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Take a look at what the Los Angeles Rams (4-9) are saying about the Seattle Seahawks (8-4-1) before the two teams meet in Week 15 at CenturyLink Field.
Interim Head Coach John Fassel
(On this week's game against the Seahawks…) "Seattle is a great team. I think the cool thing about it for us is we're obviously out of the playoffs, but an opportunity to practice like it's a playoff atmosphere game is pretty good. This'll be really good for us. I'm super excited."
(On why they've had success against the Seahawks...) "Well I think the players have played good. We don't look to Seattle as particularly a special game no more than any of the other teams we played against. We've played good and maybe caught them at the right time. In a couple games where Kam Chancellor was out or certain situations where we kind of capitalize. They're pretty darn good and they've got us a few times too. It always seems like it's a good matchup."
(On if he is credited for the special teams success the Rams have had against the Seahawks in the past..) "No, I can't take full credit. Some of the unique stuff that has happened, not only against Seattle, is easy to draw up but it's hard to execute. It comes down to the players paying attention and executing. It's always a possibility for any team, not in particular Seattle."
Quarterback Jared Goff
(On how you prepare for a game after learning of your head coach's departure...)"You do what you do every day. Our schedule hasn't changed. Our mindset hasn't changed. You go out and win. If there was ever a good reason to get a win in a short week, it's this one and the best time to win is now."
(On what he learned about Seattle while sitting on the sidelines in Week 2...)"A lot of things, what they do defensively. Their schemes, they don't do a lot but they do what they do well. Being able to be on the sidelines for that was obviously beneficial. I got a different vantage point of it and hopefully I can use it to my advantage this weekend."
(On what he remembers about playing in Seattle while in college...) "UW was loud they've got good fans up they're. They're the 12th Man and they love being talked about. They're a good fan base and I expect them to be loud Thursday."
Running Back Todd Gurley
(On what the Seahawks look like on tape without Earl Thomas at free safety…) "They're still a great bunch. They're not called the Legion of Boom for no reason. Even though Earl's [not] back there — sorry to hear what happened to him — but they'r still a great, physical defense."
(On if the Seattle defense is different without Earl Thomas…)"No, same old stuff. They're going to run their stuff and be them and that's why they've been winning games. But it's definitely a big difference without Earl, but they have guys that step in. That's what this league is about."
(On if he's confident guys will come prepared to compete this week…) "We're going to definitely find out Thursday. Just got to come out, it's a short week, Thursday Night Football's coming up in about two days, Seattle's feeling the same way we're feeling, so we've just got to come with some energy."
Punter Johnny Hekker
(On going into Seattle and having success on a short week amidst the head coaching change…)"I think we have to, there's no real option but to put it behind us and move forward and go out there and play our best game. We're competitors at our cores and we would do ourselves, coach Fisher, and everyone else on this staff a disservice if we didn't go up there and give it our best effort. We're definitely not the kind of team that will pack it in. We're going to scratch and claw and go up there and try and win, make the people of Los Angeles happy, and get coach Fassel his first win."
(On being from the Seattle area…) "I think I've got 12 tickets, so there's going to be a good amount there. That's my immediate family and then I'll have quite a few friends and my high school coach will be there with some other coaches. I love it. It's a great environment, a great gameday atmosphere, and to go up there and hopefully get to quiet the crowd down a little bit, and just have fun. It's a blessing every time you get to strap up, and when you look really good doing it with the throwback helmets, it's going to be a ton of fun, so hopefully come back with an NFL record as well."
(On tying the NFL record for punts inside the 20 and having a chance to break it this weekend in Seattle…) "We just take pride in trying to be the best [special teams unit] and to get another record means we're doing some of the things the right way. It starts in practice, we practice downing balls, we practice great gunner releases and those guys are forcing fair catches inside the 20, running, tackling guys early. I definitely couldn't be here without the amazing guys that coach Fassel's put around me. So it just means that our hard work's paid off and I've got to slice the ball up into 11 pieces or something and give a piece to everybody else, but it'll be cool. Just keep going. We don't want to just beat it by one punt, we want to smash it, so we've got to go out there and focus, and ball out."
- For more, head to TheRams.com
