I say we run right to him til he drops out of the game. He won’t make it to the end of the game if he plays.
What Seahawks Fans Are Saying Before And After The Game
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Hopefully they lose their voices before halftime, and give up being down 28-3. In what is remembered as the silencing of the 12s.
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View: http://www.therams.com/news-and-events/article-practicereport/Practice-Report-Kupp%E2%80%99s-Washington-Homecoming-Wilson-Stands-Out/f59d24c0-0ada-4c16-8242-805ce6cf1951
KUPP RETURNS HOME
Kristen Lago
Sunday will be a homecoming of sorts for wide receiver Cooper Kupp. Kupp grew up in Yakima, Washington — about two hours southeast of CenturyLink Field — and attended college at Eastern Washington where he set all-time records in receptions (428), receiving yards (6,464), and receiving touchdowns (73).
And while Kupp has spent nearly two decades playing football in Washington, Sunday will mark a first for the Evergreen State-native — the first time playing in front of his home crowd as an NFL wide receiver.
“It will be cool to go back up there. I know there is going to be a lot of people coming in from Yakima and Spokane, so I’m really excited for that,” Kupp said Friday. “A lot of people have been hitting me up so I’m very excited. It will be fun to go up there and see everyone.”
Admittedly, Kupp was a Seahawks fan growing up so close to the stadium. And although he couldn’t make it out to many games at CenturyLink, he says has one vivid memory of a Sunday night showdown between the Seahawks and the Packers.
“Snow was coming down like crazy and running back Shaun Alexander actually went for like 204, or 207 yards rushing in that game,” he said. “So it was a pretty incredible game….It was fun though, it was a good memory.”
This week, Kupp is looking forward to playing for the first time on that field. But, one thing he is not looking forward to? The noise.
“Obviously you know about the noise, you know it’s going to be loud,” he said. “But we’re prepared for that, we understand that you’re not going to be able to hear anything.”
“So you go in understanding that it’s going to be a part of the game and you just don’t let that affect you,” Kupp continued. “You move through things and communicate verbally and visually. We’ll make sure we’re prepared.”
WILSON STANDS OUT
Ask any Rams defensive player what stands out about the Seahawks offense, and you’ll receive the same answer: quarterback Russell Wilson.
When defensive coordinator Wade Phillips walked into the media room after Thursday’s practice, he took the podium chanting, “Russell Wilson, Russell Wilson, Russell Wilson.” Phillips went on to describe what makes the Super Bowl Champion and current MVP candidate so special — alluding to his abilities both in the air and on the ground.
“You want to hate the other team, but he’s such a great guy,: Phillips said. “He makes plays on-schedule, off-schedule, he can throw it from the pocket. He can certainly run around and throw it and make big plays. He’s a handful.”
To Phillips point, Wilson is currently accounting for 82.2 percent of the Seahawks offensive production and has already broken an NFL record this season with 17 fourth-quarter touchdowns.
“I mean I think that alone says not only the type of player he is, but the type of season he’s having,” outside linebacker Robert Quinn said. “At any given moment he can take over a game if you allow him.”
As such the Rams primary task this week will be to contain Wilson. And while that won’t come easily, the defensive players seemed up to the challenge.
“It’s frustrating when you’re giving up passes, but it’s exciting when you actually do your job, keep your eyes on your luggage and make plays,” safety John Johnson III said of facing a dual-threat quarterback like Wilson. “So, to shut a guy like that down is exciting and we’re going to try to do that.”
INJURY REPORT
The Rams received some very positive news on the injury front, with all of their starters expected to play on Sunday. With the exception of cornerback Kayvon Webster — who will be out for the remainder of the season with a ruptured achilles — L.A. turned in a clean bill of health.
Left tackle Andrew Whitworth (knee), right tackle Rob Havenstein (knee), linebacker Mark Barron (non-injury related) and wide receiver Robert Woods (shoulder) were full participants on Friday. Center John Sullivan (illness) was a non-participant on Friday, but head coach Sean McVay said he is hopeful Sullivan will be ready to play in Week 15.
“He had an illness, but hopefully that’s just short term and he’ll be ready to go,” McVay said.
Quarterback Brandon Allen (back) also did not participate and is doubtful to play.
The Seahawks also received some positive news on Friday, after six starters did not participate in Thursday’s session. Heading into Sunday’s contest, linebacker Bobby Wagner (hamstring) is the only player listed as questionable while linebacker K.J. Wright (concussion) and defensive end Nazair Jones (ankle) are doubtful.
https://forums.footballsfuture.com/topic/5205-week-15-los-angeles-rams-seattle-seahawks/
Los Angeles Rams @ Seattle Seahawks
As many people thought coming into this season, this was going to be a huge game. Obviously the winner of this game will have a huge barring on who wins the NFC West. Yesterday, the Seahawks offense was really sloppy vs the Jaguars, but that was against the best defense in pro football. The Rams defense isn't anywhere near as good as Jacksonville's defense, but the Rams have always given the Seahawks issues.
I fully expect the Rams to run the ball. Yesterday vs the Eagles, from what I saw of the game, Todd Gurley played really well. The stats show Gurley played well. However, the Rams didn't run the ball very much at all and I think that was one of the main reasons they ended up losing that game. I don't expect that same thing to happen again. Jared Goff played well yesterday and I believe Robert Woods may be available, so with a balanced attack the Rams will be extremely difficult to stop.
There is a massive question mark on some of the Seahawks defensive players who may potentially be suspended. Michael Bennett and Sheldon Richardson being two of the more crucial names. The Seahawks are already short handed on the defensive side of the ball, so losing Bennett and/or Richardson would be terrible. On the Rams side of things, Kayvon Webster is out and that is a big loss for their secondary.
I expect this game to be semi-low scoring and sort of a slug fest. If I'm being completely honest, the Rams are the better overall team on paper, so they should win this game. The Seahawks have a lot of pride and the heart of a champion, so I wouldn't be surprised if they win this game at home.
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I actually think this will be a high scoring game. With the injuries, I think both defenses are vulnerable.
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Both teams know each other so well and will be so prepared. Both teams have the capability to score a lot, especially the Rams, so I see this one being in the teens/low 20's for the most part.
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As I wrote in our forum, you can never write off the Seahawks at home, no matter how many injuries or what the circumstances may be.
Id like to think that we are currently the better side but Wilson is firmly in the running for MVP honours (or should be- he’s been phenomenal this year) and is a hard man to pin down.
Much depends on how much McVay and co have learnt from our first encounter and from the subsequent defeats in big games versus Minnesota and Philadelphia. If he can get it right, I think we might just eke out the win.
I just hope that the game is won by the better team on the day and not decided by the zebras.
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Dodged a huge bullet on Bennett and Sheldon not being suspended.
With KJ out, things are looking bleak. Seattle needs to probably put up 31+ to have a chance at winning. Russell needs to be magical.
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https://www.fieldgulls.com/2017/12/...enstein-michael-bennett-week-15-injury-update
Frank Clark looking for big game against Andrew Whitworth, who is old and injured
By John P. Gilbert
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Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
With the NFC West lead at stake on Sunday when the Seattle Seahawks host the Los Angeles Rams, the Seahawks need a big game from their defensive line, in particular Frank Clark. Clark played well when these two teams faced off in week 5, including this fourth quarter strip sack of Jared Goff after handily beating Rams LT Andrew Whitworth.
View: https://twitter.com/Brickwallblitz/status/917897046098661377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fieldgulls.com%2F2017%2F12%2F15%2F16783018%2Fseahawks-frank-clark-rams-andrew-whitworth-rob-havenstein-michael-bennett-week-15-injury-update
The Seahawks need a big game out of Clark and he may be poised to take advantage of an aged and hobbled Whitworth.
Whitworth has not practiced this week after getting injured in the Rams loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 14. Having celebrated his 36th birthday on Tuesday, Whitworth is the oldest offensive lineman to have appeared in a game this season, and is nearly six months older than the second oldest lineman in the league.
If his age and the long NFL season have finally begun to catch up with Whitworth it could prove detrimental to the Rams and their playoff aspirations. It could, however, be a boon for the Seahawks.
Another interesting injury situation to watch for the Rams will be at right tackle, where Rob Havenstein is also battling an ankle injury. Havenstein returned to the game against Philadelphia after suffering the injury, but was clearly hobbled.
How Havenstein performs early while playing through the injury will be something to watch. Even though the injury is not likely to prevent him from playing, just as was seen when Justin Britt played through an ankle injury earlier in the season for the Seahawks, it may be enough to not allow Havenstein the ability to get any push in the run game.
