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https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2018/10/04/nfl-los-angeles-rams-seahawks-week-5-matchups/
Rams vs. Seahawks: 4 key matchups to watch on Sunday
By: Cameron DaSilva
For years, the Seattle Seahawks owned the NFC West. Now, it belongs to the Los Angeles Rams, and not many would deny that. The two teams, who have been at the center of the “changing of the guard,” so to speak, will square off in Seattle on Sunday for their first of two meetings this season.
There are plenty of key matchups that will determine the outcome of this game, but here are the four most important.
Andrew Whitworth vs. Frank Clark
Arguably the biggest threat on Seattle’s defense is Clark at right end. With no Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril, Earl Thomas, Richard Sherman or Kam Chancellor, the defense looks vastly different than it did last year or the year prior. Clark, however, is still a solid player and a prolific pass rusher. Unfortunately for the Seahawks, he’ll be facing the top-graded tackle in the NFL this weekend, per PFF.
Assuming Clark sees plenty of Whitworth on Sunday, the Rams should be able to neutralize that threat. Whitworth is more than capable of holding his own against the former Michigan Wolverine. This is a matchup the Rams should win, and really need to.
Cory Littleton vs. Russell Wilson
Wilson is often at his best when outside the pocket. That’s not necessarily to say he’s a scrambling quarterback, but he uses his legs to make things happen beyond the framework of the play. Littleton could be asked to spy him on occasion, making sure he’s contained in the pocket and isn’t given big running lanes to pick up key first downs.
Some of this will obviously fall on the edge rushers and guys like Michael Brockers, but Littleton has the range and athleticism to contain Wilson and hopefully prevent him from making big plays when eluding the initial rush.
Aaron Donald vs. J.R. Sweezy
Sweezy has filled in for Ethan Pocic the past two weeks as he recovers from an ankle injury, but Pocic may not be fully ready to return to the starting lineup just yet. As a result, Sweezy will be tasked with slowing down Donald – a tall task for even the best lineman. Donald dominated Vikings left guard Tom Compton last week and it could be much of the same on Sunday against Sweezy.
The Seahawks’ offensive line has generally been bad this season with Sweezy grading out as the 53rd-best guard in the league. Donald should be able to take advantage of this formidable matchup and record a sack or two. Last season, he had three in the Rams’ final matchup with the Seahawks, bringing his total against Seattle to seven in eight games.
Todd Gurley vs. Seahawks LBs
No K.J. Wright, no Mychal Kendricks … no problem? Not exactly. Just the opposite, actually. The Seahawks are decimated at linebacker with Bobby Wagner being the only remaining starter who’s healthy and active. Shaquem Griffin has struggled in limited action (just 41 snaps) and hasn’t been much of a factor, but he and Austin Calitro could see increased reps with Kendricks out.
Gurley should be able to feast on the Seahawks’ linebackers not named Wagner, who’s an outstanding player, of course. If the Rams can get a blocker on him consistently, Gurley will have a big game.
https://theramswire.usatoday.com/2018/10/05/nfl-los-angeles-rams-seahawks-week-5-concerns/
Rams' 3 biggest causes for concern vs. Seahawks
By: Cameron DaSilva
The Los Angeles Rams are seeking their first 5-0 start in 17 years, but the Seattle Seahawks are the only team standing in their way. With their first of two meetings coming on Sunday, the Rams should have a chance to grab their fifth straight win.
There aren’t many concerns facing Los Angeles, but here are the three biggest.
Russell Wilson’s magic
If there’s one thing the Rams have to be worried about, it’s Wilson making extraordinary plays outside the pocket. He’s often at his best when playing outside the structure of the play call, making things happen after the initial play breaks down and he eludes the rush. That’s typically when Seattle’s biggest plays happen, which the Rams have to be wary of.
Having great pass rushers up front certainly helps, but Wilson is like Houdini in the pocket. He can slip sacks with the best of them, direct traffic downfield and throw a 40-yard bomb to a receiver who lost his coverage man. The Seahawks will have trouble consistently marching down the field, but if they can make big plays here and there, it’ll mask their inefficiency on offense.
