The Seattle Seahawks tin statesman preparations for the NFC Title game pinch their force firmly successful mind. And it’s a acquainted opponent, arsenic it’s a squad they’ve played doubly already this season. A squad they play doubly each season, successful fact, going backmost to nan re-alignment of nan conferences backmost successful 2002.
The Los Angeles Rams prevailed successful Chicago today, winning 20-17 successful overtime pinch a walkoff section goal, punching a summons to Seattle for nan correct to play successful nan Super Bowl. The matchup represents what galore see to beryllium nan existent Super Bowl, arsenic these are nan 2 squads that astir person classed arsenic nan 2 champion teams successful nan NFL for overmuch of nan year.
Key contributors for nan Rams successful their triumph coming included RB Kyren Williams, who provided complete 115 scrimmage yards and 2 touchdowns, CB Cobie Durant, who hauled successful 2 interceptions, and S Kam Curl, who brought successful an overtime interception conscionable erstwhile nan Bears looked for illustration they were going to triumph nan game.
The crippled represented a departure from nan measurement successful which nan Rams person played recently, arsenic their defense was connected afloat show successful limiting nan Bears to 17 points. Their offense, which was first successful nan convention successful points scored during nan regular season, was mostly unopen down, pinch Matthew Stafford hitting little than half of his passes and Puka Nacua pulling successful conscionable 5 receptions.
In caller weeks, the Rams had struggled mightily connected defense, allowing 31 points to nan Panthers twice, 34 points to nan Lions, 38 points to nan Seahawks, and 27 points to nan Falcons. So location is immoderate encouragement successful them uncovering a different measurement to win, though nan upwind surely affected nan crippled heavy successful a measurement that nan crippled adjacent week will not feature.
The crippled mostly pivoted connected 4th down conversion attempts, pinch nan Bears going 3 for six connected their opportunities while nan Rams were successful connected their only attempt. Turnovers besides loomed large, pinch Caleb throwing it to nan Rams 3 times connected nan nighttime while nan Rams protected nan ball.
It’s a matchup that nan Seahawks should consciousness cautiously optimistic about. The teams split the play bid successful nan regular season, pinch some games coming down to nan last seconds. It’s not a matchup that I’m successful emotion pinch for Seattle, arsenic nan Rams play defense successful a measurement that gives Sam Darnold problem and their powerfulness rushing onslaught is simply a bully measurement to antagonistic Seattle’s tally defense.
However, nan Rams haven’t looked nan aforesaid successful caller weeks, peculiarly connected defense, wherever they’ve slipped to near-bottom successful nan convention successful position of EPA. Combined pinch their typical teams struggles, and nan truth that they’ve had to gut out 2 consecutive roadworthy playoff games that came down to nan wire, there’s plentifulness of opportunity present for Seattle to utilization Los Angeles.
At nan extremity of nan day, aft nan measurement successful which nan regular play went, it makes consciousness that it would travel down to this matchup. In a way, it would person felt incomplete if nan postseason didn’t impact different Rams VS Seahawks matchup. While immoderate Seahawks fans wanted a caller force adjacent week, I’d opportunity galore wouldn’t person it immoderate different way.
Los Angeles Rams moving backmost Kyren Williams (23) runs pinch nan shot against Chicago Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon (6). | Matt Marton-Imagn Images
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