The Seahawks have won two straight, but face a tough test this weekend as the 4-0 Los Angeles Rams come to town. To learn more about the Seahawks' Week 5 opponent, we reached out to Rams team insider Myles Simmons with five questions that he was kind enough to answer for Seahawks.com:
Q: Jared Goff and that offense are off to quite a start. Not that they weren't good last year, but are Goff and the offense evolving even more in Year 2 under Sean McVay, and if yes, how so?
Simmons: It seems like they are evolving, and I think it's coming from McVay getting more comfortable with his personnel as a play-caller, and then Goff just growing as a quarterback. There's definitely something to be said for continuity, and the Rams have really had only one new starter on the offensive unit this year (right guard Austin Blythe kept his spot after subbing in for Jamon Brown in the first two games, but he was with the team last year so I don't really count him as "new"). With that, McVay has utilized all three receivers in Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods, and Cooper Kupp on the jet-sweep motion we mostly only saw Tavon Austin run last year. And while it's not the only new element of the offense, I feel like that's a good example of something that's new and has given a bit of a new dimension to what the team can execute.
But Goff has also been excelling in off-schedule plays, like the throw he made rolling to his right last week for a 19-yard touchdown to Kupp. That was as impressive as a throw as I've seen him make since he came into the league, and I think it's coming from the confidence that any young QB gets with more experience.
Q: What has Ndamukong Suh brought to what was already a pretty loaded defensive line?
Simmons: He's allowed the line to become even more effective in rushing the passer. The Rams have only eight sacks so far, but according to Pro Football Focus they've got the league's best "pressure rate" at 41.4 percent. And when you turn on the tape, it's apparent that QBs are getting rid of the ball pretty quickly so that they're not at risk of going down from either Suh, or Aaron Donald, or Michael Brockers.
And I didn't expect this when he initially signed, but he's also brought an edge-rushing presence. Both of his sacks this season have come from when he was rushing at left defensive end. Not that it's entirely a surprise that he can rush from different spots on the line, but he's shown he's really got some skill in that area.
Q: The defense has given up a lot of points and yards over the past two games. Cause for concern or just a case of a defensive injuries and a hot opposing quarterback (Vikings), and a team playing from behind (Chargers)?
Simmons: Part of it probably has to do with injuries, since cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib went down against the Chargers. Talib has since been placed on IR, but Peters was able to gut out all 74 defensive snaps against the Vikings on a short week last Thursday.
However, pretty much everyone involved with the defense has said the unit needs to play better. Takeaways are a staple of a Wade Phillips defense, and while the Rams rank in the top 10 with seven, they want more. And the unit feels like it's got to get off the field on third down better, as opponents are converting 44.2 percent of those opportunities.
Q: Maybe this relates to the last question, but no team is perfect, even an undefeated one, what things to clean up have you seen so far?
Simmons: I think it does relate to the last question. I'd say run defense is something the club has to clean up, too. The Chargers were able to rush for 141 yards a couple weeks ago—and that was despite the fact that the Philip Rivers-led offense was trailing for most of the game. If there's anything I'm sure we all know about the Seahawks, it's that they want to run the ball and run it effectively. And with a stable of three solid running backs, that's going to be a challenge for Los Angeles' defense this week.
Q: Todd Gurley had 14 carries for 43 yards in last year's loss to Seattle, then rushed for 152 on 21 carries in the win at Seattle. Not to oversimplify things, but how important to the offense is getting him going?
Simmons: For the first couple of games, I probably would've said it's paramount. Gurley was the AP Offensive Player of the Year and the offense basically does run through him.
But in 2018, Goff has been so effective throwing it that the offense has almost turned into a "pick your poison." As a football observer, it makes a lot of sense to me if a team is going to load up the box and say, "Todd Gurley is not going to run the ball well today—Jared Goff is going to have to beat us with his arm." Clearly, Goff has been doing that so far.
But if you reverse that and you try to stop the pass, Gurley is almost certainly going to gash you on the ground. So the threat of Gurley running the ball effectively still makes the offense run through him, even if Goff is firing the ball all over the place.
That's a long answer to the simplified question, but that's at least the way I see it.
The Seahawks and Rams will meet for the 42nd time in the regular season this Sunday in Seattle. Take a look back at photos from past games played between the two teams.
