Seahawks vs. Rams NFL Week 13 Top Picks: Rams Can't Keep Pace With Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks vs. Los Angeles Rams
Sunday, December 4, 2022 at 4:05 p.m. ET at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California
The Rise of Geno Smith
Seahawk quarterback Geno Smith has been nothing short of a revelation.
He is enjoying a career-best in passer rating -- his passer rating this season is 107.9.
Smith has also been uniquely productive. He ranks fifth in passing yards and is tied for fifth in passing touchdowns.
Smith's Improvement
His tremendous improvement may seem surprising because Smith is a veteran. It is unusual for a quarterback to require so many years -- his rookie year was back in 2013 -- develop his potential, in Smith's case to become not just any starting-caliber quarterback but one of the better starting quarterbacks.
Former quarterbacks who are now analysts have cited Smith's return to fundamentals as the primary reason for his statistically evident improvement.
When he throws, his feet are underneath him. His over-the-top delivery prevents opposing defenders from batting down his passes.
Moreover, he squares his shoulders toward his target before he releases his pass.
Crucially, he maintains his fundamental soundness when he is on the run, so that he is able to continue posing a threat when he is making use of his good mobility -- Smith averages 4.8 YPC right now.
Rams' Top Defensive Players: Aaron Donald
Under ordinary circumstances, any opposing quarterback is going to have to fear primarily two Ram defenders: elite pass rusher Aaron Donald and fellow former All-Pro selection, cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
Smith, though, won't have to worry about either player on Sunday.
Donald is injured -- he suffered a high-ankle sprain in his team's last game against the Chiefs.
This type of injury normally sidelines a player for several weeks.
With the Rams having nothing left to really play for as they suffer through their Super Bowl hangover, I can't imagine them choosing to risk deploying Donald.
Deploying Donald, though, likely won't even be a possibility.
Jalen Ramsey's Struggles
Jalen Ramsey is, right now, not Jalen Ramsey.
He is yielding a 66.1-percent completion rate and a 100.5 passer rating when targeted.
Ramsey is supposed to limit the opposing team's top wide receiver.
But good wide receivers reliably play excellent against this year's regressed version of Ramsey.
Arizona's DeAndre Hopkins, for example, caught seven of 10 targets for 75 yards when covered by Ramsey.
Seahawk Wide Receivers
In addition to Smith having plenty of time to throw against the Rams' Donald-less 23rd-ranked pass rush, Smith benefits from having two excellent wide receivers to throw to.
Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf both appear primed to achieve another season in which they achieve 1,000 receiving yards.
Neither wide receiver will be limited by a Ramsey. The Rams miss a cornerback who can contain an opponent's top wide receiver or a wide receiver whose caliber approximates that of Lockett or Metcalf.
Matt Stafford's Injury
Characteristically, the Rams like to pass a lot.
But they won't be able to keep pace with Seattle in this game because they won't be able to pass with any facility on Sunday.
Quarterback Matt Stafford might be done for the season as he deals with concussion symptoms.
Stafford's Backup
Bryce Perkins or John Wolford could start in Stafford's place.
Either option -- Perkins started last week and has continued to struggle to sustain drives that result in points let alone in touchdowns -- will be an unthreatening passer.
Perkins is particularly inefficient while Wolford settles for short pass completions.
While Wolford is more efficient in his limited aggressiveness, Perkins is more of a runner.
Seattle has thrived against offenses that feature mobile quarterbacks -- the Seahawks beat Arizona twice by double digits and the Giants also by double digits.
They did not fail to beat Atlanta because of Marcus Mariota's abilities as a runner.
It is evident that they are well-equipped to handle Perkins with his mobility, and neither he nor Wolford will pose more of a threat than to complete some low-yardage passes.
The Verdict
There is a monumental difference in offensive capacity between these teams, which is created especially by Smith's improvement and Stafford's injury.
Expect Seattle to score enough to cover the spread while Seahawk scoring ensures that the Rams require few points to help the game go "over" the posted total.