Michael Bennett will be lining up across from Havenstein, and Bennett is a handful for any NFL tackle, much less one playing on only one healthy leg. With the defensive line looking to reassert itself after failing to put much pressure on Blake Bortles in Jacksonville, facing a less than healthy Rams line may be just what is needed.
The Rams offensive line is the most beat up it has been all season, and Goff has been sacked 12 times in the last five games, after being sacked only ten times through the first half of the season. The Rams are just 3-2 over that five game stretch, and a loss to Seattle on Sunday combined with other things that are likely to happen around the league could lead to some interesting scenarios, including this possibility (shoutout to commenter qrtqrt for pointing this out in Century Links):
View: https://twitter.com/LeadingNFL/status/941399484621316096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fieldgulls.com%2F2017%2F12%2F15%2F16783018%2Fseahawks-frank-clark-rams-andrew-whitworth-rob-havenstein-michael-bennett-week-15-injury-update
In short, while the Rams have assured themselves of not finishing 7-9 this season, 9-7 certainly still seems to be in play, and Frank Clark and Michael Bennett will look to help further the drive for 9-7 when they face off against tackles playing at less than perfect health.
https://www.fieldgulls.com/2017/12/...aguars-rams-injuries-penalties-russell-wilson
Identity Shift: All the Seahawks’ negative narratives awaken at once
By John Fraley
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Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
If you’re a fan of the most incredible and maddening team playing football right now, all of its eyesores and all of its attractiveness showed up in Week 14. All of them. All at once.
Porous offensive line? Slow start on offense? Critical drops? Undisciplined play? Bad injury luck? Bad officiating luck? Questionable choices on last-minute drive? Check, check, check; check, check and totally check.
But also, “they’re never out of any game, even down three scores in the fourth quarter”? Check. Almost check-mate. What would have been another epic comeback was foiled by on the final drive, you guessed it — a drop, a questionable choice, a bad sack and a pretty egregious no-call. All in sequence, all in the space of four plays.
If you want to tell the story of the 2017 Seattle Seahawks, the fourth quarter of the Jacksonville Jaguars game is as good a spot as any to start. Or finish.
Speaking of finishing. The Seahawks will finish 2017 as one of the following:
I’m of the mind that if you consider yourself a Super Bowl contender, you must have depth. But name a squad that can lose two All-Pro defensive backs, a Pro Bowl pass rusher, two of its two three picks in the draft (both on the defensive line), both its linebackers, including the one playing at a DPOY level, and still compete with the best teams in the league. While you’re at it, afflict the remaining players with things like plantar fascia and heel trouble.
Such is the situation with the Seahawks. Back in 2016, when Earl Thomas was rehabbing from a bone-shattering collision with Kam Chancellor, football analysts played the game of “who is more valuable to the defense, Thomas, Chancellor, Richard Sherman, or either of the stud defensive ends?
It wasn’t common for anyone to name Bobby Wagner as indispensable.
View: https://twitter.com/FieldGulls/status/941228723205955585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fieldgulls.com%2F2017%2F12%2F15%2F16779994%2Fnfl-seahawks-jaguars-rams-injuries-penalties-russell-wilson
Well, Wagner left Sunday’s game in Jacksonville in the third quarter. On the next three offensive plays, the Jaguars scored touchdowns.
Jacksonville turned the first 32 plays of the game into three offensive points. The next three plays became 21 offensive points.
If Wagner The Indispensable doesn’t play in the division-race-altering Week 15 matchup with the Rams, the Seattle Russell Wilsons are going to have to produce four fourth quarters’ worth of scoring. And not one of their all-too-common slow starts.
Because...
1. The Seahawks are a second-half offense
Narrative status, last week: Holding True
Narrative status, this week: Definite Identity Match
No points in the first half for the Seahawks; 24 in the second. Seattle is now 25th in the league in first-half scoring and 2nd in second-half scoring. There can be little doubt left that this team flips a switch of some sort after halftime.
What’s interesting, though, is that the 2016 Seahawks were a better first-half offense, with 12.4 first-half points on average and 9.6 after halftime. Make up your mind, franchise people, or don’t. Just score points. That’s good too.
Breaking it down further, as usual:
Qtr 1: 19th, 3.8 ppq
Qtr 2: 27th, 4.8 ppq
Qtr 3: 6th, 6.0 ppq
Qtr 4: 1st, 9.6 ppq
The Seahawks have scored more points in the fourth quarter alone than in the entire first half. Read that sentence on loop.
2. Explosive plays are breaking the wrong way — narrative retired
Without much interesting data this season poining toward explosive plays and a correlation to winning or losing, this line of analysis is going to hit a dead end. We’ll find another narrative to follow for the last couple weeks.
Seattle’s got a smaller lead than usual in explosives. But still a lead. And their record is not up to the 2012-2014 standards. But still a winning record.
3. Penalties called against Seattle are excessive
TrendCon, last week: 3 (medium concern)
TrendCon, this week: 3
Through ten games, the Seahawks had committed 103 penalties. You’d have expected them, at that rate, to hit 134 after 13 games. But they sit at just 120. Their terrifyingly torrid pace finally slowed, and thank goodness.
The bad look of the endgame in Jacksonville might sour a few folks’ view of the Seahawks’ discipline, but the flags thrown Seattle’s way are trending lower. Lower than historically high. Hey, nobody said you had to be excited about it.
Net penalties (last week’s ranking)
5. Cincinnati, 13 (still 5th)
4. Kansas City, 19 (still 4th)
3. Denver, 27 (still 3rd)
2. San Francisco, 28 (still 2nd)
1. Seattle, 32 (still 1st)
Net yardage lost via penalties (last week’s ranking)
5. Los Angeles Rams, 136 (unranked)
4. Cincinnati, 174 (3rd)
3. Kansas City, 195 (4th)
2. San Francisco, 202 (2nd)
1. Seattle, 287 (1st)
Three NFC West teams, on very different paths in 2017, all present in the top 5. That’s bizarre.
4. The Seahawks are now a passing team
Narrative status, last week: Holding True
Narrative status, this week: Definite Identity Match
You are what your record says you are, according to the Bill Parcells aphorism. Parcells might tell the Seahawks they are what their play selection says they are.
Through Week 8: 59.5 percent passing
Through Week 9: 60.0
Through Week 10: 60.1
Through Week 11: 60.8
Through Week 12: 60.1
Through Week 13: 59.9
Through Week 14: 59.8
It’s remarkable how consistent the Seahawks are at pass-run balance, if you define balance as a 60-40 split. And I mean consistent since the “retirement” of Marshawn Lynch. 59.8 this year and 59.4 last year in his absence. Check out the pass play percentage history:
With Lynch, 2012: 45.8
Still Beasting, 2013: 47.3
Bout that action, 2014: 48.6
Lynch on and off, 2015: 53.3
Retired Marshawn, 2016: 59.4
Raiders have Lynch, 2017: 59.8
Part of the increase in passing percentage has to be explained by Pete Carroll and the coaching staff entrusting more plays to Wilson. But the 2012-13-14 teams were respectively 32nd, 32nd and 31st in passing plays called.
The Seahawks are a passing team. Whether that’s by necessity, or design, or both — it’s almost always some of both — matters little if the question is about their offensive identity.
5. Pass protection issues
TrendCon level, last week: 4 (second-least worrisome)
TrendCon level, this week: 3
Duane Brown is good and his goodness means the offensive line has more pass pro goodness.
But the Seahawks were hashtag-bad again for Wilson’s sake last Sunday. The quarterback was under pressure on 47 percent of snaps; Ethan Pocic was the worst offender, with seven hurries allowed.
Inconsistency continues to be the defining feature of the Seahawks pass protection unit; after five straight games earlier with a pressure rate above 40 percent, they turned in five straight under 40. Then the Jaguars had a lot of fun storming the castle last Sunday.
Seattle’s 5.9 sack rate this season is a 1.2 percentage points improvement from last season and is good enough for 15th best this year. The trend is positive, in the long term. You’d still like to see the QB hits decrease — Wilson is hit the fifth-most — but things are getting better overall, not worse.
6. The RB job will be done by committee, right?
Narrative status, last week: Worth Monitoring
Narrative status, this week: Worth Monitoring
Mike Davis’ 15-66 line doesn’t figure to inspire any long-term confidence, not with him exiting the game due to a rib injury. But if he does return and receives more than half the carries, after posting a 16-64 against the Eagles as well, then the Seahawks will have found their lead back with all of two games left in the season.
