Picks to Click: Seahawks at Rams

Ty Dane Gonzalez nominates his five "picks to click" for the Seahawks in their Week 15 battle with the Rams.

Uncertainty shrouds the Seahawks' Week 15 matchup with the Rams. For now, the game is on track to be played, but many familiar faces on both sidelines may be absent as the COVID-19 pandemic ramps up once again. As such, putting together five "picks to click" will be a little tricky, especially with the possibility of more cases on the horizon. 

Nevertheless, let's hop into it and discuss which five Seahawks could help their team keep their already slim playoff hopes alive for one more week. 

RB Rashaad Penny

Fresh off his best performance in a Seahawks uniform, Penny will aim to repeat against one of the league's most stingy run defenses. Running at the likes of Aaron Donald, A'Shawn Robinson, Greg Gaines and others typically isn't a recipe for success, but this will be a massive part of Seattle's offensive attack no matter what. If an unlikely upset is pulled off, the run game has to at least be a complementary piece to the puzzle. Penny's the hot hand right now and has looked decisive and explosive over his past two starts, so look for that to continue if SoFi Stadium is left stunned on Tuesday night.

WR Dee Eskridge

If Tyler Lockett is unable to make his way back from the reserve/COVID-19 list, the Rams are going to zero in on DK Metcalf. And while Metcalf got the best of All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey in their previous matchup, it's unlikely he'll be able to carry the Seahawks' passing game on his own. He'll need help and Eskridge—a reported favorite of Los Angeles' in the 2021 NFL Draft—will be the one to provide it. The rookie receiver has now firmly worked his way into Seattle's rotation at the position, playing 22 and 28 snaps in his last two games, respectively. He didn't have a catch down in Houston, but the rapport he's established with Russell Wilson in practice is bound to show up in a game at some point. Given the circumstances, there's no better time for that to happen than now. 

TE Gerald Everett

Revenge game, anyone? Everett's been an interesting case study in 2021. Aside from his nightmarish performance versus the 49ers two weeks ago, he's been effective in the opportunities he's been given. The problem is: those opportunities have been too few and far between. Perhaps if Lockett fails to suit up in this one, the void will be partly filled by an increase in targets for Everett. The former Rams tight end missed out on his first chance to go up against his old squad amidst a bout with COVID-19, so count on him to make up for lost time. 

DT Al Woods

The Rams are in the bottom half of the league in run efficiency (4.1 yards per carry), but the duo of Darrell Henderson Jr. and Sony Michel, along with some solid blocking up front, have been enough to nicely complement their high-powered passing attack. But against the league's best run defense (3.8 YPC allowed), led by the criminally underrated Woods, it could be a long day for L.A.'s ground game. Woods has been an absolute game-wrecker and seems to be getting better as the season goes along, so it would be wise for the Rams to try and avoid him at all costs. 

S Quandre Diggs

With D.J. Reed (COVID-19) unlikely to play and Jamal Adams (shoulder) already out, this could get ugly for the Seahawks' secondary. Between Cooper Kupp, Odell Beckham Jr. and Van Jefferson, the Rams can attack the middle of the field and get vertical at will. As such, Diggs is going to have his hands full over the course of this game. But as he's done all year long, whether it's his fifth interception of the year, a big hit or a key pass breakup, the surefire Pro Bowl selection is going to leave his mark.