Getty The Rams believe the Seahawks are "hiding" DK Metcalf from Jalen Ramsey.
The Seattle Seahawks take on the Los Angeles Rams on Wild Card Weekend for the third installment of the NFC West rivalry. The No. 3 Seahawks host the No. 6 Rams on Saturday, January 9 at 4:40 p.m. Eastern on Fox. Seattle is a 4.5-point favorite over Los Angeles in the opening point spread, per FanDuel.
Seattle had an outside chance at the No. 1 seed in the NFC but needed a win over San Francisco combined with losses by New Orleans and Green Bay. Both the Saints and Packers took care of business convincingly making the Seahawks the No. 3 seed, the same as when they entered Week 17.
Seattle split the regular-season matchups with both of their NFC West foe but most recently defeated the Rams 20-9 in Week 16. It will be interesting to see if Rams quarterback Jared Goff will be back in action for the playoff matchup. Goff missed the Rams regular-season finale with a broken thumb, but Los Angeles was still able to top Arizona.
ALL the latest Seahawks news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Seahawks newsletter here!
Sign up for the Heavy on Seahawks Newsletter!
The Seahawks Will Have Their First Playoff Game on January 9 or 10
The Seahawks-Rams playoff matchup will take place on either January 9 or 10. Heading into Week 17, the Seahawks had no plans to let up even though they already clinched a playoff berth and the NFC West title. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll emphasized the team needed to head into the postseason with the right mentality which meant playing through Week 17.
“We’re going for it, we would love to have that break for players if we can get it,” Carroll said, per Seahawks.com. “… We’re playing for it, because it’s good for you, it’s good for your body and all that, so we’re going to try to take care of business and get that thing if it’s possible. So we’re going all-out again this week. There’s no other thought than this is a championship opportunity to put ourselves in the best situation going into the playoffs.”
The Seahawks’ outlook has flipped since the start of the season when teams were putting up points at will against Seattle’s defense. Russell Wilson cooked early, but the Seahawks offense has sputtered to close out the season. Meanwhile, it is the Seahawks defense that has been the strength of the team during the stretch run of the regular season.
Pete Carroll Described Aaron Donald ‘As Good as There’s Ever Been’
As the Seahawks square off with the Rams for the third time, Seattle will have to once again formulate a gameplan to attempt to slow down Aaron Donald. Prior to the Seahawks’ Week 16 matchup against the Rams, Carroll noted that Los Angeles’ defense has a lot more disruptors than just Donald.
“This is not just a one guy setting the whole tone of this defense,” Carroll noted, via USA Today. “The whole group plays and Aaron is as good as there’s ever been in the game. He has that factor, but you couldn’t be this good unless you got a lot of guys playing ball.”
READ NEXT: NFL Teams to Pursue ‘Blockbuster Move’ to Steal Key Seahawk: Report