If Davis is out, or suffers another injury, any one of the four other runners with more than 30 carries and more than 129 yards could take back over as a member of the Seattle Subcommittee On Rushing The Football (no politics).
Wilson still leads the Seahawks with 482 yards on the ground, or 26 more than the sum total of Eddie Lacy, Thomas Rawls and J.D. McKissic, incidentally but not coincidentally the only backs who’ve stayed healthy for more than half the season.
Oh, and RW accumulated those yards on less than half the carries it took Lacy, Rawls and McKissic.
7. The defense’s return to dominance
Narrative status, last week: Holding True
Narrative status, this week: Worth Monitoring
Without Wagner and Wright in the linebacker row, blowing up screens, making every tackle and even blitzing with virtuosity —
View: https://twitter.com/guga31bb/status/937780679735234561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fieldgulls.com%2F2017%2F12%2F15%2F16779994%2Fnfl-seahawks-jaguars-rams-injuries-penalties-russell-wilson
— is this even the same defense? (No. It is not. Please play Sunday, Bobby. Please don’t miss any time, K.J.)
Defensive rankings
Points allowed: 19.4 (8th, no change)
Passing yards allowed: 226.3 (16th, down two spots)
Yards/attempt against: 6.4 (13th, down five spots)
Passer rating against: 82.4 (9th, down three spots)
Rushing yards allowed: 102.8 (8th, down one spot)
Yards/carry against: 3.9 (8th, down one spot)
Sacks: 2.5 (T-13th, down four spots)
Takeaways: 1.5 (T-9th, no change)
Turnover margin: +5 (does not count stops on downs or safeties)
Playing Blake Bortles really caused the Seahawks to fall two spots in passing yards allowed, five spots in Y/A against and three spots in passer rating against? Go home 2017, you’re stoned.
The Seahawks are above average in all the basic categories above. But not elite in any one. Maybe that’s what missing Sherman, Chancellor, Avril and assorted other All-Pros/Pro Bowlers on and off will do for you in a given season.
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With all the injuries to the defense, it is a bit daunting with a good team like the Rams coming into the building, but if there is one thing I know about Seattle and Wilson – they respond. Our defense might look atrocious, but it seems like our offense steps up when that happens. I don’t expect too much out of our defense, but I’m expecting a lot out of our offense this week.
Seahawks win 40-31
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I've been disappointed in Pocic
I really wanted him to be good. I really wanted to believe that drafting a guy who was good on a good team in college and not needing to ‘project’ him would be the answer. But he looks weak to me at guard; I’ve never really seen him get good drive on running plays and it looks fairly easy to rush through him. I’m not an expert, but this is what I’ve seen. This week was no exception.
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Technique wise hes good and his footwork is good, he just is weak in the upper body, something an offseason in the weight room will fix. I don’t think he was slated to be a starter this year but injuries happened.
He may look out of position but that’s usually due to him lunging to make a block because he knows he isn’t strong enough yet to handle those bull rushers, leading to him being ole’ed out of position. On the cover-0 blitz against Philly he actually blocked two guys at once and bought time for Russ to stand strong.
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Unless Hawks have a stellar offensive day on Sunday. . . . I see this game falling into the loss column. Question is. . . . even if Bobby & KJ play.. . . how much will their injuries hamper them. Mostly Bobby’s injury.
Could be a sad December in Hawksville.
KUPP RETURNS HOME
Kristen Lago
Sunday will be a homecoming of sorts for wide receiver Cooper Kupp. Kupp grew up in Yakima, Washington — about two hours southeast of CenturyLink Field — and attended college at Eastern Washington where he set all-time records in receptions (428), receiving yards (6,464), and receiving touchdowns (73).
And while Kupp has spent nearly two decades playing football in Washington, Sunday will mark a first for the Evergreen State-native — the first time playing in front of his home crowd as an NFL wide receiver.
“It will be cool to go back up there. I know there is going to be a lot of people coming in from Yakima and Spokane, so I’m really excited for that,” Kupp said Friday. “A lot of people have been hitting me up so I’m very excited. It will be fun to go up there and see everyone.”
Admittedly, Kupp was a Seahawks fan growing up so close to the stadium. And although he couldn’t make it out to many games at CenturyLink, he says has one vivid memory of a Sunday night showdown between the Seahawks and the Packers.
“Snow was coming down like crazy and running back Shaun Alexander actually went for like 204, or 207 yards rushing in that game,” he said. “So it was a pretty incredible game….It was fun though, it was a good memory.”
This week, Kupp is looking forward to playing for the first time on that field. But, one thing he is not looking forward to? The noise.
“Obviously you know about the noise, you know it’s going to be loud,” he said. “But we’re prepared for that, we understand that you’re not going to be able to hear anything.”
“So you go in understanding that it’s going to be a part of the game and you just don’t let that affect you,” Kupp continued. “You move through things and communicate verbally and visually. We’ll make sure we’re prepared.”
WILSON STANDS OUT
Ask any Rams defensive player what stands out about the Seahawks offense, and you’ll receive the same answer: quarterback Russell Wilson.
When defensive coordinator Wade Phillips walked into the media room after Thursday’s practice, he took the podium chanting, “Russell Wilson, Russell Wilson, Russell Wilson.” Phillips went on to describe what makes the Super Bowl Champion and current MVP candidate so special — alluding to his abilities both in the air and on the ground.
“You want to hate the other team, but he’s such a great guy,: Phillips said. “He makes plays on-schedule, off-schedule, he can throw it from the pocket. He can certainly run around and throw it and make big plays. He’s a handful.”
To Phillips point, Wilson is currently accounting for 82.2 percent of the Seahawks offensive production and has already broken an NFL record this season with 17 fourth-quarter touchdowns.
“I mean I think that alone says not only the type of player he is, but the type of season he’s having,” outside linebacker Robert Quinn said. “At any given moment he can take over a game if you allow him.”
As such the Rams primary task this week will be to contain Wilson. And while that won’t come easily, the defensive players seemed up to the challenge.
“It’s frustrating when you’re giving up passes, but it’s exciting when you actually do your job, keep your eyes on your luggage and make plays,” safety John Johnson III said of facing a dual-threat quarterback like Wilson. “So, to shut a guy like that down is exciting and we’re going to try to do that.”
INJURY REPORT
The Rams received some very positive news on the injury front, with all of their starters expected to play on Sunday. With the exception of cornerback Kayvon Webster — who will be out for the remainder of the season with a ruptured achilles — L.A. turned in a clean bill of health.
Left tackle Andrew Whitworth (knee), right tackle Rob Havenstein (knee), linebacker Mark Barron (non-injury related) and wide receiver Robert Woods (shoulder) were full participants on Friday. Center John Sullivan (illness) was a non-participant on Friday, but head coach Sean McVay said he is hopeful Sullivan will be ready to play in Week 15.
“He had an illness, but hopefully that’s just short term and he’ll be ready to go,” McVay said.
Quarterback Brandon Allen (back) also did not participate and is doubtful to play.
The Seahawks also received some positive news on Friday, after six starters did not participate in Thursday’s session. Heading into Sunday’s contest, linebacker Bobby Wagner (hamstring) is the only player listed as questionable while linebacker K.J. Wright (concussion) and defensive end Nazair Jones (ankle) are doubtful.
https://forums.footballsfuture.com/topic/5205-week-15-los-angeles-rams-seattle-seahawks/
Los Angeles Rams @ Seattle Seahawks
As many people thought coming into this season, this was going to be a huge game. Obviously the winner of this game will have a huge barring on who wins the NFC West. Yesterday, the Seahawks offense was really sloppy vs the Jaguars, but that was against the best defense in pro football. The Rams defense isn't anywhere near as good as Jacksonville's defense, but the Rams have always given the Seahawks issues.
I fully expect the Rams to run the ball. Yesterday vs the Eagles, from what I saw of the game, Todd Gurley played really well. The stats show Gurley played well. However, the Rams didn't run the ball very much at all and I think that was one of the main reasons they ended up losing that game. I don't expect that same thing to happen again. Jared Goff played well yesterday and I believe Robert Woods may be available, so with a balanced attack the Rams will be extremely difficult to stop.
There is a massive question mark on some of the Seahawks defensive players who may potentially be suspended. Michael Bennett and Sheldon Richardson being two of the more crucial names. The Seahawks are already short handed on the defensive side of the ball, so losing Bennett and/or Richardson would be terrible. On the Rams side of things, Kayvon Webster is out and that is a big loss for their secondary.
I expect this game to be semi-low scoring and sort of a slug fest. If I'm being completely honest, the Rams are the better overall team on paper, so they should win this game. The Seahawks have a lot of pride and the heart of a champion, so I wouldn't be surprised if they win this game at home.
