Seahawks host Rams with Seattle's playoff hopes on the line

LOS ANGELES RAMS (5-11) at SEATTLE (8-8)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST, FOX

FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK NFL LINE: Seahawks by 6½.

AGAINST THE SPREAD: Rams 6-9-1; Seahawks 7-9.

SERIES RECORD: Seahawks lead 26-24.

LAST MEETING: Seahawks beat Rams 27-23, Dec. 4, 2022 in Inglewood, California.

LAST WEEK: Rams lost to Chargers 31-10; Seahawks beat Jets 23-6.

RAMS OFFENSE: OVERALL (31), RUSH (29), PASS (27), SCORING (26).

RAMS DEFENSE: OVERALL (17), RUSH (10), PASS (22), SCORING (21).

SEAHAWKS OFFENSE: OVERALL (15), RUSH (18), PASS (12), SCORING (9).

SEAHAWKS DEFENSE: OVERALL (27), RUSH (30), PASS (17), SCORING (24).

TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Rams minus-2; Seahawks plus-2.

RAMS PLAYER TO WATCH: After spending the first 10 seasons of his career in a Seahawks uniform, Bobby Wagner makes his first return as an opponent. Beloved by Seattle fans, Wagner is likely to get a rousing reception, but those fans hope he’s not as disruptive as he was in the first meeting last month. Wagner had seven tackles, two sacks and an interception in the first matchup.

SEAHAWKS PLAYER TO WATCH: WR DK Metcalf is coming off his lowest production game since his rookie season. Metcalf had just one catch for 3 yards in the win over the Jets despite being targeted five times. Metcalf would seem poised for a big rebound game, especially considering the matchup with Jalen Ramsey. Metcalf had eight catches for 127 yards and a TD against the Rams last month.

KEY MATCHUP: Rookie Seattle RB Kenneth Walker III is trying to end his first season with a bang. After a midseason swoon and a troublesome ankle injury suffered in the first meeting with the Rams, Walker has posted consecutive 100-yard rushing games against the Chiefs and Jets. The Rams are 10th best in the league at stopping the run, giving up 109.9 yards per game and held the Seahawks to 90 yards in the first meeting.

KEY INJURIES: Rams S Nick Scott (shoulder) and RT Rob Havenstein (knee) were both injured against the Chargers, but coach Sean McVay expects both to play. ... Seahawks are banged up, but RT Abraham Lucas (knee), S Ryan Neal (knee) and RB Travis Homer (ankle) all have a chance to play after missing last week. WR Tyler Lockett (shin) should play despite sitting some of last week’s game after a hit on his leg.

SERIES NOTES: The Rams have won eight of the past 11 in the series, including their 2020 playoff victory in Seattle. A win would give Seattle its first season sweep of the Rams since 2013, but the Seahawks are just 3-4 at home against Los Angeles in the regular season since 2015.

STATS AND STUFF: The Rams are wrapping up their first losing season since 2016 and their first in coach Sean McVay’s six seasons. They’ve already lost more games than any defending Super Bowl champion in NFL history. ... LB Bobby Wagner returns to the city where he spent his first 10 NFL seasons and became a beloved face of the Seahawks franchise. Wagner had six All-Pro selections and eight Pro Bowl selections with Seattle. ... Wagner can become the Rams’ single-season franchise leader in tackles if he makes 10 in Seattle. ... RB Cam Akers has resurrected his career in recent weeks. He has 306 yards rushing and three TDs in the Rams’ past three games. ... QB Baker Mayfield could be taking his final snaps for the Rams after five moderately impressive games with the team that claimed him off waivers from Carolina. The 2018 No. 1 pick will be a free agent in the offseason, and Matthew Stafford is expected to be back behind center in 2023. ... Stafford, WR Cooper Kupp and DT Aaron Donald will end the season without playing since November. ... The Rams are the NFL’s second-least penalized team with just 73 penalties this season. They committed only 76 last season. ... Seattle will make the playoffs with a win and a Detroit victory over Green Bay. ... Seahawks QB Geno Smith is the second QB in franchise history to pass for more than 4,000 yards in a season and has 4,069 through 16 games. Russell Wilson topped 4,000 yards four times with the Seahawks. Wilson’s franchise record of 4,219 in 2016 was accomplished in 16 games. ... RB Kenneth Walker III rushed for 133 yards last week vs. the Jets. He’s had consecutive 100-yard games for the first time in his career. ... WR Tyler Lockett had two catches for 15 yards vs. the Jets less than two weeks after surgery to stabilize a broken bone in his left hand. ... DE Darrell Taylor has sacks in four of his past five games and had 2½ last week vs. the Jets. His 8½ sacks are a career high and second on the team. ... DE Uchenna Nwosu needs one sack to reach double figures for the first time in his career. ... LB Cody Barton moves to middle linebacker with Jordyn Brooks out for the season with a torn ACL. ... The Seahawks had two interceptions last week after not forcing a turnover in the previous three games.

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