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NFL Wild Card Playoffs: Trends which will decide each game

By Russell S. Baxter

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 15: Russell Wilson #3 of the Seattle Seahawks makes a play call in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on November 15, 2020 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 15: Russell Wilson #3 of the Seattle Seahawks makes a play call in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on November 15, 2020 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images) /
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INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 15: Robert Woods #17 of the Los Angeles Rams catches a pass against D.J. Reed #29 of the Seattle Seahawks in the second quarter at SoFi Stadium on November 15, 2020 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 15: Robert Woods #17 of the Los Angeles Rams catches a pass against D.J. Reed #29 of the Seattle Seahawks in the second quarter at SoFi Stadium on November 15, 2020 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Los Angeles Rams (10-6) at Seattle Seahawks (12-4), 4:40 pm

Rams: Sean McVay has guided this club into the playoffs for the third time in four years. But the Rams split their final six games after a 7-3 start that included back-to-back wins over the Seahawks and Buccaneers in Weeks 10 and 11, respectively. Quarterback Jared Goff (thumb) practiced on Wednesday (via Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times) but McVay is being quiet when it comes to who his starting quarterback will be for this third meeting of the season with the ‘Hawks. Los Angeles finished with the NFL’s top-ranked defense in terms of fewest total yards and fewest passing yards allowed, surrendered a league-low 296 points, forced 22 turnovers and racked up 53 sacks.

Seahawks: The NFC West champions gave up just 84 points in their last six games, quite a departure from the start of the year when the Seahawks were giving up yards and points in droves. Pete Carroll’s club allowed a whopping 28.7 points per game in their first 10 outings. Russell Wilson finished the season with 40 TD passes (13 INTs) but 30 of those came in the team’s first 10 contests. Safety Jamal Adams had a banner year, made a huge difference when health and actually led the club with 9.5 sacks. The Seattle running attack has been spotty but Carroll hopes his 1-2 wide receiving punch of Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf – each with 10 TDs – can challenge the Rams’ secondary.

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