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I actually think this will be a high scoring game. With the injuries, I think both defenses are vulnerable.
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Both teams know each other so well and will be so prepared. Both teams have the capability to score a lot, especially the Rams, so I see this one being in the teens/low 20's for the most part.
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As I wrote in our forum, you can never write off the Seahawks at home, no matter how many injuries or what the circumstances may be.
Id like to think that we are currently the better side but Wilson is firmly in the running for MVP honours (or should be- he’s been phenomenal this year) and is a hard man to pin down.
Much depends on how much McVay and co have learnt from our first encounter and from the subsequent defeats in big games versus Minnesota and Philadelphia. If he can get it right, I think we might just eke out the win.
I just hope that the game is won by the better team on the day and not decided by the zebras.
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Dodged a huge bullet on Bennett and Sheldon not being suspended.
With KJ out, things are looking bleak. Seattle needs to probably put up 31+ to have a chance at winning. Russell needs to be magical.
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https://www.fieldgulls.com/2017/12/...enstein-michael-bennett-week-15-injury-update
Frank Clark looking for big game against Andrew Whitworth, who is old and injured
By John P. Gilbert
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
With the NFC West lead at stake on Sunday when the Seattle Seahawks host the Los Angeles Rams, the Seahawks need a big game from their defensive line, in particular Frank Clark. Clark played well when these two teams faced off in week 5, including this fourth quarter strip sack of Jared Goff after handily beating Rams LT Andrew Whitworth.
View: https://twitter.com/Brickwallblitz/status/917897046098661377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fieldgulls.com%2F2017%2F12%2F15%2F16783018%2Fseahawks-frank-clark-rams-andrew-whitworth-rob-havenstein-michael-bennett-week-15-injury-update
The Seahawks need a big game out of Clark and he may be poised to take advantage of an aged and hobbled Whitworth.
Whitworth has not practiced this week after getting injured in the Rams loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 14. Having celebrated his 36th birthday on Tuesday, Whitworth is the oldest offensive lineman to have appeared in a game this season, and is nearly six months older than the second oldest lineman in the league.
If his age and the long NFL season have finally begun to catch up with Whitworth it could prove detrimental to the Rams and their playoff aspirations. It could, however, be a boon for the Seahawks.
Another interesting injury situation to watch for the Rams will be at right tackle, where Rob Havenstein is also battling an ankle injury. Havenstein returned to the game against Philadelphia after suffering the injury, but was clearly hobbled.
How Havenstein performs early while playing through the injury will be something to watch. Even though the injury is not likely to prevent him from playing, just as was seen when Justin Britt played through an ankle injury earlier in the season for the Seahawks, it may be enough to not allow Havenstein the ability to get any push in the run game.
Michael Bennett will be lining up across from Havenstein, and Bennett is a handful for any NFL tackle, much less one playing on only one healthy leg. With the defensive line looking to reassert itself after failing to put much pressure on Blake Bortles in Jacksonville, facing a less than healthy Rams line may be just what is needed.
The Rams offensive line is the most beat up it has been all season, and Goff has been sacked 12 times in the last five games, after being sacked only ten times through the first half of the season. The Rams are just 3-2 over that five game stretch, and a loss to Seattle on Sunday combined with other things that are likely to happen around the league could lead to some interesting scenarios, including this possibility (shoutout to commenter qrtqrt for pointing this out in Century Links):
View: https://twitter.com/LeadingNFL/status/941399484621316096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fieldgulls.com%2F2017%2F12%2F15%2F16783018%2Fseahawks-frank-clark-rams-andrew-whitworth-rob-havenstein-michael-bennett-week-15-injury-update
In short, while the Rams have assured themselves of not finishing 7-9 this season, 9-7 certainly still seems to be in play, and Frank Clark and Michael Bennett will look to help further the drive for 9-7 when they face off against tackles playing at less than perfect health.
https://www.fieldgulls.com/2017/12/...aguars-rams-injuries-penalties-russell-wilson
Identity Shift: All the Seahawks’ negative narratives awaken at once
By John Fraley
Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
If you’re a fan of the most incredible and maddening team playing football right now, all of its eyesores and all of its attractiveness showed up in Week 14. All of them. All at once.
Porous offensive line? Slow start on offense? Critical drops? Undisciplined play? Bad injury luck? Bad officiating luck? Questionable choices on last-minute drive? Check, check, check; check, check and totally check.
But also, “they’re never out of any game, even down three scores in the fourth quarter”? Check. Almost check-mate. What would have been another epic comeback was foiled by on the final drive, you guessed it — a drop, a questionable choice, a bad sack and a pretty egregious no-call. All in sequence, all in the space of four plays.
If you want to tell the story of the 2017 Seattle Seahawks, the fourth quarter of the Jacksonville Jaguars game is as good a spot as any to start. Or finish.
Speaking of finishing. The Seahawks will finish 2017 as one of the following:
- Division champs
- The wild-card team nobody wants to face
- The first Russell Wilson-led team to miss the playoffs
- Victims of a cruel health-related practical joke perpetrated by the sport itself
- The deepest team in the league
I’m of the mind that if you consider yourself a Super Bowl contender, you must have depth. But name a squad that can lose two All-Pro defensive backs, a Pro Bowl pass rusher, two of its two three picks in the draft (both on the defensive line), both its linebackers, including the one playing at a DPOY level, and still compete with the best teams in the league. While you’re at it, afflict the remaining players with things like plantar fascia and heel trouble.
Such is the situation with the Seahawks. Back in 2016, when Earl Thomas was rehabbing from a bone-shattering collision with Kam Chancellor, football analysts played the game of “who is more valuable to the defense, Thomas, Chancellor, Richard Sherman, or either of the stud defensive ends?
It wasn’t common for anyone to name Bobby Wagner as indispensable.
View: https://twitter.com/FieldGulls/status/941228723205955585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fieldgulls.com%2F2017%2F12%2F15%2F16779994%2Fnfl-seahawks-jaguars-rams-injuries-penalties-russell-wilson
Well, Wagner left Sunday’s game in Jacksonville in the third quarter. On the next three offensive plays, the Jaguars scored touchdowns.
Jacksonville turned the first 32 plays of the game into three offensive points. The next three plays became 21 offensive points.
If Wagner The Indispensable doesn’t play in the division-race-altering Week 15 matchup with the Rams, the Seattle Russell Wilsons are going to have to produce four fourth quarters’ worth of scoring. And not one of their all-too-common slow starts.
Because...
1. The Seahawks are a second-half offense
Narrative status, last week: Holding True
Narrative status, this week: Definite Identity Match
No points in the first half for the Seahawks; 24 in the second. Seattle is now 25th in the league in first-half scoring and 2nd in second-half scoring. There can be little doubt left that this team flips a switch of some sort after halftime.
What’s interesting, though, is that the 2016 Seahawks were a better first-half offense, with 12.4 first-half points on average and 9.6 after halftime. Make up your mind, franchise people, or don’t. Just score points. That’s good too.
Breaking it down further, as usual:
Qtr 1: 19th, 3.8 ppq
Qtr 2: 27th, 4.8 ppq
Qtr 3: 6th, 6.0 ppq
Qtr 4: 1st, 9.6 ppq
The Seahawks have scored more points in the fourth quarter alone than in the entire first half. Read that sentence on loop.
2. Explosive plays are breaking the wrong way — narrative retired
Without much interesting data this season poining toward explosive plays and a correlation to winning or losing, this line of analysis is going to hit a dead end. We’ll find another narrative to follow for the last couple weeks.
Seattle’s got a smaller lead than usual in explosives. But still a lead. And their record is not up to the 2012-2014 standards. But still a winning record.
3. Penalties called against Seattle are excessive
TrendCon, last week: 3 (medium concern)
TrendCon, this week: 3
Through ten games, the Seahawks had committed 103 penalties. You’d have expected them, at that rate, to hit 134 after 13 games. But they sit at just 120. Their terrifyingly torrid pace finally slowed, and thank goodness.
The bad look of the endgame in Jacksonville might sour a few folks’ view of the Seahawks’ discipline, but the flags thrown Seattle’s way are trending lower. Lower than historically high. Hey, nobody said you had to be excited about it.
