Week 11: Seattle Seahawks at St. Louis Rams

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS @ ST. LOUIS RAMS
Vegas Line: Seahawks + 3

Rob’s Line: Seahawks + 2.5

I wrote in the opening of my Cardinals/49ers preview that a curious thing happened in San Francisco last week. Well, a curious thing happened in Seattle, too. They’d beaten the Baltimore Ravens at home despite losing (during the game) rookie guard John Moffitt to a season ending knee injury and receivers Sidney Rice and Doug Baldwin to concussions.
The talk after the game was how good running back Marshawn Lynch was suddenly looking and how Seattle controlled the clock for nearly the last six minutes last week to put the Ravens to bed.
It was all down to the offensive line, a young unit (bar Robert Gallery) that was finally beginning to gel. And this was exactly right. Suddenly, talk was of 2012 and this unit really coming together and forming the cornerstone of the franchise. Moffitt was now gone, but that was a hole that could be plugged in the short term. However, on Thursday, right tackle James Carpenter tore his ACL in a routine pass rush drill, a freak injury that, along with Moffitt’s, disrupts the entire right side of the line and leaves the Seahawks without their top two draft picks from this year. Can they recover? Well, they can, but it’s good news for the Rams.
St. Louis enter this one buoyed by the form of undoubted team leader, running back Steven Jackson, who’s rushed for 159, 130 and 128 yards respectively in his last three games. However, Seattle’s good against the run, ranking 12th in the league so that’s an intriguing battle. Should Seattle be able to overcome the injuries on their offensive line, Lynch could have another big day as the Rams rank dead last against the run, allowing a whopping 150 yards per game.
As a Seahawk I’m naturally looking forward to this divisional matchup, but can see that it’s not the most attractive fixture to the neutral. However, for those who like to dabble with their hard earned, where does the value lie in the spread? At first glance, it’s extremely tough as a case could be made for both teams from scratch.
St. Louis owe Seattle one from the final game of last year’s regular season when the Seahawks won this elimination matchup at home to advance to the playoffs so revenge will be in the air at kickoff. Both are dangerous (to each other) so it makes sense to take the points on offer…doesn’t it? It does, but I feel that the Rams will be more up for this one and can see Jackson running like a man possessed. I believe him to be the key to the outcome.
He was simply awesome when the Rams stunned the Saints three weeks ago and I can see the same happening here. I take the Rams to cover.

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