The Rams have the opportunity to spoil their division rival’s playoff hopes Sunday in Seattle.
The Seahawks must defeat Los Angeles for the second time this season and need the Lions to beat or tie the Packers in order to return to the postseason. So Pete Carroll will need some help from Dan Campbell, but first he will have to get past Sean McVay. Los Angeles owes its first-round pick to Detroit, so it doesn’t stand to improve its draft position with a loss.
Seattle has been one of the biggest surprises in the NFL this season, fueled by Pro Bowl quarterback Geno Smith’s play and a talented rookie class. Conversely, Los Angeles has perhaps been the league’s worst disappointment, following up its Super Bowl victory with an injury-riddled, sub-.500 season with a revolving door at quarterback.
Los Angeles Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks Odds
Moneyline: Rams (+225) | Seahawks (-275)
Spread: LAR +6.5 (-110) | SEA -6.5 (-110)
Total: 41.5 – Over (-110) | Under (-110)
Game Info: Jan. 8, 2023 | 4:25 p.m. ET | Fox
Rams Straight-Up Record: 5–11
Rams Against the Spread Record: 5–9–2
Seahawks Straight-Up Record: 8–8
Seahawks Against the Spread Record: 7–9
Bet on Rams-Seahawks at SI Sportsbook
It’s not worth throwing another parade, but the Rams are 2–2 since Baker Mayfield took over in early December, including the 51-14 whallopping of the Broncos on Christmas. Mayfield has had a different leading receiver in each start—Ben Skowronek, Cam Akers, Tyler Higbee and Van Jefferson. Akers, another unlikely hero, has also come on down the stretch run with back-to-back 100-yard outings for the first time in his career to close a tumultuous season.
The Rams average 22.5 points per game with Mayfield under center but just 18.2 for the season, the seventh-fewest in the league. Los Angeles is one of five teams to average less than 200 passing yards per game and fewer than 100 rushing yards.
All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald hasn’t played since November and the defense has suffered as a result. It allows 22.8 points per game and performs much better against the run (109.9 yards per game) than the pass (227.3).
Seattle’s collapse in the second half of the season is why it needs a win and help to get back in the playoffs. A 27-23 victory against L.A. is one of its two wins since Week 9. The other came last week against the Jets in a game where Smith finished with his fewest passing yards of the season, but rookie running back Kenneth Walker III took over and finished with 133 rushing yards.
The Seahawks’ defense has been an issue all season long, but the offense hasn’t been able to make up for porous play on the other side of the ball lately the way it did early in the year. Seattle is ninth in scoring (24.3 points per game) and 24th in points against (24.1). The biggest defensive weakness is on the ground, where it allows more than 150 yards per game.
Odds Betting Insights
Three of the Rams’ five wins against the spread this year have come over the last five weeks, one of which was against the Seahawks as 6.5-point underdogs. The over is 2–2–1 over that same stretch and the under has hit in 10 Los Angeles games, though the over cashed in the game against Seattle.
The Seahawks have covered just once in their last seven games. The under is 4–3 during that run of games, though the over is 8–8 in Seattle games this season, tied for the seventh-highest hit rate in the NFL.
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