Net penalties (last week’s ranking)
5. Cincinnati, 13 (still 5th)
4. Kansas City, 19 (still 4th)
3. Denver, 27 (still 3rd)
2. San Francisco, 28 (still 2nd)
1. Seattle, 32 (still 1st)
Net yardage lost via penalties (last week’s ranking)
5. Los Angeles Rams, 136 (unranked)
4. Cincinnati, 174 (3rd)
3. Kansas City, 195 (4th)
2. San Francisco, 202 (2nd)
1. Seattle, 287 (1st)
Three NFC West teams, on very different paths in 2017, all present in the top 5. That’s bizarre.
4. The Seahawks are now a passing team
Narrative status, last week: Holding True
Narrative status, this week: Definite Identity Match
You are what your record says you are, according to the Bill Parcells aphorism. Parcells might tell the Seahawks they are what their play selection says they are.
Through Week 8: 59.5 percent passing
Through Week 9: 60.0
Through Week 10: 60.1
Through Week 11: 60.8
Through Week 12: 60.1
Through Week 13: 59.9
Through Week 14: 59.8
It’s remarkable how consistent the Seahawks are at pass-run balance, if you define balance as a 60-40 split. And I mean consistent since the “retirement” of Marshawn Lynch. 59.8 this year and 59.4 last year in his absence. Check out the pass play percentage history:
With Lynch, 2012: 45.8
Still Beasting, 2013: 47.3
Bout that action, 2014: 48.6
Lynch on and off, 2015: 53.3
Retired Marshawn, 2016: 59.4
Raiders have Lynch, 2017: 59.8
Part of the increase in passing percentage has to be explained by Pete Carroll and the coaching staff entrusting more plays to Wilson. But the 2012-13-14 teams were respectively 32nd, 32nd and 31st in passing plays called.
The Seahawks are a passing team. Whether that’s by necessity, or design, or both — it’s almost always some of both — matters little if the question is about their offensive identity.
5. Pass protection issues
TrendCon level, last week: 4 (second-least worrisome)
TrendCon level, this week: 3
Duane Brown is good and his goodness means the offensive line has more pass pro goodness.
But the Seahawks were hashtag-bad again for Wilson’s sake last Sunday. The quarterback was under pressure on 47 percent of snaps; Ethan Pocic was the worst offender, with seven hurries allowed.
Inconsistency continues to be the defining feature of the Seahawks pass protection unit; after five straight games earlier with a pressure rate above 40 percent, they turned in five straight under 40. Then the Jaguars had a lot of fun storming the castle last Sunday.
Seattle’s 5.9 sack rate this season is a 1.2 percentage points improvement from last season and is good enough for 15th best this year. The trend is positive, in the long term. You’d still like to see the QB hits decrease — Wilson is hit the fifth-most — but things are getting better overall, not worse.
6. The RB job will be done by committee, right?
Narrative status, last week: Worth Monitoring
Narrative status, this week: Worth Monitoring
Mike Davis’ 15-66 line doesn’t figure to inspire any long-term confidence, not with him exiting the game due to a rib injury. But if he does return and receives more than half the carries, after posting a 16-64 against the Eagles as well, then the Seahawks will have found their lead back with all of two games left in the season.
If Davis is out, or suffers another injury, any one of the four other runners with more than 30 carries and more than 129 yards could take back over as a member of the Seattle Subcommittee On Rushing The Football (no politics).
Wilson still leads the Seahawks with 482 yards on the ground, or 26 more than the sum total of Eddie Lacy, Thomas Rawls and J.D. McKissic, incidentally but not coincidentally the only backs who’ve stayed healthy for more than half the season.
Oh, and RW accumulated those yards on less than half the carries it took Lacy, Rawls and McKissic.
7. The defense’s return to dominance
Narrative status, last week: Holding True
Narrative status, this week: Worth Monitoring
Without Wagner and Wright in the linebacker row, blowing up screens, making every tackle and even blitzing with virtuosity —
View: https://twitter.com/guga31bb/status/937780679735234561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fieldgulls.com%2F2017%2F12%2F15%2F16779994%2Fnfl-seahawks-jaguars-rams-injuries-penalties-russell-wilson
— is this even the same defense? (No. It is not. Please play Sunday, Bobby. Please don’t miss any time, K.J.)
Defensive rankings
Points allowed: 19.4 (8th, no change)
Passing yards allowed: 226.3 (16th, down two spots)
Yards/attempt against: 6.4 (13th, down five spots)
Passer rating against: 82.4 (9th, down three spots)
Rushing yards allowed: 102.8 (8th, down one spot)
Yards/carry against: 3.9 (8th, down one spot)
Sacks: 2.5 (T-13th, down four spots)
Takeaways: 1.5 (T-9th, no change)
Turnover margin: +5 (does not count stops on downs or safeties)
Playing Blake Bortles really caused the Seahawks to fall two spots in passing yards allowed, five spots in Y/A against and three spots in passer rating against? Go home 2017, you’re stoned.
The Seahawks are above average in all the basic categories above. But not elite in any one. Maybe that’s what missing Sherman, Chancellor, Avril and assorted other All-Pros/Pro Bowlers on and off will do for you in a given season.
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With all the injuries to the defense, it is a bit daunting with a good team like the Rams coming into the building, but if there is one thing I know about Seattle and Wilson – they respond. Our defense might look atrocious, but it seems like our offense steps up when that happens. I don’t expect too much out of our defense, but I’m expecting a lot out of our offense this week.
Seahawks win 40-31
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I've been disappointed in Pocic
I really wanted him to be good. I really wanted to believe that drafting a guy who was good on a good team in college and not needing to ‘project’ him would be the answer. But he looks weak to me at guard; I’ve never really seen him get good drive on running plays and it looks fairly easy to rush through him. I’m not an expert, but this is what I’ve seen. This week was no exception.
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Technique wise hes good and his footwork is good, he just is weak in the upper body, something an offseason in the weight room will fix. I don’t think he was slated to be a starter this year but injuries happened.
He may look out of position but that’s usually due to him lunging to make a block because he knows he isn’t strong enough yet to handle those bull rushers, leading to him being ole’ed out of position. On the cover-0 blitz against Philly he actually blocked two guys at once and bought time for Russ to stand strong.
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Unless Hawks have a stellar offensive day on Sunday. . . . I see this game falling into the loss column. Question is. . . . even if Bobby & KJ play.. . . how much will their injuries hamper them. Mostly Bobby’s injury.
Could be a sad December in Hawksville.
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Not so fast. You have to own someone before you can disown them.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...s-team-rookie-record-for-catches-in-a-season/
Cooper Kupp breaks team rookie record for catches in a season
Posted by Charean Williams on December 15, 2017
Getty Images
The Rams didn’t draft Cooper Kupp until the third round. They got a steal with the 69th overall choice.
Kupp has more catches, more yards and more touchdowns than the three wide receivers drafted in the first round combined. He already has set the team rookie record for receptions and needs 142 receiving yards to break another franchise rookie mark.
“As soon as you flip [his college tape] on, in terms of some of the traits and characteristics that you’re looking for, he was a guy that jumped off the screen at you,” coach Sean McVay said, via quotes distributed by the team, “and fortunately we were able to end up getting him. I remember kind of jokingly saying, ‘Oh, yeah we’re going to get this guy,’ and it ended up working out for us in the end.”
Kupp has 56 receptions for 783 yards and four touchdowns. Corey Davis, John Ross and Mike Williams, the three rookie wide receivers drafted in the top 10, have combined for 35 catches for 343 yards.
Former Rams wide receiver Eddie Kennison lost his team rookie record for receptions, and his receiving yards record is in danger. Kennison, the 18th overall selection in 1996, had 54 catches for 924 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie.
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I hope he does play, in the 1st series, he pulls-his-Hammy, gets carried off the Field, and the 12th Man goes SILENT!!
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Haha Jackass opens up saying couple of decades... No how about 2003-2004 era.
Not so fast. You have to own someone before you can disown them.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...s-team-rookie-record-for-catches-in-a-season/
Cooper Kupp breaks team rookie record for catches in a season
Posted by Charean Williams on December 15, 2017
Getty Images
The Rams didn’t draft Cooper Kupp until the third round. They got a steal with the 69th overall choice.
Kupp has more catches, more yards and more touchdowns than the three wide receivers drafted in the first round combined. He already has set the team rookie record for receptions and needs 142 receiving yards to break another franchise rookie mark.
“As soon as you flip [his college tape] on, in terms of some of the traits and characteristics that you’re looking for, he was a guy that jumped off the screen at you,” coach Sean McVay said, via quotes distributed by the team, “and fortunately we were able to end up getting him. I remember kind of jokingly saying, ‘Oh, yeah we’re going to get this guy,’ and it ended up working out for us in the end.”
