The Seahawks are hosting the Rams in the NFC Championship on January 25, but one of the loudest national predictions floating around is a gut-punch for Seattle. On Pro Football Talk, Mike Florio is calling for Los Angeles to win 34-30, leaning on the idea that Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay have the “been there, done that” edge in the biggest moments.
And that’s not the only forecast Seahawks fans will want to screenshot and argue about.
NFL.com’s Championship Sunday bold predictions also put Rashid Shaheed at the center of the entire game script, projecting the Seahawks speed weapon to rip a kickoff return touchdown and add a 40-plus-yard TD catch against a Rams unit that’s had special teams and deep-ball issues.
Florio Picks Rams in a 34-30 Shootout Despite Seattle Edge
What makes Florio’s call sting a little more for Seattle: the Seahawks are listed as the home favorite in the matchup setup he analyzed (Rams at Seahawks (-2.5).
The game is set for 6:30 p.m. ET at Lumen Field, and Seahawks.com has already framed it as the rubber match after two razor-thin regular-season meetings. Seattle enters at 14-3 with the Rams at 12-5, with national voices split all over the place on who actually gets the Super Bowl ticket.
Florio’s reasoning is basically: trust the Rams’ veteran wiring when everything tightens up late, Stafford and McVay in a one-score game, on the biggest stage, against a Seahawks team that has to play cleaner than it did in the regular-season series.
NFL.com’s Shaheed Call Is the “Break-Glass” Nightmare for the Rams
If you’re looking for the kind of prediction that turns one play into a season-defining moment, NFL.com handed Seattle one on a silver platter.
The bold projection: Shaheed takes another kickoff to the house – specifically targeting the Rams’ “special teams woes” – then burns them deep for a 40-plus-yard touchdown reception because Los Angeles has also struggled defending the deep ball.
That’s the nightmare scenario for a Rams team trying to survive on the road: one return TD flips the stadium into chaos, and one bomb flips the scoreboard into panic mode.
And it’s not like Shaheed is some random “hot take” name tossed into a graphic. Seattle traded for him in-season, adding exactly this kind of game-breaking speed to the roster.
What It Means for Seahawks-Rams With a Super Bowl Spot on the Line
These two predictions can both be “right” in the same game, which is what makes Sunday feel so dangerous for Seattle.
If Shaheed detonates the way NFL.com is projecting, the Seahawks could build the kind of early lead that forces the Rams out of their comfort zone. But Florio’s call is essentially a warning: if it’s close late, he’s trusting the Rams’ battle-tested core to finish the job in a 34-30 type of game. Many have pointed out that the Seahawks have already got a ton of value out of the mid-season trade for Shaheed.
Key details to know
- Matchup: Rams at Seahawks, NFC Championship
- Date/Time: January 25, 3:30 p.m. PT
- Records: Seahawks 14-3, Rams 12-5
- Florio pick: Rams 34, Seahawks 30
- NFL.com bold call: Shaheed kickoff-return TD + 40+ TD catch
Seahawks Get Massive NFC Championship Forecast as Rams ‘Edge’ Gets Spotlighted