Best Bet: Seahawks -7.5 at -105 with BetOnline & Over 41 at -108 with BetOnline
Seattle Seahawks vs. Los Angeles Rams
Sunday, December 4, 2022 at 4:05 p.m. ET at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California
The Rise of Geno Smith
Seahawk quarterback Geno Smith has been nothing short of a revelation.
He is enjoying a career-best in passer rating -- his passer rating this season is 107.9.
Smith has also been uniquely productive. He ranks fifth in passing yards and is tied for fifth in passing touchdowns.
Smith's Improvement
His tremendous improvement may seem surprising because Smith is a veteran. It is unusual for a quarterback to require so many years -- his rookie year was back in 2013 -- develop his potential, in Smith's case to become not just any starting-caliber quarterback but one of the better starting quarterbacks.
Former quarterbacks who are now analysts have cited Smith's return to fundamentals as the primary reason for his statistically evident improvement.
When he throws, his feet are underneath him. His over-the-top delivery prevents opposing defenders from batting down his passes.
Moreover, he squares his shoulders toward his target before he releases his pass.
Crucially, he maintains his fundamental soundness when he is on the run, so that he is able to continue posing a threat when he is making use of his good mobility -- Smith averages 4.8 YPC right now.
Rams' Top Defensive Players: Aaron Donald
Under ordinary circumstances, any opposing quarterback is going to have to fear primarily two Ram defenders: elite pass rusher Aaron Donald and fellow former All-Pro selection, cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
Smith, though, won't have to worry about either player on Sunday.
Donald is injured -- he suffered a high-ankle sprain in his team's last game against the Chiefs.
This type of injury normally sidelines a player for several weeks.
With the Rams having nothing left to really play for as they suffer through their Super Bowl hangover, I can't imagine them choosing to risk deploying Donald.
Deploying Donald, though, likely won't even be a possibility.
Jalen Ramsey's Struggles
Jalen Ramsey is, right now, not Jalen Ramsey.
He is yielding a 66.1-percent completion rate and a 100.5 passer rating when targeted.
Ramsey is supposed to limit the opposing team's top wide receiver.
But good wide receivers reliably play excellent against this year's regressed version of Ramsey.
Arizona's DeAndre Hopkins, for example, caught seven of 10 targets for 75 yards when covered by Ramsey.
Seahawk Wide Receivers
In addition to Smith having plenty of time to throw against the Rams' Donald-less 23rd-ranked pass rush, Smith benefits from having two excellent wide receivers to throw to.
Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf both appear primed to achieve another season in which they achieve 1,000 receiving yards.
Neither wide receiver will be limited by a Ramsey. The Rams miss a cornerback who can contain an opponent's top wide receiver or a wide receiver whose caliber approximates that of Lockett or Metcalf.
Matt Stafford's Injury
Characteristically, the Rams like to pass a lot.
But they won't be able to keep pace with Seattle in this game because they won't be able to pass with any facility on Sunday.
Quarterback Matt Stafford might be done for the season as he deals with concussion symptoms.
Stafford's Backup
Bryce Perkins or John Wolford could start in Stafford's place.
Either option -- Perkins started last week and has continued to struggle to sustain drives that result in points let alone in touchdowns -- will be an unthreatening passer.
Perkins is particularly inefficient while Wolford settles for short pass completions.
While Wolford is more efficient in his limited aggressiveness, Perkins is more of a runner.
Seattle has thrived against offenses that feature mobile quarterbacks -- the Seahawks beat Arizona twice by double digits and the Giants also by double digits.
They did not fail to beat Atlanta because of Marcus Mariota's abilities as a runner.
It is evident that they are well-equipped to handle Perkins with his mobility, and neither he nor Wolford will pose more of a threat than to complete some low-yardage passes.
The Verdict
There is a monumental difference in offensive capacity between these teams, which is created especially by Smith's improvement and Stafford's injury.
Expect Seattle to score enough to cover the spread while Seahawk scoring ensures that the Rams require few points to help the game go "over" the posted total.
Best Bet: Seahawks -7.5 at -105 with BetOnline & Over 41 at -108 with BetOnline
