Rams-Seahawks Preview – CBSSports.com

SEATTLE (AP) When all of the video games for Week 17 had been over, Quandre Diggs picked up his cellphone and began texting a number of gamers he nonetheless knew from his outdated staff in Detroit.

This Seattle Sea Falcons they knew they wanted assist, and Diggs wasn’t shy about making an attempt to offer incentives.

“For me, you run into outdated associates and I say, ‘Hey, I do not care for those who go forward and get a ‘W’ and take you all on trip. I will pay to your trip,” Diggs joked.

Getting issues accomplished for the Seahawks (8-8) means closing the common season with a win on Sunday. Los Angeles Coaches. Seattle’s solely option to the playoffs is with a win over the Rams after which sitting down on Sunday night time hoping Detroit can provide you with a win over Inexperienced Bay that may ship the Seahawks into the postseason.

It is an ungainly state of affairs for each the Seahawks and the Lions. Detroit can be eradicated with a Seattle win, and the Lions’ solely probability to advance requires Los Angeles’ (5-11) win over the Seahawks. On this case, Sunday night time’s match can be a win-win, lose-out match between the Lions and Packers.

But when Seattle wins this afternoon, the Lions can be taking part in purely for pleasure, and one among their former teammates may need a bit of encouragement.

“Hopefully my guys can deal with it, they will go on the market and get a ‘W’, we’ll be accomplished and all can be effectively,” Diggs mentioned.

The Seahawks missed the playoffs final season and had been eradicated within the wild spherical by the Rams in 2020, regardless of Seattle profitable 12 video games and NFC West.

WAGNER IS RETURNING

A key a part of the 2020 staff will return to Seattle on Sunday in an uncommon function. Rams defender Bobby Wagner was a pillar of the Seahawks’ success throughout his 10 seasons in Seattle.

The awkwardness of taking part in in opposition to his outdated staff vanished when the Seahawks visited Los Angeles final month. And Wagner excelled within the state of affairs with seven interceptions, two sacks and an interception in one among their greatest video games of the season.

However returning to Seattle places Wagner full circle.

“There are a number of feelings, to be trustworthy, however as I mentioned final time I performed them, I’m the grasp of my feelings,” mentioned Wagner. “However getting right into a stadium that I have been to a thousand occasions, performed a whole lot of occasions and being ready to frustrate their playoff hopes is at all times place, one thing price taking part in.” It is going to be enjoyable to be again there.”

Sack Man

After a disappointing first half of the season, Seattle lastly will get the reduce it hoped to get from border runner Darrell Taylor. Final week, Taylor had a career-high 2 1/2 sacks and a compelled fumble within the win over the Jets.

Taylor has had 8 1/2 sacks per season and has recorded not less than one in 4 of the final 5 video games and has seen taking part in time enhance. He made solely three sacks and a complete of 14 interceptions within the first 11 video games.

“It was fairly exhausting to not play the best way you needed to,” Taylor mentioned. “However now I really feel nice, so that is what I am leaning on and I am enthusiastic about it.”

Slammed and burned

The Rams are lastly wrapping up their worst season ever performed by a Tremendous Bowl champion in Seattle.

No champion had misplaced 11 video games earlier than these Rams returned with main early-season accidents on the offensive line, adopted by 4 of their key gamers Matthew Stafford, Aaron Donald, and end-of-season accidents to receivers Cooper Kupp and Allen. robinson

Sean McVay’s first shedding season impressed a deep seek for a marvel boy coach, and a roster full of substitutes and newcomers have misplaced eight of their final 10 video games to Lumen Discipline.

THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE

Whereas Wagner will rightfully garner essentially the most consideration from defenders on Sunday, the Seahawks’ place on this place can be watched intently. Heart defender Jordyn Brooks suffered a torn ACL in his proper knee final week. Seattle will change Cody Barton as midfielder and Tanner Muse is anticipated to begin on the opposite inside defensive spot for the Seahawks.

Barton began his career-high 10 video games and had 129 steals per season.

BAKERY BREAKDOWN

The journey might be quarterback Baker Mayfield’s last look for the Rams, who demanded their former #1 decide waivers from Carolina and rapidly put him behind heart for an eventful five-game tenure.

Mayfield has confirmed to be nonetheless an NFL-quality begin with dependable work in a troublesome state of affairs, particularly within the Rams’ victories over Las Vegas and Denver. Mayfield can be launched this spring, and as Stafford is anticipated to return to Los Angeles, his greatest alternative for a prime 5 spot can be elsewhere. Sunday will resolve Mayfield’s destiny, but when he cannot discover a higher dwelling, the Rams will little question wish to take him as a backup.

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