Sam Shields getting picked on
Losing Aqib Talib was a big blow, even as good as Marcus Peters and Nickell Robey-Coleman are. The combination of him and Peters gave opposing quarterbacks no easy throws on the outside, but with Talib gone, things aren’t as difficult. That’s not a knock on the play of Shields, but he’s not the lockdown cover man that Talib is, and the Vikings took advantage of that last week.
Don’t be surprised to see Wilson shy away from Peters’ side of the field in order to target the left side. Shields has the speed to hang with a guy like Tyler Lockett, but he’s susceptible to in-breaking routes like slants. He wasn’t bad in Week 4, but he wasn’t great, either. He has to be better against the Seahawks in order to prevent a big day from Lockett or Doug Baldwin, assuming he plays.
Red zone struggles
The Rams have had no trouble moving the ball up and down the field, leading the NFL in total yards even with the Colts and Patriots playing one extra game. Where they’ve had some trouble is in the red zone. They rank 15th in touchdown percentage at 57.9 percent, which is well behind the fifth-ranked Seahawks. Last week against the Vikings, they only scored a touchdown on 50 percent of their red zone trips, which wasn’t an issue as they scored 38 points.
However, the Rams have to be better in the red area, which pass game coordinator Shane Waldron knows.
“I think we’re always striving to be great on those situational parts of the game, whether it’s third down or red zone efficiency – some of those things,” he said this week.
https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-nfl-week-5-fox-los-angeles-rams-seattle-seahawks-preview
NFL Week 5 FOX Los Angeles Rams @Seattle Seahawks Preview
BY PFF PREVIEW TEAM
LOS ANGELES RAMS @ SEATTLE SEAHAWKS FOX 4:25 PM
GOFF IS PLAYING AT AN ELITE LEVEL
Jared Goff has been brilliant through the first four weeks of the season. His passer rating in most situations far exceed that of the NFL average, and that ability was put on full display last week. If Goff continues this stretch of elite play, the Seahawks are going to have a hard time stopping this offense.
GURLEY CAN DO A LOT MORE THAN JUST RUN THE FOOTBALL
Todd Gurley is everything as advertised. After a dominant 2017 campaign, the running back picked up right where he left off. His playmaking ability for this offense has proven to be invaluable as he has honed in on his skills as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, allowing him to help open up this Rams offense.
AARON DONALD IS STILL AARON DONALD
Aaron Donald has continued his dominance in the NFL. With an overall rating of 93.6 this season, it is no wonder why this Rams’ defense has been one of the best in the league. This week against the Seahawks, expect Donald to impact the game in a big way as he squares off against the shaky Seattle offensive line.
LOSS OF TALIB HURTS RAMS’ DEFENSE
While the Rams possess an extremely talented defense, one area where they may have a sizeable drop-off in play is at the cornerback position. Losing a top corner in
Aqib Talib would hurt any team, and it will be something that the Seahawks will be looking to expose this Sunday.
WILSON CAN PLAY UNDER PRESSURE WITH THE BEST OF THEM
Russell Wilson will be facing one of the best defenses in the NFL this week with two elite interior defensive linemen in
Ndamukong Suh and Donald. Fortunately, Wilson has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league at extending the play, and with an offensive line that is well below average, the Seahawks will be depending on this ability to open up big plays down the field.
RETURN OF BALDWIN IS KEY FOR SEATTLE OFFENSE
Last week was
Doug Baldwin‘s first week back from the injury he suffered in Week 1. It has been clear that Wilson has been missing his number one target. Baldwin’s versatility has proven to be a staple of this offense, as he has shown to not only be a threat on the outside but in the slot as well, as he accumulated 703 of his total receiving yards from the slot last season.
WAGNER WILL PLAY PIVOTAL ROLE IN COVERAGE
Bobby Wagner continues to show each week why he is one of the most dominant defensive players in the NFL. His coverage ability at the linebacker position is at an elite level. This ability will prove to be extremely valuable, as the Rams have shown that they have a number of playmakers on the offensive side of the ball.
LOSS OF EARL THOMAS IS DEAFENING
The hole that losing
Earl Thomas left in this defense will not be one that the Seahawks can replace easily. Thomas has been the highest-graded safety in coverage this season, and even with great game planning, will be hard to replace. It will be interesting to see how this defense manages without one of their best players on the field.
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