Rams vs. Seahawks: 7 things to know for Week 5 matchup

[theramswire.usatoday.com]

Rams vs. Seahawks: 7 things to know for Week 5 matchup


Cameron DaSilva
October 5, 2021 1:00 pm PT

The Rams and Seahawks will renew their rivalry on Thursday night when they square off for the first time this season in Seattle. The Rams are coming off a shocking 17-point loss to the Cardinals, while the Seahawks just beat the 49ers in Week 4.

In the last four years, the Rams have had the Seahawks’ number, but this is a new season with new faces on both sides. Can Los Angeles bounce back from its loss to Arizona? Or will it be two straight losses for Sean McVay’s squad?


Here are seven things to know ahead of this pivotal Week 5 matchup.

1
Russell Wilson leads NFL in yards/attempt and passer rating
Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Wilson is off to another great start this season. Through four games, he has nine touchdown passes and zero interceptions, averaging 261 yards per game – above his career average of 236.4. What’s most impressive about his performance up to this point is that he’s only attempted 109 passes.

As a result, he’s leading the league in yards per attempt (9.6), which is 1.3 yards per attempt higher than he’s averaged in any other season. Wilson is also first in passer rating (129.9) well ahead of the next-closes player, Patrick Mahomes (119.6).


2
Seahawks have allowed most rushing yards in the league
Four days after facing a defense that allowed the second-most yards per carry, the Rams will now take on the Seahawks, who are allowing a league-high 152 rushing yards per game. They’ve faced the second-most rush attempts (133) through four games, so opponents have identified their run defense as a weakness and tried to exploit it.

The Rams shouldn’t have much trouble moving the ball on the ground Thursday, with Seattle allowing a healthy 4.6 yards per carry. It could be a big night for Darrell Henderson Jr.

3
Darious Williams has 3 INTs in his last 3 games against the Seahawks
Needless to say, Williams likes facing Wilson and the Seahawks. In three games as a starter against Seattle, Williams has three interceptions, five passes defensed and 11 tackles. He returned his interception in last year’s playoff win for a touchdown and had two picks in the Rams’ first meeting with the Seahawks in Week 10 last season.

You can bet Wilson will have those interceptions in the back of his mind on Thursday night, knowing Williams has a knack for making plays on the ball when targeted.

4
Rams are 6-3 vs. Seattle under Sean McVay
Since McVay took over four years ago, the Rams have faced Seattle nine times – including one postseason matchup. They’ve fared well against their division rivals, going 6-3 in those nine contests and outscoring Seattle 240-183 in that span.

The Rams have scored at least 28 points six times against the Seahawks, too. Even going back to the Jeff Fisher era, the Rams have played well when facing the Seahawks, winning nine of the last 13 since 2015.


5
Seahawks are only team to beat Rams on Thursday night since 2017
The Rams have played one Thursday night game in each of the last four years, and they boast an impressive 3-1 record in those contests. The only team to beat them? The Seahawks.

Seattle beat the Rams by one point back in 2019 in a Week 5 Thursday night showdown, a game that easily could’ve been won by Los Angeles. Greg Zuerlein missed a 44-yard field goal with 15 seconds remaining, handing the Seahawks a 30-29 win. Other than that game, the Rams have been great on Thursday Night Football.

6
Rams have only lost back-to-back games five times under McVay
Rebounding from a loss has been a strength of the McVay era in Los Angeles, which is good news considering the Rams were just blown out by the Cardinals on Sunday afternoon. In the last four years, the Rams are 15-5 in games after a loss, only losing back-to-back weeks five times under McVay.

They won’t have much time to dwell on their loss to Arizona with a quick turnaround before Thursday’s matchup, which is probably a good thing.

The Seahawks snapped their two-game losing streak and avoided the first three-game skid of Wilson’s career by beating the 49ers on Sunday.

7
Matthew Stafford has 79.1 career passer rating vs. Seahawks, 4th-worst vs. any team
Stafford hasn’t faced the Seahawks since 2018 and has only gone up against them five times in his career, including a playoff loss following the 2016 season. In four regular-season meetings with the Seahawks, he has seven touchdowns and seven interceptions with a passer rating of only 79.1. That’s the fourth-lowest passer rating of his career against any team, with only the Ravens, Bengals and Patriots holding him to a worse rating.

Including the postseason, Stafford is 1-4 against the Seahawks with three double-digit losses and a four-point win.