The Seahawks’ defense has been much better since losing Week 10 against the Rams. (Getty)
The Seahawks were fighting hard when Seattle last faced the Los Angeles Rams on November 15th.
3 Take: What’s the plan for the Seahawks to beat the Rams?
Statistically, the Seahawks were on track to be the worst in NFL history because at one point they gave up more than 362 yards of play.
In Rams’ game, defender Shaquill Griffin was sent off with a hamstring injury, and defensive end Benson Mayowa was also off the field. Defender Jared Goff started warmly, throwing 221 meters in a dominant first half for the Rams, who built a 17-7 lead.
However, something changed at the break. The Seahawks defense started to play better. Rams won just 114 yards in the second half. Goff threw for just 81 yards.
This Sunday, the match between Goff’s defense and the Seahawks’ defense is the key for the team to win the NFC West.
In early November, the Seahawks began to get a fast pass for the first time in two years. After just 10 sacks in the first seven games of 2020, the Seahawks have scored 30 in the last seven. They had more bags in that stretch than any football team.
The defense of the pitch improved even after Griffin, Jamal Adams and DJ Reed started on the field with Quandre Diggs, who joined Adams this week to make the Pro Bowl safe. Opponent defenders have averaged just 201 yards in the Seahawks’ last six games, with opponents at just 16 points per game.
For the Seahawks to win the NFC West and be a factor in the playoffs, the defense must play at a quality level. Therefore, Sunday will be the best test to see where the Seahawks are as a team. If he plays well, I can be a Super Bowl competitor. If not, it could be a short trip to the playoffs.
On the other hand, Goff is the big story for the Rams. He’s been up and down since the last game against the Seahawks, with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions in the last seven games, after throwing 12 in the top four.
The Rams scored at least 30 points in each of the first five games, but the recent offense has been in the 1920s.
Hall of Famer Kurt Warner was on the NFL this week talking about Goff. He expressed concern about the Rams offense. He mentioned in the research report that it is the best time to run the ball, which gives Goff a chance to make action game passes. Then Goff is the best time. Warner noticed that when Goff failed to give up, read the defense, and get the action passes, he struggled. That was especially the case last Sunday, in an embarrassing loss to the New York Jets.
For the Seahawks, the key is to stop the race, put pressure on Goff and stop him from taking action.
The Rams don’t help the Rams not have a talented rookie to run the Cam Akers, taking his three-man rotation in the backfield to two. He also would not have left striker Andrew Whitworth, who suffered a knee injury in the second half of the last meeting with the Seahawks, which could lead him to the playoffs.
Which team will evolve or decline? We’ll find out on Sunday.
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