Kupp has 56 receptions for 783 yards and four touchdowns. Corey Davis, John Ross and Mike Williams, the three rookie wide receivers drafted in the top 10, have combined for 35 catches for 343 yards.
Former Rams wide receiver Eddie Kennison lost his team rookie record for receptions, and his receiving yards record is in danger. Kennison, the 18th overall selection in 1996, had 54 catches for 924 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie.
Sorry Kennison your yards is getting broken to.
Elmgrovegnome
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One of Snead’s biggest mistakes was telling Fisher that they could get Wagner later in round 2. I like Ogletree but Wagner is better and playing at an DPOY level this year.
snackdaddy
Who's your snackdaddy?
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That was one of those risk/reward things. The DB coulda intercepted it too. It was a 50/50 throw that the receiver won. The DB didn't play that very well. Coulda also made the tackle if he didn't get lost.
snackdaddy
Who's your snackdaddy?
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Hammy's can be a bitch. One wrong move and you've aggravated it. Then you're back to square one.
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http://www.hawkshack.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2704
Seahawks Game Predictions
the Rams have put up points in almost all their game except vs us (10 points), but we had Sherman, Kam etc.
Hawks have more to gain than the Lambs if we can get past our own OC, and play clean we will win the game.
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I agree 100%. If Bevell can get out of RWs way and Davis can drink a cup of Tuff'n up and run hard with messed up ribs to sustain some long drives and control the clock. The Hawks win. If the Defense is stuck on the field for more than 1/3 of the game the odds go down, regardless of personnel sets. What Seattle is lacking now on defense is not skill. It's the depth to rotate key players and not have to rely solely on conditioning.
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KJ Wright isn't certain to play, either.
That means possibly 4 Pro Bowl type players missing against a good Offense.
I think the Rams win going away.
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I think we're going to give up 50. Resignation has set in on me in a bad way.
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All you need to know, the SS Seahawk has hit the reef
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if Bobby's out, I'm picking the Rams.
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Too many losses, Rams by a bunch.
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Shootout 30 something to 40 something, Hawks.
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Cool with Rain.
Hawks get down and dirty and desperate, somehow pull it out
20 - 17
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I’m expecting a win. It’s a massively important game in Seattle in December; we win these. I think the Rams can be run on, and Davis has shown that he can run. I am hoping that Wagner players and KJ is well. Without them I still think we got this. I’m a believer, sorry, can’t shake that yet. Remember we just embarrassed Philadelphia here 2 weeks ago.
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I believe we win in a close game.
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people peeing all over themselves over the Lambs. The only advantage they have is health.
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And palm trees.
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Not to pick nits, but if KJ is out, that is FIVE pro-bowlers out in Cliff, Sherm, Kam, Bobby, and KJ. I still think we find a way to beat the Rams in front of the 12s. It's the 4th quarter of the season.... it's do or die.
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Bobby is a go. KJ is still in the protocol and is listed as doubtful. We just don't know how long Bobby can go.
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Seahawks, 27-24.
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http://www.seahawks.net/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=143734
Aros' Fearless Prediction Thread (Rams @ Seahawks)
I was hoping the Wilson over Bartles Factor would be enough to beat the Jags last Sunday. Nope. The only thing worse than Wilson's 3 picks in that game was the defenses complete inability to pressure Bartles all day making him actually look like a decent quarterback.
Heading into this PLAYOFF game against the Rams at home, my prediction weighs heavily on if Wagner and Wright will be available. If they are, I believe we will find a way to win. As beat up as we are, this team thrives in these conditions. Rams are still learning how to get there.
I for one do not think the Rams are as good as some think. That's not to say they aren't a good team, they have proven that they are this year, but with our season on the line and being at home in front of a rabid 12 home base, I give us the edge - IF Wagner and Wright play. If they don't, I quite frankly think that's just too much to overcome. So my prediction is based off of at least Wags being in the lineup.
Aros' Fearless Prediction: Seahawks 24 - Rams 21
Aros' Fearless Record: 9 - 5
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Rams - 30
Seahawks - 24
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Season ended last week. A back-up QB in Philly just prolonged it another week. This team is a mess right now with a coaching staff that refuses to make adjustments. Hopefully missing the playoffs for the first time in years will shake this coaching staff up and bring in some new faces. Rams win 24-13.
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Seahawks are just plain beat up. Last time we played the Rams and held them in check, we had Sherman, Chancellor, Wagner, and Wright...and we are in danger of missing all of them. The Rams Offense is very good, and right now our Defense is not.
Seahawks 24
Rams 30
My Record to Date: 9-4
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I will give two predictions:
If Wagner & Wright can't play 31-20 Rams
If Wagner & Wright play: 23-20 Hawks
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31-20 Hawks
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Without our two field general's Wagner and Chancellor this Defense becomes subpar real quick.
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Hawks 31
Rams 30
Rams will be up 14 at the half. RW goes off in the 2nd half.
Walsh hits a 51 yard game winning FG.
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Rams - 34
Hawks - 23
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If Wagner plays?
Hawks 28
Rams 24
If Wagner is out?
Rams 35
Hawks 24
I think rams are the new hawks but idk if our squad is ready to roll over.
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Rams 34
Seahawks 24
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I just have a eerie feeling about this game honestly. The last thing I want to see is the Rams clinch the division on our field and pretty much ensure we wont be going to the playoffs.
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It sucks, but the Hawks are going to lose to the Rams. Injuries and poor coaching have finally caught up with the Hawks. The chickens have come home roost and the Hawks will not be playing in January this year.
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I think that we can win if we are within 10 points at Halftime.
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Our guys will win this game because they will get up for it. The only concern I have is our coaches getting in the way with cute calls such as a fake fg run from the 40 or multiple runs on 2nd and 10.
Seahawks 30-17
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i predicted we would beat philly but lose to jacksonville, and now im predicting we beat LA. The coaching staff will try to blow it but Wilson ends up winning it for us somehow someway
Seahawks 21
Rams 17
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We are too banged up. Even if Wagner plays how effective will he be? He is the mvp for this team. Our secondary didn't look good last week and Davis is beat up. Rams are very hungry and if they win they know they have the div wrapped up.
31-24 Rams
Ytd: 8-5
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27-24 Hawks. Blair hits his chips.
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Rams 38 Seahawks 23.
Heads will roll! The sky is falling!
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Hawks - 21
Rams - 17
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It’s just not our year. Snakebit by injuries and our own mistakes. The Rams win the game and basically lock up the division.
Rams 34
Seahawks 31
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the 12s help will the Hawks to a win,....Hawks 23 Rams 17
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Rams - 28
Seahawks - 20
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Loving all the picks against the Hawks.
Hawks win 30-23. Almost immediately, a bunch of people start saying we will lose to the Cowboys so we shouldn't get too excited
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Okay, the defense is banged up. Got it.
SO Bevell is going to try to keep them off the field as soon as possible. Or at least that's what SHOULD happen.
If Bevell is able to piece together sustained drives that eat up the clock,
Seahawks win 24-14
If Bevell Blue Falcons the defense like he's done all season
Rams win 35-6
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34-24 Hawks
9-5 YTD
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I would hope that the Seahawks have enough playoff game experience, to treat this and the next 2 games like one and done playoff games. They have, after all, been a playoff team for what 5 years now?
That playoff game experience could very well make a difference. I see this game, like most on this site as a MUST WIN. I suspect that this will be a moderate scoring game with the win going to: Seahawks 24, Rams 20. (Sure hope I'm right!)
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Picking the better team to win, and that’s the Rams. Hawks badly need Wagner to play and be himself. If that doesn’t happen, I think they get hosed.
Rams 28
Hawks 24
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Seahawks and 12s get a dose of reality as to the real MVP of this team...BWags. If he is out, Gurley runs wild.
Rams 34
'Hawks 6
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I'm expecting a Rams win if we don't have Wagner, but it's like 60% Rams - 40% Hawks and I wouldn't be surprised at all if the Hawks come out on top.
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I expect a fierce battle. Hope in the end the Hawks will get the win.
Hawks 29
Rams 27
…..
Legend
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@Prime Time your "What _______ fans are saying before the game" threads are becoming epic game week threads. Slap full of information.
Thank you for all the work you're putting into these.
