One Seahawks Lineman that Needs to Have a Great Game vs Rams in NFC Championship Game

The NFC Championship is here as the No. 1 seed Seattle Seahawks and the No. 5 seed Los Angeles Rams will battle on the field for the third time this season. This time, a spot to appear in Super Bowl LX is on the line.

This is going to be a game that will require many players to help lead the Seahawks to victory for the second time this season over the Rams. The Seahawks will need the offensive line to be the foundation of the offense to establish the red-hot run game and keep the pocket clean for quarterback Sam Darnold.

One player who will have a serious amount of pressure on Sunday is star left tackle Charles Cross. The Seahawks don’t need Cross to be just healthy, but they need him to play a Pro Bowl-caliber performance against the Rams' defense.

There have been injury concerns with Cross since injuring his hamstring late in the Seahawks' 18-16 Week 15 home win over the Indianapolis Colts. Cross didn't play in the final three regular-season games, including the 38-37 overtime Week 16 home win over the Rams. There have been concerns for him as he has been dealing with knee and foot problems during the postseason.

Leading up to the preparations this week against the Rams, Cross has been dealing with a foot injury that has either caused him to be limited or a non-participant in several practices this week. Cross was a full participant in Friday's practice and is fully go to go.

The Seahawks offense celebrate after a touchdown in the Week 16 win over the Los Angeles Rams. — Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams in the first half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Cross takes on a Rams' defense that has talented pass rushers like Jared Verse and Byron Young, who is questionable but likely to play on Sunday. The Rams' defense hasn't been as efficient in the two playoff games as it has been in the regular season.

In the playoff wins over the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears, the Rams' defense has combined for seven tackles for loss and two sacks. The Rams didn't account for a sack in the game versus Chicago.

The Seahawks' offensive line has been highly proficient in the last few weeks, including the 41-6 Divisional Round win over the San Francisco 49ers. They've dominant in establishing the run game for an offense that accumulated at least 163 rushing yards over the last four games. They're also efficient in keeping the pocket clean.

Darnold is not yet 100% from his oblique injury on his non-throwing side. He looked and played fine in the Divisional Round win over the 49ers, but he wasn't asked to do much more. Darnold might need more time in the pocket to ensure he doesn't get injured or cost the team with a bad play.

Like many young players for the Seahawks, Cross is playing in the biggest game of his career. He has to remain calm and vigilant in blocking the Rams' solid defensive linemen and edge rushers. The Seahawks will look to Cross to be the leader of a much-improved and hungry offensive line.

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