(Photo: Clutchpoints) 

NFC Game Of The Week 

Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams

Seahawks (7-2):

They’ve been rolling, and last Sunday night in Landover against the Washington Commanders, I saw firsthand just how good they are. First, they were criticized for giving Sam Darnold the years and the contract they did, but after trading Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders to reunite him with former coach Pete Carroll, they needed a quarterback. And second, Sam had the best year of his career last season — so what could he do for an encore in 2025? Well, he’s picked up exactly where he left off after his one season with the Minnesota Vikings, throwing 17 touchdown passes to only six interceptions. Against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10, they started fast and never looked back. Since that Week 5 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Seahawks have responded with four straight victories and are quietly going about their business — which I can appreciate. Lately, I’ve seen Darnold protect the ball, connect with his receivers, and lead an offense complemented by solid defense. Their trade deadline move to acquire Rashid Shaheed from the New Orleans Saints told me they were all-in — and I thought it was the best move of the deadline. Shaheed’s speed gives Darnold another weapon alongside Cooper Kupp and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and it’s truly game-changing. Honestly, this is the best I’ve seen Seattle look since the “Legion of Boom” days. They’re playing with swagger. This Sunday, they head to SoFi for a huge matchup.

Rams (7-2):

Another win? No problem. I had a good feeling about this team coming into the season, and so far, they haven’t disappointed. When I did my NFC West preview this summer, I said this was the team I had the most faith in — the 49ers are often hit by the injury bug, the Seahawks were still a question mark at the time, and the Cardinals are too inconsistent for my liking. I’ve watched Sean McVay grow as both a play-caller and head coach since taking this job, and to me, he’s still one of the five best coaches in the league. I truly believe he can make it work with almost anyone on his roster. Right now, the Rams are rolling. They have the best wide receiver duo in football in Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. When they let Cooper Kupp go, there were questions about how they’d replace him — but that was never my concern. My issue was their lack of offensive balance, which they’ve now addressed by making Kyren Williams just as vital to the offense as their receivers. I can’t say enough about Matthew Stafford’s play this season — he’s having arguably the best year of his career. At this stage, he’s channeling his inner Drew Brees — spreading the ball around and finding whoever’s open. They return home Sunday for a massive divisional showdown.

Seahawks X-Factor: Byron Murphy II

I loved watching him in college with the Texas Longhorns, and I’ll be watching him closely this Sunday in Inglewood. The Rams’ offense runs through Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua, and Davante Adams. Naturally, you think: just cover the receivers. Yes — but the quickest way to throw this offense off rhythm is to collapse the pocket from the inside, and that’s where Byron comes in. He has the quickness and power to win one-on-one matchups and force Stafford off his spot. The Seahawks’ edge rushers are already strong, but they become even more dangerous when Byron commands double teams.

Rams X-Factor: Kobie Turner

This Rams defense is full of playmakers, and Kobie is one of them. He’s their disruptive force on the interior, and what I respect most is the dirty work he does that doesn’t always show up on the stat sheet. He’s crucial in collapsing the pocket and controlling the line of scrimmage. If he can win his battles against the Seahawks’ interior linemen, it will make life tough for Seattle’s offense and limit their ability to use play action effectively. Kobie will be a major factor on Sunday.

Final Thoughts:

There’s nothing like a good divisional showdown — and that’s exactly what we have this Sunday in California. Both Seattle and Los Angeles come in riding four-game winning streaks and identical 7-2 records. Both teams have thrived thanks to consistent quarterback play: Sam Darnold has proven last year wasn’t a fluke, and Matthew Stafford continues to impress. Keys to the Game: For Seattle, it starts with the offensive line versus the Rams’ defensive front. Los Angeles has a strong three-headed rotation in Verse, Young, and Turner that can wreck drives. The Seahawks must win the line of scrimmage, especially inside, and keep Darnold clean. If he gets a solid pocket, the Rams’ secondary will struggle to contain Shaheed, Kupp, and Smith-Njigba. Seattle also needs to limit Puka Nacua immediately after the catch and maintain offensive balance with Kenneth Walker III. For the Rams, protecting Stafford is key. This will be one of the best pass rushes he’s faced all season. They should exploit one-on-one matchups on the perimeter with Puka and Davante — you can’t double both. And they must keep feeding Kyren Williams to stay balanced offensively. This should be a thrilling game on Sunday.

Prediction:

Rams 31, Seahawks 26