Thank you for all the work you're putting into these.
nighttrain
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Accuweather's prediction for Sunday in Seattle:
https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/seattle-wa/98104/daily-weather-forecast/351409?day=2
Day
48°HI
RealFeel® 44°
Precipitation 65%
Hours of Rain: 3 hrs
Winds from the SSW 7 mph - Gusts: 10 mph
https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/seattle-wa/98104/daily-weather-forecast/351409?day=2
Day
48°HI
RealFeel® 44°
Precipitation 65%
Hours of Rain: 3 hrs
Winds from the SSW 7 mph - Gusts: 10 mph
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Some of these Fans are starting to sound a little realistic to me, that's very hard to believe!! They seem to realize the Rams are going to Destroy there Team this week-end!!:yess:
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https://www.seattletimes.com/sports...ellor-walking-with-him-every-step-of-the-way/
Kam Chancellor left big shoes for Bradley McDougald in Seahawks secondary, and he’s helping him fill them
Gary Klein
Bettina Hansen / The Seattle Times
Bradley McDougald has been handed two of the hardest NFL tasks imaginable this season — stepping in for Seattle free safety Earl Thomas and strong safety Kam Chancellor.
It was something he signed on for willingly when he agreed to a one-year deal with the Seahawks in the offseason after starting the previous two seasons with Tampa Bay and then becoming a free agent.
As he said this week, his original thought was actually that the team might find ways to use him in packages where he would play with Thomas and Chancellor.
“When I originally came here, I had thoughts of being on the field with Earl and Kam,” he said. “You know, finding a position out there that suited me and enabled the defense to grow.”
But injuries have foiled that plan. McDougald first had to spell Thomas for two games when Thomas suffered a hamstring injury. And now he is taking the place of Chancellor for the rest of the season after Chancellor suffered a neck injury against Arizona.
McDougald has started the last four games in place of Chancellor. And while no one can be Chancellor, McDougald’s play has been more than good enough — he has 34 tackles in those four games and against the Eagles got credit for shutting down tight end Zach Ertz.
“I’m not those guys,” McDougald said. “I’m not Earl. I’m not Kam and I’ve had success without being those guys. So I just keep that in my back pocket and I go out there and I play my game. That’s about it. I just go out there and play my game. I don’t try to make things up. I don’t try and do anything outside of my job. I just do my job and then once you do that and once you make a couple plays doing your job, it looks good.”
What’s helped is his growing relationship with both Thomas and Chancellor.
McDougald says Chancellor has offered advice every step of the way.
“It’s huge,” McDougald said. “Kam is a great role model, great leader, it’s no question as to why he is a captain but more importantly, he is the type of player that can explain the game as a coach. It’s different for somebody that has actually been in the position and actually been in the shoes.
A lot of players can’t really coach the next player behind them at their position because they just go out there and do it. It’s instinct. But Kam knows the game. He is really a student and he does a great job of breaking it down and telling me where my eyes need to be and just helping me play faster.”
How does his communication work with Chancellor?
“We’ve done it all,” he said. “Kam has been very flexible with this whole process in keeping me up to speed and keeping me locked in at the position. We’ve shared texts. I went to his house before. We’ve met after in the facility. I mean whatever it takes. I’m going to him, he is helping me out in this situation, so wherever he needs me to be type of situation.”
McDougald’s relationship with Thomas, meanwhile, is even more personal as the two are now manning the back end of the Seattle secondary for the rest of the season. Not since his rookie year in 2010 when Thomas played alongside Lawyer Milloy has he gone this many games without having Chancellor with him in the secondary.
McDougald smiled this week and said he knows Thomas is getting more comfortable with him since he actually laughed in his presence.
“I got him to joke on sideline actually, yesterday at practice,” he said. “So we are getting there. We are getting there. The more we talk and he likes it. He knows that chemistry takes time and you got to go out there and you got to fight and you got to go out there and get bloody with the guy next to you and over time, it will come. In games, when we are out there and we are communicating better and I think the trust is starting to grow more.”
“… Earl, the more I am playing with him, the more I am picking him up and I’m getting a good groove with him,” McDougald said. “I’m moving well with him out there. But yeah, Earl is a special player out there. I mean everyone knows that the way he prepares is special, how serious he takes the game is just special and he gets locked in to these places.
But he has grown as a player and he knows that we have a lot of new faces out there so yes, open up and talking more and being more progressive for the people around him, but I love playing with him personally. But getting used to his ways and dealing with him and how he prepares for the game was different at first.”
Thomas is famously a lead-by-example type, leaving being named captain or giving pre-game speeches to others.
But McDougald revealed that coach Pete Carroll has asked Thomas to try to be a little more overt in his leadership with so many veterans gone.
“Pete knows that there’s a lot of new faces around there and he’s got in his (Thomas’) ear a little bit and just try and ease back on the focus a little bit and just try and bring the guys around you,” McDougald said.
“Because when you got a guy like Earl Thomas and he comes up and says a couple words to you that can do wonders for a new guy that has only been out there three or four plays, maybe a series. He gives you a couple words of encouragement that could boost a lot of people’s morale so I think that is the real reason Coach and a lot of people want him to be more vocal.”
http://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/la-sp-seahawks-rams-gurley-20171215-story.html
Todd Gurley has given the Rams plenty of reasons to keep giving him the ball
Gary Klein
Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press
Initially, Todd Gurley did not understand what all the fuss was about.
The Rams running back was a rookie in 2015 when he scored a fourth-quarter touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks in a December game at CenturyLink Field.
In celebration, Gurley spiked the ball. But a Rams player told him he should have made it a keepsake.
“My teammate was like, ‘Boy, what you doing? You better keep that ball. You know how many people score in Seattle? Nobody,’ ” Gurley recalled this week, laughing.
Gurley’s touchdown propelled the Rams to a surprising victory over a team that has featured one of the NFL’s best defenses for more than a half-decade.
The Seahawks’ defense was fully stocked in last season’s victory over the Rams in Seattle, and this season in a 16-10 victory over the Rams in Week 5 at the Coliseum.
But Sunday, Gurley and the Rams will go against an injury-riddled Seattle defense that will be without star cornerback Richard Sherman and safety Kam Chancellor, among others. Linebacker K.J. Wright is doubtful and linebacker Bobby Wagner is questionable.
That could provide Rams coach Sean McVay with more reason to turn to Gurley, a 1,000-yard rusher who carried the ball only 13 times in last week’s 43-35 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
McVay blamed himself for not giving Gurley more opportunities in a defeat that dropped the Rams’ record to 9-4 heading into the NFC West showdown with the 8-5 Seahawks.
“However you want to cut it,” McVay said, “I’ve got to get him going.”
Gurley has rushed for 1,035 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also has 51 receptions for 602 yards and three touchdowns.
In the first seven games, Gurley averaged 20.8 carries per game. He has averaged 15.2 in the last six.
Against the Eagles, Gurley ran for 96 yards and averaged more than seven yards a carry. But the Rams continued to pass more than run — and it backfired when quarterback Jared Goff was sacked and stripped for a fumble in the fourth quarter.
Asked this week if he felt he was getting enough opportunities to carry the ball, Gurley said, “Yeah.”
“It’s easy to say when you lose the game that you need the ball more,” he said, “but when you’re winning and you don’t get the ball it’s no problems. So you’ve got to be consistent.”
In 13 games the Rams have attempted 422 passes and rushed 359 times.
In Week 12 against New Orleans, the Rams passed 44 times and rushed 25. The next week against Arizona, the Rams’ pass-to-run ratio was 31 to 24. Against the Eagles, it was 26 to 17.
McVay aims to achieve a balance, Gurley said.
“But you know, stuff never goes as planned in the game,” he said. “You go through situations and he sees looks that he likes, he calls the shots.
“He’s the head dog, and if he wants to pass the ball, we’re going to pass the ball. If he wants to run the ball we’re going to run the ball. ... There’s only one ball and there’s 11 people on the field.
“You can’t get it every time, and you’ve got to just look at it like that.”
Running backs coach Skip Peete said Gurley has never complained.
“Every game is different,” Peete said. “It all comes down to how they’re playing you.
“What we try to do is stay within the moment. We can’t be concerned about whether or not you’re getting it enough or not getting it enough.”
In October’s loss to the Seahawks, Gurley rushed for 43 yards in 14 carries and also caught two passes.
He has rushed for more than 100 yards four times, though not since a Week 7 victory over Arizona in London.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll expects Gurley to be prominent Sunday.
“He really is the centerpiece of the offense,” Carroll said, adding, “I know Sean is trying to figure out ways to make him productive. ... So, yeah we have to defend their whole offense, but their offense is built around him.”
The Rams finished 7-9 and 4-12 in Gurley’s first two seasons.
Now they lead the NFC West and are positioned to make a playoff run for the first time since 2004.
Gurley is excited about playing a meaningful game in December.
“It’s one of those games that you usually see other teams play in at the end of the year,” he said, “and we’re in a situation this year, so it will be exciting.”
