LA Rams offense needs to come out swinging against Seahawks

The LA Rams offense and Seahawks defense are struggling, which means that the Rams offense needs to come out swinging

The LA Rams have really been involved in just one shootout this season. That was the week three game played in Buffalo New York when the Rams spotted the Bills a huge first-half lead before coming out in the second half to make it somewhat respectable. That’s it. That’s truly the only game this season where the Rams defense was not truly effective. But that could change very soon.

The Seattle Seahawks are coming to town. Yes, the Rams know them, and they know the Rams. But they are a team very familiar with the race to score points to win an NFL game. While they have yet to face a defense that can keep them in check, they have yet to hold their opponent in check. These Seahawks have lost two games, on both occasions, Seattle has scored 34 points.  In eight games, the LA Rams have only scored that many points once, against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Can the Rams ground the Seahawks?

The Seahawks offense is primarily a passing attack. The play distribution is 60 percent passes, and their defense simply cannot defend in a low scoring game. So no matter how the Rams draw it up on the whiteboard, Seattle is going to run their high octane offense the entire game. So can the Rams defend against it?   Well, there is some reason for optimism.

The Rams have been very effective at defending the top receivers of virtually every team faced this season. Only the Bills WR3 Cole Beasley and San Francisco TE George Kittle caught over 100 yards against the Rams defense.  The Seahawks rely heavily upon wide receiver DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Should the Rams neutralize both receivers, they have eliminated over half of their passing offense, and half of their scoring capability as well. And forcing quarterback Russell Wilson to read his progressions will allow the Rams to get to Wilson.

Rams sacks and surprises

Russell Wilson has been sacked 24 times in just eight games.  You can expect a motivated and fresh Rams pass rush to get to him five or more times in this one. This is not about the Rams pacing themselves, nor about a team trying to hold back. This one will be for the NFC West lead, and the Rams will unload on Seattle. With any luck, the Rams will keep it close until the offense warms up. So what should the Rams hope for when they get the ball?

The Rams passing offense has been a real scratcher recently. Well, before the bye week that is. If the LA Rams passing game has been under-the-weather, then the Seahawks pass defense is certainly a cure. They are horrific at defending the pass this year. How bad?  Well, this bad.

The Rams need a game where things go right on offense. This looks like that type of game.

Can the LA Rams outscore the Seahawks?

So we started out pointing out how effective the Seattle Seahawks is at putting points on the board. Now, can the LA Rams outscore them in a face-to-face contest? If this was the 2018 team, the answer would be a resounding yes. If this is the 2019 team, that answer falls to unlikely.  This team runs well enough for the question to be answered yes without hesitation. These Rams can move the ball, and simply need to unlock the mindset that prevents them from putting points on the board.

The Rams need to secure the ball. The defense needs to keep the game from getting too out of hand too early. Ultimately, the Rams feel like they match up to the Seahawks rather well. And they should feel good about their chances.  The Seahawks have an incredible pass offense, but a weak offensive line, and a weak pass defense that struggles to get to the quarterback.

Yes, the Rams can outscore the Seahawks. This is a game that the Rams actually appear very competitive. The Rams’ strengths match up well with the Seahawks’ strengths. Anything can happen in a rivalry. But this is one game where I believe the Rams won’t miscalculate.  The Rams need a game to rev their offense. This will be the game. Play Rams in your fantasy football teams, folks.  You won’t be sorry.