Seattle QB Russell Wilson is a familiar, and established, Los Angeles opponent.
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Rams know what to expect with Seahawks' Russell Wilson: "He’s an elite quarterback"
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. –– The Rams have faced Russell Wilson 14 times, six since they returned to Los Angeles, so the quarterback's talent isn't exactly an unknown when their defense prepare to play against him.
And while he's posting career-highs in multiple statistical categories, Wilson has already been established as one of the game's best.
"Russell Wilson makes plays, we know that and we’ve played against him a lot," Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said. "He’s an elite quarterback."
Now in his eighth NFL season, Wilson is off to his best start from a numbers standpoint.
He leads the NFL with a completion percentage of 72.9, while his passer rating of 118.7 ranks second in the league. It's the first time he's recorded a passer rating of more than 100 through his first four games.
Additionally, his eight touchdowns thrown match 2014 for his best total at the quarter mark of the season. This is also the first season he hasn't thrown an interception through the first four games, either. If he maintains his 8.6 yards per attempt average the remainder of the season, that would also be a new career-best.
"He's one of the best quarterbacks in the league. I literally just got done talking about him for 15 minutes, so my compliments are all spent," Rams safety
Eric Weddle said. "He's amazing, a leader, amazing deep ball, improvise(s), special when those things happen. I could go on-and-on. ... We've got our hands full."
The Rams' best answer in an attempt to stop Wilson is DT
Aaron Donald, who has enjoyed a different level of success against the Seahawks since entering the league in 2014.
In 10 games against Seattle, Donald has posted 10.5 sacks, 46 total tackles (17 for loss) and two forced fumbles. That sack total includes a three-sack performance in 2017, a game in which the Rams limited the Seahawks to just seven points.
However, just because he's posted those numbers doesn't mean he has fun trying to contain Wilson, whose ability to escape the pocket has contributed to a career 5.8 yards per carry.
"Nah, it's a headache. It's a headache chasing a guy around," Donald said. "I'd rather play against a quarterback that sits still."
Like Phillips, Rams head coach Sean McVay understands Wilson's playmaking ability comes from within and outside of the pocket and the test in front of them Thursday night.
"He’s one of those guys that make so many plays," Rams head coach Sean McVay said. "He’s an elite competitor and it’s going to be a great challenge for us."
A look at some of Pro Football Focus' key Rams evaluations through the first four weeks of the season.
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Rams Pro Football Focus tidbits heading into Week 5
Pro Football Focus (PFF) has a team of more than 300 staffers evaluating every NFL play from the Hall of Fame game to the Super Bowl. After each game, players, as well as each team's offensive, defensive and special teams units, are graded on a scale of 0 to 100; the closer a player or unit is to 100, the better. A full explanation of their evaluation process
can be found here for additional context.
Here's a look at some of the noteworthy Rams-centric assessments through the first four weeks of the season.
LITTLETON EXCELLING IN COVERAGE
ILB
Cory Littleton has been a valuable contributor to the Rams' pass defense.
His coverage grade 90.0 is the highest of any Rams defensive player at 90.0. On a broader scale, that same coverage grade is second-highest among the 150 linebackers evaluated by PFF at the quarter mark of the season.
For the Rams, this is a positive development. Littleton switched from the MIKE inside linebacker spot to the MO inside linebacker spot, but it's clear it hasn't affected him.
DON'T UNDERESTIMATE PETERS' TACKLING ABILITY
The big play by Marcus Peters many will focus on is the interception he returned for a touchdown, and rightfully so. However, his tackling should not be overlooked.
Peters' tackling grade of 80.6 trails only Littleton's 82.2 for best on the defense. He's finished as one of the Rams' top six tacklers in three of their first four games, and the reason he doesn't have one from all four games is because he wasn't evaluated in that category against the Saints.
Yes, takeaways are important, but so too is stopping the ball carrier. Peters is good at both.
