LA Rams one game closer to showdown in Seattle

The LA Rams retake the lead in the NFC West, setting up a critical showdown in Seattle for the NFC West division

The LA Rams are now 9-4, courtesy of the 6-6 Arizona Cardinals and 6-7 New England Patriots. Only the New York Jets stands in the way of the LA Rams facing the Seattle Seahawks for their rematch, an NFC West rival game for practically all the marbles. It’s a game that will pit the LA Rams against the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle.

For the Seahawks, they have a tougher route. Yes, they face the New York Jets on their home field as well. But as the Rams suit up next week to face the Jets, the Seahawks must travel across the country to take on the surprisingly competitive Washington Football Team.  Will the Seahawks face the Rams with a similar record? Right now, that’s not nearly as certain as a month ago.  Washington is in the midst of a three-game winning streak, including defeating the previously undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers.

Wild wild west

Before the season started, many NFL prognosticators predicted the NFC West to finish in this order:
First     –     San Francisco 49ers
Second –    Arizona Cardinals
Third    –     Seattle Seahawks
Fourth  –    LA Rams
And it’s hilarious that the exact opposite is taking place in the division so far.
First      –    LA Rams                         (9-4)
Second  –   Seattle Seahawks        (8-4)
Third     –    Arizona Cardinals         (6-6)
Fourth  –    San Francisco 49ers    (5-7)
Week 14 is already in the history books for the LA Rams. So what faces the other NFC West teams?  The Arizona Cardinals travel to New York to face the surging Giants and are 2.5-point favorites. The Giants just upset the Seahawks in Seattle last week, and are facing a similar high octane offense in this one.

After losing to a double-digit underdog last week at home, the Seahawks face another New York double-digit underdog in Seattle this week in the form of the Jets. The winless Jets are 15.0-point underdogs in this week’s contest. Finally, the San Francisco 49ers host the Washington Football Team, which is fresh off their stunning upset of the formerly undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers. The 49ers are just 3.0-point favorites despite opening as a 4.5-point favorite in this one.

Next week

The LA Rams will host the Jets in week 15. Seattle will travel to the East Coast to face the Washington Football Team. The Arizona Cardinals will host the Philadelphia Eagles.  And finally, the San Francisco 49ers will travel to the Lone Star State to take on the Dallas Cowboys.

While the Rams swept the NFC East early in the 2020 season, it’s very clear that teams from that NFC East will have plenty to say about the final standings of teams in the NFC West. And it is also quite clear that the NFC East teams, ripe from upsetting teams last week, are getting better as the season advances. The LA Rams should be 10-4 when they meet the Seahawks in Seattle. While the Seahawks should make it past the Jets, they may be in for a surprise in Washington.

Another week of NFL football games will be in the books, and that will place the Rams and Seahawks that much closer for their late-season showdown.