Local and national media make their picks and projections for Thursday Night Football between the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams.
Pete Prisco, CBSSports.com: Rams 27, Seahawks 23
Prisco: The Rams just haven't looked the same on offense this season. But I think this is the game they get it going. They will feed Todd Gurley early to get the running game on track and get the play-action going. The Rams defense was terrible last week, but it will bounce back here against Russell Wilson.
Todd Haislop, Sporting News: Rams 27, Seahawks 23
Haislop: If the Rams' loss to the Buccaneers last week was indeed the wake-up call Sean McVay said it was, it came at a perfect time for Los Angeles. The Seahawks are riding some momentum from their dismantling of the Cardinals, and depending on what happens with the 49ers this week, at least a share of first place in the wide-open NFC West could be at stake. Seattle has been better than LA in both rushing and stopping the run. Jared Goff has been struggling. The Seahawks are at home in a prime-time game. All of these factors should lead to a Seattle win, but the NFL is weird, and Goff proved in the playoffs last year he is capable of random, big-time performances. Make it four straight wins for LA in this rivalry.
Bob Condotta, Seattle Times: Seahawks 31, Rams 27
Condotta: This has all the makings of a shootout — remember that the two teams combined for 131 points in two games last season, each won by the Rams, 33-31 in Seattle and 36-31 in Los Angeles. Those two games turned the tide in the NFC West. But the Rams don't appear as stout as last season, and Seattle is at home and on a short week. This feels like another game when Russell Wilson makes a play or two at the end to win it.
Adam Jude, Seattle Times: Seahawks 38, Rams 35
Jude: If you're still not sure just how good this Seahawks team is, you're not alone. But we do know this: The Seahawks shine in prime time. Under Pete Carroll, Seattle is 17-2 at home in prime time and 8-1 in Thursday night games. We know this too: Jared Goff can't play in the rain. And with rain showers in the forecast, let's go ahead and set the over/under for Goff fumbles at, oh, 12.
Larry Stone, Seattle Times: Rams 30, Seahawks 27
Stone: The Rams have won the last three games in this series — including a 42-7 romp in 2017 that signaled a changing of the guard in the NFC West, and two agonizing losses by a combined seven points last year. The Seahawks are going to have to prove to me that they've progressed far enough (or the Rams have slipped far enough) for a different outcome. I'm not quite ready to buy in.
Matt Calkins, Seattle Times: Rams 27, Seahawks 24
Calkins: The Rams are better.
Jim Moore, 710Sports.com: Rams 34, Seahawks 31
Moore: With the Seahawks, I go back and forth. Sometimes I see a Super Bowl contender, and if you're not in that camp, I would tell you they're 3-1, and when you're 3-1, you're on a pace for 12-4, and if you're 12-4, you're a Super Bowl contender. That's a fact. But how good are they, really? Their three wins came over teams that are a combined 0-11-1. They lost to the only good team they played, the Saints. The Rams are in the same league as the Saints, and that's why I'm taking them by a narrow margin in overtime. Oddsmakers favor Seattle by 1 point, but I'm siding with Sean McVay's team, thinking the Seahawks aren't quite good enough and the Rams aren't quite bad enough for the NFC West pecking order to change just yet.
Darryl Slater, nj.com: Seahawks 38, Rams 28
Slater: What a start to this season for Russell Wilson — eight touchdowns, no interceptions, 118.7 quarterback rating (second only to Patrick Mahomes). And now he gets to face a Rams team that just allowed 55 points and 464 yards (including 376 passing) in a loss to the Buccaneers.
Mike Kaye, nj.com: Rams 20, Seahawks 16
Kaye: This matchup looks closer than most thought it would entering the season. The Rams have had an uneven start, while the Seahawks seem to be outperforming expectations. It'll be close, but the Rams are the better squad.
Matthew Stypulkoski, nj.com: Rams 28, Seahawks 24
Stypulkoski: The Rams looked terrible last week against the Bucs, but that can't actually keep up, can it? This team is too talented to continue to struggle, even on the road during a short week. The reigning NFC champs get back on track here.
Joe Giglio, nj.com: Seahawks 24, Rams 23
Giglio: The Rams will be OK in the long run, but it's too hard to pick against the home team with the better quarterback on a short week. Plus, it's hard to imagine Seattle losing two home games in the season's first five weeks.
More Picks From Around The Web
- Five of nine polled at Sporting News side with the Seahawks.