This likely comes as no surprise if you saw WR Cooper Kupp's 66-yard catch against the Saints in Week 2 and the lengths fellow receiver Robert Woods went to make sure he kept going.
Through the first four games, Woods is the Rams' highest-graded run blocker and second-highest graded pass blocker. Twice, he's had the best run-blocking grade – in Los Angeles' Week 1 win at Carolina and Week 4 loss to Tampa Bay.
The Los Angeles Rams are set to face off against the Seattle Seahawks for TNF.
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Will Rams division dominance continue?
For the first time since Sean McVay was hired, the Rams do not hold at least a share of first place in the NFC West. For the moment, at least externally, they’re
no longer the favorite.
They have a chance to change that over the next two games, head-to-head against the Seahawks and 49ers. And perhaps division rivalries are just the tonic they need following an embarrassing home loss to Tampa Bay.
All the shortcomings they got away with against the Panthers, Saints, and Browns were laid bare at the Coliseum in Week 4. Chief among them, what’s the identity of this 2019 group?
In a sense, the Rams are victims of their own success. When you score more points than any franchise in football over the course of two seasons – and do so in perfect run/pass equilibrium – there’s only one way you can go from there.
At the quarter pole, it’s clear these are not the 2017-18 Rams. At least not yet; at least not offensively. And that’s fine! It’s a truth that doesn’t need to have negative connotations.
Perhaps it’s time we stop comparing them to the two-time defending division champions of years gone by, and allow this group of Rams to figure out who they’re going to be and how they’re going to three-peat.
Contrast in Styles
The Seahawks have a future Hall of Famer at quarterback at the top of the MVP conversation as the calendar turns to October. Yet, they insist on being a run-first offense, and in fact were the only team in the NFL to attempt more runs than passes last season.
Conversely, the Rams have an All-Pro tailback and a recent Offensive Player of the Year in Todd Gurley, but have thrown it on 65% of their offensive snaps so far.
This isn’t the space to tease out all the various reasons why those dynamics are real. We’ll just point to the paradox and predict that despite their tendencies, both Seattle and Los Angeles will go as their superstars go.
Rethinking Thursday
Speaking of Gurley, his stance against Thursday Night Football is
well-documented and
widely-shared around the league.
Nonetheless, the Rams have to convince themselves that they won the lottery with this TNF assignment.
First and foremost, it’s early in the schedule and the Rams are relatively healthy, which is huge. Second, even though it’s on the road, it’s in the same time zone. Third, it’s against a familiar division opponent that played on the road last week. And finally, being in Seattle Thursday gives you a four-day head start on the 49ers, who host Cleveland in the final game of Week 5.
Yes, for the third time this season, the Rams
nextopponent will play Monday Night Football before taking on Los Angeles.
It may not feel like it now, but the Rams got a scheduling break. Especially if they capitalize with a win.
Thursday Night Fireworks
The Rams have authored two of the most entertaining Thursday games in recent years.
In Santa Clara in 2017, Goff and Gurley orchestrated a 41-39 barnburner.
Then, home to the Vikings in 2018, the Rams prevailed 38-31, on the back of a perfect quarterback rating.
That leaves Goff with two wins, eight touchdowns, and zero interceptions in a pair of Thursday games since 2017.
If tonight is anything like those performances, we should be in for a good one.
Pete in Prime Time
The Seahawks also have quite the prime time reputation. Since Pete Carroll took over a decade ago, they boast the best winning percentage in the NFL under the lights (26-5-1, .828), including an 8-1 mark on Thursday Night Football and seven consecutive mid-week wins.
Hear Yourself Think In CenturyLink
Just when you thought the Rams would use the familiar calm of the Coliseum to get right offensively, they were more disjointed than ever against the Bucs. 13 penalties accounting for 106 lost yards were predominantly committed on offense and pre-snap. Their ability to get those mistakes corrected on a short week will be thoroughly tested in the crucible that is CenturyLink Field, where “The 12s” are responsible for more false start penalties than any other venue in the NFL.
