Seahawks vs. Rams Final Score Predictions: Will Sam Darnold or Matthew Stafford take hold of the MVP race?
This has game of the year potential.
We are 10 weeks into the season, and there is one power division in the NFL: the NFC West.
The division has three teams with six or more wins, and two of them meet on Sunday afternoon, with the 7-2 Los Angeles Rams hosting the 7-2 Seattle Seahawks. Both teams have high-powered offenses with quarterbacks who are candidates for Most Valuable Player in Sam Darnold and Matthew Stafford.
It’s primed to be the biggest game of the day, and our staff at A to Z Sports is split on who will get the win.
History of Seahawks vs. Rams rivalry
- Seahawks lead a close rivalry 28-27
- Over the last six matchups, the teams have split them, including two games making it to overtime in Seattle.
- Both players are in the top six of MVP odd, with Matthew Stafford at second (+250) and Sam Darnold sixth (+1100)
Rams 34, Seahawks 31
This is a phenomenal matchup between two powerhouse offenses. In terms of dropback EPA/play, they are the top two offenses with the Seahawks at 0.3/play and the Rams at 0.284. The really intriguing part of this matchup is how these teams deploy the passing game. Not only is nobody in the NFL more explosive at throwing the football, but they both do it at a high level out of heavy sets.
The Rams have been using 13 personnel not only more than anyone else, but they are doing it with incredible explosiveness. The Seahawks continue to use 12 personnel to throw explosives to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and rookie Tory Horton, and they do so without a great running game to speak of.
That will be the biggest difference. The Rams are 13th in EPA/play in the running game with the number one success rate in the league. That, along with the game being in Los Angeles, will end up being the difference maker in this game.
– Tyler Forness, A to Z Minnesota
Rams 34, Seahawks 28
This is easily the most-anticipated matchup of the season, and it feels like a true Clash of the Titans with the way these two offenses are humming. While the offenses, led by MVP candidates Matthew Stafford and Sam Darnold, draw the spectacle, it’s the play of these two defenses that will be the difference-maker. Mike MacDonald has the league’s attention as a defensive genius, but Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula is just as crafty, and how he deploys pressure is up there with the league’s best.
I’m expecting this one to be a close, high-octane shootout, but I think Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford are simply playing at too high a level to be stopped right now, and their latest offensive innovation with 13-personnel can create all the explosives they’ll need to outpace the Seahawks and let their pass rush win the day. Give me the Rams in this one.
– AJ Schulte, A to Z Los Angeles
Seahawks 27, Rams 24
It’s an incredibly close matchup, and it obviously wouldn’t surprise me if any side gets out of it with a win. Both teams are in the top 6 on offense and defense by DVOA, but if I had to pick the worst unit among those, it would be the Los Angeles Rams’ defense.
With head coach Sean McVay, quarterback Matthew Stafford, and those excellent receivers, it’s easy to argue that the Rams have a higher offensive floor, but Seattle is playing at a similar level offensively with a stronger defense. Mike Macdonald is one of the elite defensive minds in football, and it will be interesting to see what he plans to affect Stafford. It will likely be a close game, but I’ll take the Seahawks. And the game could be decided by special teams, where the Seahawks are second and the Rams are 23rd by DVOA.
– Wendell Ferreira, A to Z Green Bay
Rams 31, Seahawks 27
These two NFC West foes have arguably been two of the top five teams in the entire NFL so far this season. Both passing games are incredibly explosive, and Matthew Stafford and Sam Darnold are both playing some of the best football of their pro careers. Both squads are DVOA darlings – for good reason. They usually stay on schedule on offense and produce efficiently.
Meanwhile, on defense, the Rams boast one of the most impressive defensive lines in football, and Mike Macdonald has his Seattle defense playing with their hair on fire. At every level, they’re aggressive and find ways to make plays in the clutch. I’m going to give the nod to the Rams in this game, but it should be one of the most exciting rivalry matchups of the season so far.
– Adam Holt, A to Z New Orleans
Rams 33, Seahawks 30
This game is overflowing with storylines. The return of Cooper Kupp, Sean McVay vs. Mike MacDonald, and Sam Darnold against Chris Shula, this is arguably the best game on Sunday’s slate. The Seahawks boast one of the more well-balanced, yet explosive offenses in the league, but the Rams aren’t too far behind, with a bona fide MVP candidate at QB.
And that’s where I give the edge to the Rams. Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay are the best coach-QB combo in the sport right now. With a healthy Davante Adams and Puka Nacua on the perimeter, I give them the advantage, albeit in a tight one, over Mike MacDonald and his defense.
– Rob Gregson, A to Z Pittsburgh
Rams 30, Seahawks 27
Anytime you get to see two of the hottest teams in the league go head-to-head, it’ll be a must-watch. This week’s matchup between the 7-2 Rams and 7-2 Seahawks gives us that, plus it’s a divisional matchup, so it doesn’t get much better than this. Both teams are having tons of success on both sides of the ball, but I think the difference maker in this one is Matthew Stafford, who, in my opinion, is the league’s MVP through the first ten weeks. This is the first of two matchups between these NFC West rivals, and I think Stafford and company get the job done on their home field.
– Destin Adams, A to Z Indianapolis
Seahawks 27, Rams 24
This matchup has all the characteristics to be one of the best games of the year. It’s literally good-on-good in the sense of two teams that are great on both sides of the ball, and they each have a quarterback playing at an MVP-type level.
Therefore, I’m just going to be a simpleton and roll with the Seahawks because of their 11-1 road record that currently consists of a 10-game win streak. They play lights out on the roa,d and that should give them the advantage on Sunday afternoon.
– Evan Winter, A to Z NFL Managing Editor
Final Prediction for Seahawks vs. Rams
Five of our seven staff writers believe that the Rams will get the win 30-28.14. It’s primed to be a very close game between two high-powered teams with defenses that can attack you from all directions. This is a game that you won’t want to miss.
Los Angeles Rams News
Sean McVay’s midseason adjustment to reinvent the Rams’ offensive identity proves his mettle as an elite playcaller
Sean McVay’s adjustment for the Rams’ offense has turned Los Angeles into the most explosive offense in the NFL and should scare the rest of the league
Seattle Seahawks News
Seahawks new WR Rashid Shaheed makes bold proclamation about his future in Seattle just days after arriving
He’s looking forward to a future in Seattle – hopefully.
