Sam Darnold, Seahawks Have a Target on Their Back After Super Bowl Win

It's been three weeks since the Seattle Seahawks beat the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC championship, adding another chapter to the storied division rivalry.

Rams defensive lineman Jared Verse has only been part of the rivalry for two seasons, but he has already built so much animosity against quarterback Sam Darnold and the Seahawks.

"They're a division rival, all that good stuff. But like I genuinely don't like them," Verse said on “The Pivot” podcast last week h/t NFL.com contributor Kevin Patra. "l got like a disdain in my heart for them. Like, I hate them. I don't like the Seahawks at all. There's nothing I like about them. I don't like their players. There's nobody I like about their staff. I don't like them.

"But when we play them, the whole team's kind of like that. Where, like, you have your best friend on the sideline. You don't like them. Like my mom could be wearing Seahawks colors, and like that's my OPP that day."

Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse during pregame warm ups before the NFC Wild Card Round. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Seahawks vs. Rams Rivalry Heating Up

Now that the Seahawks are Super Bowl champions with Darnold as their quarterback, they certainly have a target on their back. The Rams are the top team looking to go against them and take them down after losing two out of the three meetings this season.

After the NFC Championship, when Seahawks wide receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba admitted there was a sweeter taste of victory because they were able to beat the Rams in the last game before the Super Bowl

"It's definitely sweeter beating those divisional rivals. It's a little bit extra when you play those guys. We know each other, so it's just the ultimate chess battle, the ultimate war. All credit to those guys. They fought their tails off. I have nothing but respect for those guys over there. Like I said, super proud of our guys and how we came out and got the victory," Smith-Njigba said via the team's website.

The Rams and the 30 other teams not named the Seahawks are going to try to knock them off their pedestal next season. The Seahawks have to be ready for the punches and know when to fight back. That's what they'll spend the entire offseason getting ready for.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba runs against Los Angeles Rams cornerback Darious Williams. | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Seahawks vs. Rams Rivalry Heating Up

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