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Picks And Predictions For The NFC Championship Game vs. the Los Angeles Rams

The Seattle Seahawks face the Rams on January 25 at Lumen Field in the NFC Championship Game. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. PT. Here’s what local and national media are predicting:

Seahawks-Picks-and-Predictions-vs-Rams-NFC-Championship

The Seattle Seahawks (14-3) take on the Los Angeles Rams (12-5) for the NFC Championship game at Lumen Field. Click here to learn how to watch, listen, and stream the action.

Bill Bender, Sporting News: Rams 26, Seahawks 23

"The two regular-season matchups were decided by a combined total of three points, including a wild 38-37 overtime thriller on Dec. 18. The NFC West rivals split the regular-season series, and three of the last four meetings at Seattle have gone into overtime.

Walker is coming off a huge game, and he had 11 carries for 100 yards and a TD in the last meeting. The Rams allowed 160 rushing yards against the Bears, so Seattle can be patient with the two-headed rushing attack of Walker and Zach Charbonnet. Jared Verse has to be a difference maker off the edge for Los Angeles.

That should help Darnold – who finished 51 of 78 (65.4%) for an average of 274.5 yards, two TDs and six interceptions in the two regular-season meetings against the Rams. Jaxon Smith-Njigba had 17 catches for 201 yards and a TD in those two games, and that is the matchup Seattle needs to win consistently in the passing game. Five different Los Angeles players had interceptions in those games, and the Rams intercepted Caleb Williams three times in the divisional playoff win. Turnovers will be key here, especially on the road."

Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: Seahawks 23, Rams 17

"These two split the season series in two really close games, with one point separating the two teams in the combined scores. The Seahawks rallied to win the last meeting in Seattle in Week 16 in overtime, which is why this game is at home.

The Rams are playing a third straight road game, which is brutal, but teams have overcome that in the past in the playoffs. If any coach can get his team right for that, it's Rams coach Sean McVay.

The Rams struggled some on offense last week in their victory over the Bears. This Seattle defense is much better than that Bears group. But Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has had success against them in the two games.

The Seattle defense is the best unit of any left in the playoffs, which will challenge McVay to come up with new ways to move the football. The Rams lack great outside speed, and that showed up last week at Chicago. Keep an eye on that in this one.

On the other side, the Rams defense has had some leakage issues in the secondary over the past six weeks. It is not a great group. The good news is Seattle wants to run it more than throw it.

Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold is the key. If he can take care of the football, which he didn't do in a playoff loss to the Rams last year when he was with the Vikings, the Seahawks will win the game. I think he does.

The Seattle defense is playing too good right now. That defensive front will disrupt the night for Stafford as the Seahawks get to the Super Bowl behind that defense."

Mike Florio, NBC Sports: Rams 34, Seahawks 30 and Chris Simms, NBC Sports: Seahawks 28, Rams 20

"They split a pair of great regular-season games, capped by an epic Thursday night overtime thriller. In that one, the Rams gained 581 yards, while blowing a 16-point fourth-quarter lead.

Seattle needs to commit to the run, taking advantage of an undersized Rams front and softening things up for quarterback Sam Darnold. The Rams will have receiver Davante Adams this time around. Both he and Puka Nacua had a hard time against man-to-man coverage in Chicago. Will Seattle play less zone and more man in round three?

The difference could be the experience and skill of Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and Rams coach Sean McVay. They've been there, done that. However it goes, here's hoping for another great game."

More Picks From Around The Web

Pamela Maldonado, ESPN: Seahawks 25, Rams 24

Ben Solak, ESPN: Rams 23, Seahawks 17

Seth Walder, ESPN: Rams 20, Seahawks 17

Eric Moody, ESPN: Seahawks 26, Rams 23

Ali Bhanpuri, NFL.com: Seahawks 26, Rams 23

Brooke Cersosimo NFL.com: Rams 28, Seahawks 26

Dan Parr, NFL.com: Seahawks 20, Rams 16

Gennaro Filice, NFL.com: Rams 24, Seahawks 23

Tom Blair, NFL.com: Seahawks 25, Rams 22

Check out photos of the Seahawks 53-man active roster for the 2025 season.

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