (rank)

12.6 (32)...............Points Per Game............16.0 (26)
310.4 (25t)............Total Offense............299.6 (29)
113.8 (16)............Rush Offense............91.7 (28)
196.7 (26)............Pass Offense............207.9 (22)
28:59..................Time Of Possession Average..... 26:27
24.8 (25)...........Opponent Points Per Game....... 22.4 (18)
371.3 (24)............ Total Defense............ 349.4 (15t)
150.6 (32)............Rush Defense............ 106.4 (12)
220.8 (12)............Pass Defense ............243.0 (19)
22/146............ Sacks Made/Yards............ 14/94
6/90............ Interceptions By/Yards ............ 9/177
-3 (21t)............ Turnover Differential............ -2 (19t)
9.1 (18)............ Punt Return Average............ 12.0 (7)
21.1 (28) ............ Kickoff Return Average ............22.2 (24)
10.2 (17) ............ Punt Coverage............ 12.1 (25)
22.6 (13)............ Kickoff Coverage............ 28.0 (29)
56/44.6............ Punts/Average............ 54/48.5