The Seahawks host the Rams on Sunday in a game they need to win to keep their playoff hopes alive, their second straight must-win game to close out the season. The Seahawks also need help from the Lions to get into the playoffs—they would have to beat or tie the Packers Sunday night for Seattle to advance with a win—but regardless of how things shake out, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll loves the experience his young team is getting to close out the season.
"This is really good, and last week was the same," he said. "It just took a step forward more to the championship feeling and the playoff feeling, you're down to it. There's nothing in our minds at all about what happens Sunday night, that's not what's going on. This is our playoff opportunity right now to go further with our sights on, we're going to take on everything we can take on. It's very positive, it's upbeat, the guys had fun, they were tuned in, they're excited for it. It wouldn't matter who we're playing or where we're playing, but it happens to be the Rams at home, so we'll try to take full advantage of it."
And in good news for the Seahawks, they should be relatively healthy heading into the game, with several players listed as questionable expected to play, including receiver Tyler Lockett.
Standing at his locker after taking part in Friday's practice, Lockett smiled when talking about the leg contusion that knocked him out of last week's game—he was able to return to action in the second half—and held him out of the first two days of practice this week.
As much as a leg contusion might hurt, Lockett explained, it's even worse when it happens right where you happen to have a metal plate in your leg, the result a 2016 broken leg.
"Anytime you get hit with a plate, it hurts, but when you get a contusion on a plate, it's even worse," he said with a chuckle.
The good news for Lockett and the Seahawks, however, is that Lockett expects to play, despite his questionable designation, when Seattle hosts the Rams in a must-win game.
"I've just been working on it, but I should be good to go," he said. "I'm not worried about it."
Carroll added that Lockett "looked good today, had a good day of work." And quickly answers, "Oh yeah," when asked if Lockett would be able to play.
Lockett was one of five players listed as questionable, and while Carroll indicated that Lockett, defensive end Quinton Jefferson (illness) and left guard Damien Lewis (ankle) should be able to play, the status of safety Ryan Neal (knee) and guard Phil Haynes (ankle), was less clear.
Carroll said Neal, who has missed two games with a knee injury and didn't practice this week, would need "a big change on gameday" to play, while Haynes, who injured his ankle last week, also didn't practice all week, with Carroll saying, "We've got to see what happens all the way to the game."
On Lewis, who showed up on the injury report Thursday, Carroll said, "He's fine. He did turn his ankle in practice a little bit. He thinks he's playing."
On Jefferson, Carroll said, "He'll be all right, I think. He came back yesterday and just didn't quite bounce back, so we told him to get out of here again."
The Seahawks are expecting to get right tackle Abraham Lucas back after a one-game absence due to a knee injury. Lucas should benefit from the week off after playing every one of Seattle's offensive snaps through the first 15 weeks of the season.
"He had a great week, really bounced back," Carroll said. "With all the reps and plays that he's had, just like with Charles (Cross) on the other side, you can see that having to stay out a week helped him coming back. So that's a good sign."
The Seahawks and Rams face off for the last game of the regular season on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2024. Kickoff is set for 1:05 p.m. PT. Take a look back through history at the Seahawks' matchups against the Rams.
Los Angeles Rams kicker Tom Dempsey (10) is seen in action during an NFL game against the Seattle Seahawks Oct. 31, 1976, in Los Angeles. (NFL Photos via AP)
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Cornell Webster (38) stops Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Drew Hill (29) during an NFL pre-season game Aug. 19, 1979 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/NFL Photos)
Los Angeles Rams defensive end Jack Youngblood (85) sacks Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jim Zorn for a loss during the first quarter in this Aug. 28, 1982 photo in Anaheim, Calif. Youngblood was one of seven elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2001. (AP Photo/Doug Pizac)
FILE - In this Aug. 13, 1987, file photo, Los Angeles Rams running back Eric Dickerson (29) breaks away from Seattle Seahawks' Joe Nash during an NFL preseason football game in Anaheim, Calif. On Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, Dickerson signed a one-day contract to retire as a member of the L Rams, reuniting the famous running back with his first NFL football franchise. Dickerson also became a vice president of business development with the Rams, who returned to Los Angeles last year after 21 seasons in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Lennox McLendon, File)
Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy (96) topples a St. Louts Rams quarterback (16) during a pre-season NFL football game in 1991. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
FILE - In this Sept. 10, 2000, file photo, St. Louis Rams' Devin Bush tackles Seattle Seahawks's Ricky Watters during the second half of an NFL football game in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer, File)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck makes a pass against the St. Louis Rams during the first half in Seattle, Sunday Dec. 22, 2002. Hasselbeck passed for 303 yards completing 20 in 32 attempts as the Seahawks win 30-10. Behind is Rams' Troyka Jackson and Seahawks' Walter Jones. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Seahawks' Alex Bannister (85) hits St. Louis Rams' DeJaun Groce after Groce caught a punt during the first quarter in Seattle Sunday, Sept. 21, 2003. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Seahawks receiver Jerry Rice leaps to make a one-handed catch against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Missouri on November 14, 2004. The Rams won 23-12. (AP Photo/G. Newman Lowrance)
St. Louis Rams quarterback Marc Bulger, right, is sacked by Seattle Seahawks' Lofa Tatupu in the third quarter, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2005, in Seattle. The Seahawks won, 31-16. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks' Delon Branch, right, catches a touchdown pass in front of St. Louis Rams' Travis Fisher in the forth quarter in an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 15, 2006, in St. Louis. The Seahawks won 30-28. (AP Photo/Bill Boyce)
Cornerback Marcus Trufant #23 of the Seattle Seahawks lends a leaping hand as teammate Deon Grant #24 intercepts a pass intended for wide receiver Travis Taylor #18 of the St. Louis Rams at Quest Field on October 21, 2007 in Seattle, Washington. The Seahawks defeated the Rams 33-6. (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli)
Members of the Seattle Seahawks line up one yard out of the end zone against the St. Louis Rams during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 14, 2008, in St. Louis. The Seahawks won 23-20. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Seattle Seahawks' Julius Jones (22) runs with the ball as St. Louis Rams' David Vobora falls behind in the second quarter of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson (39) is tackled by Seattle Seahawks linebacker Aaron Curry (59) and Seattle Seahawks safety Lawyer Milloy middle, during the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Seattle Seahawks defensive back Brandon Browner breaks up a pass intended for Brandon Lloyd of the St. Louis Rams during an NFL game in Seattle on Monday, Dec. 12, 2011. The Seahawks won the game, 30-13. (AP Photo/G. Newman Lowrance)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson runs from St. Louis Rams outside linebacker Jo-Lonn Dunbar during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Seattle Seahawks vs St. Loius Rams; Malcolm Smith
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jermaine Kearse, right, pushes Los Angeles Rams cornerback Lamarcus Joyner away as he runs the ball during the second half of an NFL football game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Sunday, Sept. 18, 2016, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae Hong)
Tyler Lockett's toe-drag touchdown reception from a Russell Wilson 13-yard looping-over-the-top-pass brought a feeling of poetic ballet to the skill of catching touchdown passes. The Seahawks defeated the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football, 30-29, at CenturyLink Field, October 3, 2019.
