SEATTLE (AP) — When all of the video games for Week 17 had been over, Quandre Diggs picked up his telephone and began texting just a few gamers he nonetheless knew from his outdated group in Detroit.
The Seattle Seahawks know they need assistance, and Diggs hasn’t been shy about making an attempt to supply incentives.
“For me, you name your outdated associates and I am like, ‘Hey, I do not thoughts taking you all on trip if you happen to go forward and get a ‘W’. I will pay to your trip,’” Diggs joked. “Above all, attempt to deal with your individual enterprise.”
Getting issues accomplished for the Seahawks (8-8) means closing the common season by beating the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. Seattle’s solely method to the playoffs is with a win over the Rams after which sitting down on Sunday evening hoping Detroit can provide you with a win over Inexperienced Bay that may ship the Seahawks into the postseason.
It is an ungainly scenario for each the Seahawks and the Lions. Detroit will likely be eradicated with a Seattle win, and the Lions’ solely likelihood to advance requires Los Angeles’ (5-11) win over the Seahawks. On this case, Sunday evening’s match will likely be a win-win, lose-out match between the Lions and Packers.
But when Seattle wins this afternoon, the Lions will likely be taking part in purely for delight, and certainly one of their former teammates might need somewhat encouragement.
“Hopefully my guys can deal with it, they’ll go on the market and get a ‘W’, we’ll be accomplished and all will likely be effectively,” Diggs stated.
The Seahawks missed the playoffs final season and had been eradicated within the wild spherical by the Rams in 2020, regardless of Seattle successful 12 video games and NFC West.
WAGNER IS RETURNING
A key a part of the 2020 group will return to Seattle on Sunday in an uncommon position. Rams defender Bobby Wagner was a pillar of the Seahawks’ success throughout his 10 seasons in Seattle.
The awkwardness of taking part in towards his outdated group vanished when the Seahawks visited Los Angeles final month. And Wagner excelled within the scenario with seven interceptions, two sacks and an interception in certainly one of 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 stated final time I performed them, I’m a grasp of my feelings,” Wagner stated. “However I am strolling right into a stadium that I have been to a thousand instances, performed 100 instances, and being ready to frustrate their playoff hopes is all the time a very good place, one thing value taking part in. It will likely be enjoyable to get 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 2½ sacks and a pressured fumble within the Jets win.
Taylor has had 8½ sacks per season and has recorded no 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 stated. “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 dropping season impressed a deep seek for a marvel boy coach, and a roster crammed with substitutes and newcomers have misplaced eight of their final 10 video games to Lumen Subject.
THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE
Whereas Wagner will rightfully garner probably the most consideration from defenders on Sunday, the Seahawks’ place on this place will likely be watched intently. Middle 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 could possibly be quarterback Baker Mayfield’s last look for the Rams, who demanded their former #1 choose 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 tricky scenario, particularly within the Rams’ victories over Las Vegas and Denver. Mayfield will likely be launched this spring, and as Stafford is anticipated to return to Los Angeles, his greatest alternative for a prime 5 spot will likely be elsewhere. Sunday will determine Mayfield’s destiny, but when he cannot discover a higher residence, the Rams will little question wish to take him as a backup.
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