Pressure Cooker
Last year, Jared Goff was pressured on just 32% of his drop-backs, according to Pro Football Focus. Four games into 2019, that figure is up to 43%.
While a quarterback
is largely responsible for his own pressure rate, the Rams offensive line ranks 28th in ESPN’s Pass Block Win Rate.
Against the ferocious front of the Seahawks – with the aforementioned crowd at their back – that could spell trouble.
Turnover a New Leaf
Even gloomier, the forecast. Highs in the mid-50s with a chance of rain. Not terrible, especially when you consider that London and Pittsburgh might be the only other “bad weather” destinations on the Rams regular season schedule.
It doesn’t bode well for a fumble-prone quarterback, though.
As reported
by The Ringer this week, Goff has fumbled 14 times in the last 13 games, including the postseason. His streak of fumbles in 10 straight regular season games is the longest in the NFL since Matt Cassel from 2011 to 2012, per ESPN research.
Most recently, Ndamukong Suh made the Rams pay with a scoop and score. Cam Jordan and the Saints were robbed of a touchdown off a strip sack in Week Two.
Assuming it’s cold and wet, Goff must be laser-focused on putting together an interception-and-fumble-free performance – something he hasn’t been able to achieve since the last time he faced the Seahawks, Week 10 of 2018.
Russ Running for MVP
Meantime, his counterpart is off to the best start of his NFL career, according to Pete Carroll.
Wilson has accounted for 10 touchdowns without an interception. Last week in the second half at Arizona, he went 12-for-12 passing. He leads the NFL in completion percentage above expectation, a NextGen Stat.
Then again, he hasn’t faced his kryptonite yet this season.
Wilson is 6-8 career against the Rams. In addition to that loss total, his eight interceptions and 55 sacks against Los Angeles are all his most against any opponent.
…and you can attribute most of those struggles to Aaron Donald.
In 10 contests against the Hawks, the Rams defensive tackle has amassed 10.5 sacks, 17 tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles. Los Angeles needs him to have one of those vintage performances tonight to secure another road win.
Don’t Forget Britt
You might remember Donald and Seattle center Justin Britt
getting into it in Week 10 last season.
While Donald has been aligning all over scrimmage so far this season, he’ll undoubtedly get his reps against Britt at some point. Worth keeping an eye on whether bygones are bygones.
Dominate the Division
With starters playing, Los Angeles has only lost a single game to an NFC West opponent under McVay, at home against Seattle in early 2017 (an unfortunate five-turnover affair by the Rams).
Overall, they’re 10-2 against the division and swept the West in 2018, averaging nearly 37 points per game in the process. Whatever’s ailing the Rams, there’s no better time to get right than against 3-1 Seattle and 3-0 San Francisco.
The schedule serves as the perfect reminder that the first order of business each year is to be better than the three other franchises in your division. Do that, and you host a postseason game. With the Cardinals still winless, the NFC West has effectively become a three horse race that starts tonight.
Husky Heavy
We’ll end on a Pac-12 football note from the Pacific Northwest. Sure, the Seahawks are the home team tonight, but the Rams have more University of Washington products.
It’s unlikely Taylor Rapp will be able to go with his injured ankle, which is unfortunate on many fronts. But perhaps fellow Husky Greg Gaines will be active at nose. Cory Littleton and Marcus Peters played their college football at UW. Reserve lineman Coleman Shelton, who we’ve yet to see in a Rams uniform, also is a product of the Purple and Gold.
And let’s not forget our own D’Marco Farr won a national title with Don James and the Huskies.
Point being, they’ve got Seahawks tight end Will Dissly and linebacker Ben Burr-Kirven outnumbered in their own back yard.
Go Dawgs. (And don’t even get us started on the Eastern Washington pipeline to Los Angeles.)