Etc.
Center John Sullivan did not practice because of illness but is expected to play Sunday, McVay said. ... The Rams will have a walk-through Saturday and then depart for Seattle.
Kam Chancellor left big shoes for Bradley McDougald in Seahawks secondary, and he’s helping him fill them
Gary Klein
Bettina Hansen / The Seattle Times
Bradley McDougald has been handed two of the hardest NFL tasks imaginable this season — stepping in for Seattle free safety Earl Thomas and strong safety Kam Chancellor.
It was something he signed on for willingly when he agreed to a one-year deal with the Seahawks in the offseason after starting the previous two seasons with Tampa Bay and then becoming a free agent.
As he said this week, his original thought was actually that the team might find ways to use him in packages where he would play with Thomas and Chancellor.
“When I originally came here, I had thoughts of being on the field with Earl and Kam,” he said. “You know, finding a position out there that suited me and enabled the defense to grow.”
But injuries have foiled that plan. McDougald first had to spell Thomas for two games when Thomas suffered a hamstring injury. And now he is taking the place of Chancellor for the rest of the season after Chancellor suffered a neck injury against Arizona.
McDougald has started the last four games in place of Chancellor. And while no one can be Chancellor, McDougald’s play has been more than good enough — he has 34 tackles in those four games and against the Eagles got credit for shutting down tight end Zach Ertz.
“I’m not those guys,” McDougald said. “I’m not Earl. I’m not Kam and I’ve had success without being those guys. So I just keep that in my back pocket and I go out there and I play my game. That’s about it. I just go out there and play my game. I don’t try to make things up. I don’t try and do anything outside of my job. I just do my job and then once you do that and once you make a couple plays doing your job, it looks good.”
What’s helped is his growing relationship with both Thomas and Chancellor.
McDougald says Chancellor has offered advice every step of the way.
“It’s huge,” McDougald said. “Kam is a great role model, great leader, it’s no question as to why he is a captain but more importantly, he is the type of player that can explain the game as a coach. It’s different for somebody that has actually been in the position and actually been in the shoes.
A lot of players can’t really coach the next player behind them at their position because they just go out there and do it. It’s instinct. But Kam knows the game. He is really a student and he does a great job of breaking it down and telling me where my eyes need to be and just helping me play faster.”
How does his communication work with Chancellor?
“We’ve done it all,” he said. “Kam has been very flexible with this whole process in keeping me up to speed and keeping me locked in at the position. We’ve shared texts. I went to his house before. We’ve met after in the facility. I mean whatever it takes. I’m going to him, he is helping me out in this situation, so wherever he needs me to be type of situation.”
McDougald’s relationship with Thomas, meanwhile, is even more personal as the two are now manning the back end of the Seattle secondary for the rest of the season. Not since his rookie year in 2010 when Thomas played alongside Lawyer Milloy has he gone this many games without having Chancellor with him in the secondary.
McDougald smiled this week and said he knows Thomas is getting more comfortable with him since he actually laughed in his presence.
“I got him to joke on sideline actually, yesterday at practice,” he said. “So we are getting there. We are getting there. The more we talk and he likes it. He knows that chemistry takes time and you got to go out there and you got to fight and you got to go out there and get bloody with the guy next to you and over time, it will come. In games, when we are out there and we are communicating better and I think the trust is starting to grow more.”
“… Earl, the more I am playing with him, the more I am picking him up and I’m getting a good groove with him,” McDougald said. “I’m moving well with him out there. But yeah, Earl is a special player out there. I mean everyone knows that the way he prepares is special, how serious he takes the game is just special and he gets locked in to these places.
But he has grown as a player and he knows that we have a lot of new faces out there so yes, open up and talking more and being more progressive for the people around him, but I love playing with him personally. But getting used to his ways and dealing with him and how he prepares for the game was different at first.”
Thomas is famously a lead-by-example type, leaving being named captain or giving pre-game speeches to others.
But McDougald revealed that coach Pete Carroll has asked Thomas to try to be a little more overt in his leadership with so many veterans gone.
“Pete knows that there’s a lot of new faces around there and he’s got in his (Thomas’) ear a little bit and just try and ease back on the focus a little bit and just try and bring the guys around you,” McDougald said.
“Because when you got a guy like Earl Thomas and he comes up and says a couple words to you that can do wonders for a new guy that has only been out there three or four plays, maybe a series. He gives you a couple words of encouragement that could boost a lot of people’s morale so I think that is the real reason Coach and a lot of people want him to be more vocal.”
http://www.latimes.com/sports/rams/la-sp-seahawks-rams-gurley-20171215-story.html
Todd Gurley has given the Rams plenty of reasons to keep giving him the ball
Gary Klein
Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press
Initially, Todd Gurley did not understand what all the fuss was about.
The Rams running back was a rookie in 2015 when he scored a fourth-quarter touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks in a December game at CenturyLink Field.
In celebration, Gurley spiked the ball. But a Rams player told him he should have made it a keepsake.
“My teammate was like, ‘Boy, what you doing? You better keep that ball. You know how many people score in Seattle? Nobody,’ ” Gurley recalled this week, laughing.
Gurley’s touchdown propelled the Rams to a surprising victory over a team that has featured one of the NFL’s best defenses for more than a half-decade.
The Seahawks’ defense was fully stocked in last season’s victory over the Rams in Seattle, and this season in a 16-10 victory over the Rams in Week 5 at the Coliseum.
But Sunday, Gurley and the Rams will go against an injury-riddled Seattle defense that will be without star cornerback Richard Sherman and safety Kam Chancellor, among others. Linebacker K.J. Wright is doubtful and linebacker Bobby Wagner is questionable.
That could provide Rams coach Sean McVay with more reason to turn to Gurley, a 1,000-yard rusher who carried the ball only 13 times in last week’s 43-35 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
McVay blamed himself for not giving Gurley more opportunities in a defeat that dropped the Rams’ record to 9-4 heading into the NFC West showdown with the 8-5 Seahawks.
“However you want to cut it,” McVay said, “I’ve got to get him going.”
Gurley has rushed for 1,035 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also has 51 receptions for 602 yards and three touchdowns.
In the first seven games, Gurley averaged 20.8 carries per game. He has averaged 15.2 in the last six.
Against the Eagles, Gurley ran for 96 yards and averaged more than seven yards a carry. But the Rams continued to pass more than run — and it backfired when quarterback Jared Goff was sacked and stripped for a fumble in the fourth quarter.
Asked this week if he felt he was getting enough opportunities to carry the ball, Gurley said, “Yeah.”
“It’s easy to say when you lose the game that you need the ball more,” he said, “but when you’re winning and you don’t get the ball it’s no problems. So you’ve got to be consistent.”
In 13 games the Rams have attempted 422 passes and rushed 359 times.
In Week 12 against New Orleans, the Rams passed 44 times and rushed 25. The next week against Arizona, the Rams’ pass-to-run ratio was 31 to 24. Against the Eagles, it was 26 to 17.
McVay aims to achieve a balance, Gurley said.
“But you know, stuff never goes as planned in the game,” he said. “You go through situations and he sees looks that he likes, he calls the shots.
“He’s the head dog, and if he wants to pass the ball, we’re going to pass the ball. If he wants to run the ball we’re going to run the ball. ... There’s only one ball and there’s 11 people on the field.
“You can’t get it every time, and you’ve got to just look at it like that.”
Running backs coach Skip Peete said Gurley has never complained.
“Every game is different,” Peete said. “It all comes down to how they’re playing you.
“What we try to do is stay within the moment. We can’t be concerned about whether or not you’re getting it enough or not getting it enough.”
In October’s loss to the Seahawks, Gurley rushed for 43 yards in 14 carries and also caught two passes.
He has rushed for more than 100 yards four times, though not since a Week 7 victory over Arizona in London.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll expects Gurley to be prominent Sunday.
“He really is the centerpiece of the offense,” Carroll said, adding, “I know Sean is trying to figure out ways to make him productive. ... So, yeah we have to defend their whole offense, but their offense is built around him.”
The Rams finished 7-9 and 4-12 in Gurley’s first two seasons.
Now they lead the NFC West and are positioned to make a playoff run for the first time since 2004.
Gurley is excited about playing a meaningful game in December.
“It’s one of those games that you usually see other teams play in at the end of the year,” he said, “and we’re in a situation this year, so it will be exciting.”
Etc.
Center John Sullivan did not practice because of illness but is expected to play Sunday, McVay said. ... The Rams will have a walk-through Saturday and then depart for Seattle.
