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The Opposing View: An Insider's Look At The Seahawks' Week 9 Opponent, The LA Rams

Five questions about this week’s opponent; five answers from therams.com senior writer Stu Jackson.

Opposing View - Week 9

The Seahawks host the Rams on Sunday, looking to bounce back from a tough loss to the Bills, while the Rams are looking to continue the momentum they've built by winning two straight after a 1-4 start. To help you get ready for this week's game, we reached out to therams.com senior writer Stu Jackson with five questions about this week's opponent.

The Rams have won two straight after a 1-4 start. How much different is the feeling/expectations around the team now than heading into the bye week as the Rams are getting healthier, winning, and staying close in an NFC West with no clear frontrunner?

Jackson: I wrote this in my recap last week, but overall, this is a lot closer to what it was supposed to look like, as far as what had been seen in training camp and when the team was healthier. Head coach Sean McVay on Monday said everyone's in a similar spot in the division, and there's still lots of football left to be played, so they have to do a good job of building off the momentum they've earned.

Probably an obvious question here, but just how different is the Rams offense with the return of Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua?

Jackson: The easiest answer to this is how Matthew Stafford performed against the Vikings – he had four touchdown passes in Week 8 alone after posting three through the Rams' first six games. One went to Kupp, two went to Demarcus Robinson and another went to Kyren Williams, but their presence – even on a snap count – opened things up and still got this offense closer to what McVay and this coaching staff envisioned back in training camp.

You covered Ernest Jones IV for three seasons, what are the Seahawks getting in the newly-acquired linebacker?

Jackson: Ernest is someone who sets the tone with his actions and his words. He has a strong work ethic and also plays with a ton of passion, both of which Seahawks fans will appreciate. A lot of his approach he took from observing former Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner when the two were teammates on the Rams in 2022. Beyond that, he's an attacking, downhill-playing linebacker that should fit into Seattle's defense very well.

Other than the obvious big names, what player or players could you see being an X-factor in this game?

Jackson: Rams cornerback Darious Williams, for one. The Rams' defensive turnaround in recent weeks can be attributed in part to having Williams healthy again after he missed the first four weeks of the season with a hamstring injury.

Running back Kyren Williams is also another potential X-factor to watch. He has recorded 89 or more rushing yards in four of his last five games and been a consistent producer for the offense, and he'll be going against a Seahawks defense that has allowed 116 or more rushing yards in each of its last five games.

The pass rush led by defensive end Kobie Turner, outside linebacker Byron Young, defensive end Braden Fiske and outside linebacker Jared Verse also could be an X-factor here, too. Especially if Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf ends up playing, Williams and those pass rushers will be critical to limiting the impact of Seattle's Geno Smith-led passing offense, knowing what it's been capable of when Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba have all been healthy and on the field together with Smith.

What matchup or matchups are you most looking forward to seeing play out on Sunday?

Jackson: Kupp and Nacua versus Seahawks cornerbacks Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon. I'm really interested in seeing how Seattle deploys those two against L.A.'s top two receivers – those matchups could be another X-factor in Sunday's game.

The Seahawks and Rams face off for the first game of the regular season on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. Kickoff is set for 1:25 p.m. PT. Take a look back through history at the Seahawks' matchups against the Rams.

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