Los Angeles Rams kicker Tom Dempsey (10) is seen in action during an NFL game against the Seattle Seahawks Oct. 31, 1976, in Los Angeles. (NFL Photos via AP)
Seattle Seahawks running back Ralph Nelson (44) runs upfield during an NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams in Los Angeles, Oct. 31, 1976. (AP Photo/NFL Photos)
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Cornell Webster (38) stops Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Drew Hill (29) during an NFL pre-season game Aug. 19, 1979 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/NFL Photos)
FILE - In this Sept. 10, 2000, file photo, St. Louis Rams' Devin Bush tackles Seattle Seahawks's Ricky Watters during the second half of an NFL football game in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer, File)
St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk tries to hurdle Seahawks defenders to gain more yardage on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2002, at Seattle Seahawks Stadium. Bringing down Faulk are Seattle defenders Antonio Cochran, bottom, Chad Eaton (90) and Rocky Bernard (99). Seattle beat St. Louis, 30-10. (AP Photo/Jim Bryant)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck makes a pass against the St. Louis Rams during the first half in Seattle, Sunday Dec. 22, 2002. Hasselbeck passed for 303 yards completing 20 in 32 attempts as the Seahawks win 30-10. Behind is Rams' Troyka Jackson and Seahawks' Walter Jones. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Seahawks' Alex Bannister (85) hits St. Louis Rams' DeJaun Groce after Groce caught a punt during the first quarter in Seattle Sunday, Sept. 21, 2003. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander tumbles into the endzone on top of St. Louis Rams' linebacker Trev Faulk for a touchdown in the first quarter Sunday, Oct. 10, 2004 at Qwest Field in Seattle (AP Photo/Steve Shelton)
St. Louis Rams' Marshall Faulk (28) is taken down by the Seattle Seahawks' Niko Koutouvides (53) and Ken Hamlin (26) in the first quarter of their NFC wild card playoff game in Seattle, Saturday, Jan. 8, 2005. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
Seattle Seahawks D.J. Hackett, left, and Bobby Engram celebrate Hackett's third quarter touchdown pass reception, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2005, in Seattle. Hackett had 78 yards receiving and Engram had 70 yards receiving in the game. The Seahawks won, 31-16. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
St. Louis Rams corner back Jerametrius Butler (23) breaks up a pass to Seattle Seahawks receiver Itula Mili in the first quarter of their NFC wild card playoff game in Seattle, Saturday, Jan. 8, 2005. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks' Delon Branch, right, catches a touchdown pass in front of St. Louis Rams' Travis Fisher in the forth quarter in an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 15, 2006, in St. Louis. The Seahawks won 30-28. (AP Photo/Bill Boyce)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (8) yells out a change of play from the line of scrimmage and St. Louis Rams defensive players react during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007, in Seattle. The Seahawks won 33-6. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Deion Branch celebrates after catching a 9-yard touchdown pass during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game as St. Louis Rams' Oshiomogho Atogwe, left, and Tye Hill, right, look on Sunday, Nov. 25, 2007, in St. Louis. The Seahawks won 24-19. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Josh Wilson tries to get past St. Louis Rams' Jonathan Wade, center right, and Antonio Pittman, left, on a kickoff return in the first quarter of a NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008 in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Seattle Seahawks running back Maurice Morris runs with the ball during an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams Sunday, Dec. 14. 2008, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)
Seattle Seahawks' Julius Jones (22) runs with the ball as St. Louis Rams' David Vobora falls behind in the second quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
St. Louis Rams' Laurent Robinson, left, runs with Seattle Seahawks' Darryl Tapp (55) and Ken Lucas in pursuit in the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks safety Jordan Babineaux forces St. Louis Rams wide receiver Ruvell Martin out of bounds during the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)
Seattle Seahawks running back Leon Washington (33) heads downfield against the St. Louis Rams defense during the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)
Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (26) runs for a touchdown against the St. Louis Rams in the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 12, 2011, in Seattle. The Seahawks won 30-13. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson runs from St. Louis Rams outside linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Seattle Seahawks' Marshawn Lynch (24) rushes as Russell Okung (76) blocks in the first half of an NFL football game against the St. Louis Rams, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
St. Louis Rams' Stedman Bailey (12) gets up after a hard hit by Seattle Seahawks' Kam Chancellor (31) in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2013, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate (81) makes a catch against St. Louis Rams cornerback Janoris Jenkins (21) during the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Oct. 28, 2013, in St. Louis. Tate ran the ball into the end zone for a touchdown. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin, right, slips past St. Louis cornerback E.J. Gaines after catching a pass for a 49-yard gain during the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 19, 2014, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Kevin Norwood carries the ball against the St. Louis Rams in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) scrambles against the St. Louis Rams in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2015, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Seahawks' Doug Baldwin (89) reaches for a touchdown pass reception against the St. Louis Rams in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2015, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
St. Louis Rams wide receiver Tavon Austin (11) catches a pass as Seattle Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril defends during the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 13, 2015, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jermaine Kearse, right, pushes Los Angeles Rams cornerback Lamarcus Joyner away as he runs the ball during the second half of an NFL football game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae Hong)
Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams players line up on the line of scrimmage in the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2016, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Scott Eklund)
Seattle Seahawks running back Eddie Lacy, left, runs past Los Angeles Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Seattle Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham, right, catches a touchdown pass under pressure by Los Angeles Rams defensive back John Johnson during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Seattle Seahawks tight end Luke Willson makes a catch for a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett, left, makes a catch for a touchdown next to Los Angeles Rams cornerback Marcus Peters, right, during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
