With the Seahawks heading to Los Angeles this weekend, Seahawks.com reached out to Rams team insider Myles Simmons, who answers five questions about the NFC West leaders.
Q: Obviously there's no shame in losing on the road to one of the best teams in the league, but Sunday's loss at New Orleans was L.A.'s first of the season. How has the team responded this week/what's the mood of the team heading into this week's game against Seattle?
Simmons: To me, the interesting thing about that loss was so many of the players seemed to put it behind them right away. I think it would've been different had the club not been able to come back in the second half and tie it at 35. But the fact that the comeback happened, and then there were a couple correctable plays at the end of the game that lost it—that seemed to sort of galvanize the locker room to get back to work for Week 10. I suppose that's what happens when you stack eight wins to start the year—one loss really does just become one game.
Q: The Rams have given up 27 or more points in four of their last six, cause for concern or just the byproduct of having a quick-strike, high-scoring offense?
Simmons: I don't think it would be unfair to call it a cause for concern. The Rams have just been a little inconsistent throughout the season on defense. I think the one game where they sort of put it together defensively against a team with a truly potent offense was the victory over the Chargers — but that was all the way back in Week 3. Aqib Talib will help when he returns, but that's not going to be until after the bye week. So the Rams definitely have some work to do defensively.
Q: Even in a loss, the Seahawks felt pretty good about the way they ran the ball and functioned on offense overall when these teams met in Week 5. How important will run defense be for the Rams in this one?
Simmons: Yeah, the run defense is going to be huge. And the Seahawks should've felt good about that game, 190 yards on the ground is nothing to scoff at—especially in the NFL of 2018. Ndamukong Suh called the Rams run defense "terrible" after that game, and since then L.A. has been better. But if you're the Seahawks, you've got to test the Rams on the ground, even if Chris Carson isn't available. And L.A. knows this—Aaron Donald said they've got to be much more gap sound defensively in this contest.
Q: The Rams have lost the turnover battle only once this year, and that came in Seattle. How big of a focus is ball security in this game?
Simmons: It's got to be huge. Since Sean McVay took over as head coach last year, the Seahawks have forced eight giveaways in the three matchups—including five in last year's Week 5 matchup in L.A. that Seattle won 16-10. Especially with the way the Seahawks are running the ball, the Rams cannot give them extra possessions to drain clock and keep the L.A. playmakers unable to score.
Q: "Aaron Donald is good" is about the most obvious storyline in football, but seriously, 10 sacks in the last six games? Is it possible that Donald has somehow elevated his level of play a year after winning Defensive Player of the Year?
Simmons: Not only do I think it's possible, I also think it's actually true. Even on a video game, I've never seen a player have the stat line Donald had against the 49ers a few weeks ago—4.0 sacks, 6 TFLs, 5 QB hits, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery, both of which came on the same play. It's just absurd, especially from an interior lineman. He's just one of those players that you have to sit back, watch, and enjoy because the way he's going, he'll be putting on a gold jacket one day.
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)
