The Los Angeles Rams descend on the Seattle Seahawks for a scintillating Thursday night football showdown marking Week 6 of the NFL season.
For a second straight week, the Rams and Seahawks will do battle against a division rival. The premium on winning in the NFC West division is hard to quantify because the competition is stiff, and a win or a loss could prove to be the difference down the line between a playoff spot or a postseason spent coasting on the sofa.
The Rams will be keen to bounce back after suffering their first loss of the season – a 37-20 upset by the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium that defied the NFL odds. The Seattle Seahawks will be looking to continue the momentum after rallying to a 28-21 win over the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium, pulling off the upset on the road.
Books opened this NFC West showdown on a tight NFL betting line Sunday with the LA Rams delicately favored as the 1-point road chalk. Early betting coming down the wire is heading towards the Seahawks as the nominal home pups.
Los Angeles Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks
Thursday, October 7, 2021 – 8:20 PM EDT at Lumen Field
LA Rams Fall From Top Spot After First Setback
The battle of the undefeated went the way of the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday as they delivered the stunning 37-20 upset over the highly fancied LA Rams. The public came in heavy on Arizona from the onset, and it paid dividends, although the NFL line was bet down from an opening Rams -6 to -4 before kick-off.
The loss left much to be desired. It was a collective failure across all facets of the game. The Rams offense was absolutely dominated for the first time this season by an opposing defense, held to scores on three of nine possessions. Matthew Stafford went 26 of 41 for 280 yards and two touchdowns. However, he was off his game and out of sync with the offense. Sean McVay’s decision-making didn’t pass the eye test as he abandoned the run game, even though it was faring better than the passing game at times.
Overall, the Cardinals’ offense outplayed the Rams both in the air and on the ground. The Cardinals put up 465 yards of offense and 37 points. Chase Edmonds and James Connor ran circles around the vaunted Rams defense, rendering Aaron Donald and crew a moot point. That takes some doing.
As a result of this setback, the Rams concede the top spot in the division to the Cardinals. Well, for now as both the Rams and Cardinals will face division opponents in Week 5. Arguably, the Rams have the tougher billing against the Seahawks, who bounced back with a pivotal win over the Niners.
Seahawks Look To Build On Momentum
After going 1-2 SU in their first three starts, the Seattle Seahawks bounced back with a 28-21 win over division rival San Francisco 49ers.
Sunday’s win was highlighted by vintage Russell Wilson, as he set up three quick touchdowns to give his side the lead. Wilson rushed for a score and connected with DK Metcalf and Freddie Swain for a pair of touchdowns. However, the game was marred by the exit of Jimmy Garoppolo. With the Niners resorting to rookie quarterback Trey Lance, the balance certainly shifted in favor of Seattle.
Wilson went 18-of-23 for 149 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed for 26 yards on four carries for a touchdown. DK Metcalf led the Seahawks in receiving, totting up 65 yards on four receptions. Alex Collins led the team in rushing with 44 yards and one touchdown.
NFL Predictions and Picks
This is a tough matchup to predict for Week 5 betting, not least because it’s a short week, and both teams are coming off contrasting performances.
How the Rams bounce back from a confidence-sapping loss to the Cardinals will reveal whether they really are legitimate contenders or whether their 3-0 start on the season was nothing but smoke and mirrors.
In the meanwhile, the Seahawks capitalized on a Niners team that was down to its rookie backup quarterback halfway through the game. It was an important win for Seattle, so they’re not going to apologize for it. But what does it say, other than it’s possible to rely on the Seahawks to take advantage of a weakened opponent?
The NFL odds are coyly set in favor of the Rams, but the 1-point NFL line is hardly decisive. So, it’s a total tossup for NFL picks that suggests the Rams should win, but the Seahawks could win.
NFL Picks: Rams -1 (-110) with Bet365
