5 Matchups to Watch in Seahawks Pivotal Week 10 Battle vs. Rams

Looking to put an ugly loss to the Bills in the rear-view mirror and retain their position atop the NFC West, the Seahawks will seek their first divisional victory of the season as they travel to Los Angeles for a Week 10 date with the Rams.

Allowing 415 passing yards and four total touchdowns to quarterback Josh Allen in a 44-34 defeat to Buffalo last weekend, Seattle may still be licking its wounds and will enter this game missing multiple key starters on both sides of the football. On the flip side, Los Angeles just enjoyed a much-needed bye week after being on the receiving end of a a defensive beatdown during a Week 8 loss to Miami and will be well-rested.

As the two rivals prepare to square off for the first of two contests against one another during the 2020 season, keep an eye on these five matchups at Sofi Stadium.

--Seahawks receivers DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and David Moore versus Rams cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey, Troy Hill, and Darious Williams: Through eight games, the Rams are the only team in the NFL that hasn't yet given up 1,000 yards to receivers in coverage. This is a testament to the greatness of Ramsey, who has limited opposing quarterbacks to a 51.5 percent completion rate and 66.0 passer rating. But Williams has arguably had an even better season, leading the team with two interceptions and seven passes defensed while holding quarterbacks to a 54.8 completion rate and 62.7 passer rating. The Rams have moved Ramsey around this year, including using him in the slot, but it would be a surprise if he isn't traveling with Metcalf, who ranks among the NFL's league leaders in yardage and touchdowns. Williams primarily plays in the slot and matches up well with Lockett from a size and athleticism standpoint. If there's a weak spot the Seahawks can exploit in this matchup, it could be Hill, who has allowed 365 yards and a 77.6 completion rate in coverage. If lined up across from Moore, the fourth-year receiver could be primed for a big game.

--Seahawks defensive ends Carlos Dunlap, Alton Robinson, and Rasheem Green versus Rams tackles Andrew Whitworth and Rob Havenstein: Last season, the Rams dealt with numerous injuries along the offensive line and weren't near as effective protecting Jared Goff. But this season, the front line has been as good as any in football at keeping their quarterback clean, allowing just 10 sacks, the second-fewest in the league. Headlining a stellar unit, Whitworth continues to dominate as he closes in on his 39th birthday, as he hasn't allowed a sack in nearly 600 offensive snaps. On the opposite side, Havenstein has been nearly as flawless, giving up a pair of sacks in 564 snaps. Given Seattle's struggles rushing the passer all season, this would seem like a one-sided affair. But while with Cincinnati, Dunlap played against Los Angeles last season and fared well working against both top-tier tackles, producing two quarterback hits, two tackles for loss, and a pass deflection. If he, Robinson, and Green can find a way to generate consistent pressure, Goff can still be forced into bad decisions and the Seahawks can potentially create a crucial turnover or two.

--Seahawks guards Mike Iupati/Damien Lewis and center Kyle Fuller versus Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald: There's never a good time to lose your starting center, but there's no such thing as a worse week to do so then when getting ready to face Donald, a once-in-a-generation talent. The Seahawks will be doing just that with Fuller replacing Ethan Pocic in the lineup and while he may not see a lot of individual action against the star defensive tackle, he will certainly be acquainted with him at some point. Iupati and Lewis will have to be ready to provide support on double teams in those instances, particularly on passing plays when Wilson drops back to throw. That still may not be enough, as it hasn't really mattered what Seattle has tried to do to block Donald over the years. In 12 career games against them, he has 12.0 sacks and 33 quarterback hits. He's going to find his way to Wilson a fair amount - that's a given. The key will be trying to limit those chances as much as possible and that responsibility will fall on the entire interior offensive line.

--Seahawks cornerbacks Tre Flowers and [insert name here] versus Rams receivers Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods, and Josh Reynolds: Los Angeles may not have a receiver in the top 10 in receptions, receiving yards, or touchdowns, but coach Sean McVay has a trio of reliable veterans in Kupp, Woods, and Reynolds who have all enjoyed their share of success in the past against Seattle. In the past, those three players have fared well against Shaquill Griffin, who won't be playing in this contest due to a hamstring injury. With Quinton Dunbar also sidelined, the Seahawks will be down to their third and fourth string cornerbacks with Flowers starting alongside a player yet to be determined. That's never a good sign against any NFL team, especially against a well-oiled machine like the Rams with a bevy of quality targets. This feels like a game where, if Seattle can find a way to turn seven points into three a few times in the red zone and the secondary doesn't function like a sieve, then it should be viewed as a successful outing. It's possible this makeshift cornerback group will be torched, however, which would be a very bad omen for Carroll's defense.

--Seahawks tight ends Greg Olsen, Will Dissly, and Jacob Hollister versus Rams safeties John Johnson and Taylor Rapp: In the middle of the pack in terms of allowing receiving yardage and touchdowns, the Rams aren't necessarily bad against tight ends. But they have given up the ninth-most receptions to tight ends and have had their struggles in a few games this year defending the position. Olsen has been a disappointment for the Seahawks thus far, catching just two of his past seven targets and producing only 171 receiving yards and a touchdown in eight games. But this could be the game he comes alive to an extent, especially with the Rams trying to slow down Metcalf, Lockett, and Moore on the outside and potentially needing safety help against that talented trio. As a result, Olsen, Dissly, and Hollister have a chance to be impact performers in the short-to-intermediate passing game this week, particularly with Wilson having to unload the football a bit earlier due to the presence of Donald and other capable pass rushers.

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