The Seattle Seahawks now lead the NFC West, after their Monday Night Football win over the Minnesota Vikings. They hold a 10-2 record, identical with San Francisco, but the Seahawks right now hold the tiebreaker due to their win in San Francisco earlier this season. The Rams are still stumbling through their Super Bowl hangover, sitting at 7-5, although they did deliver an emphatic 34-7 win over the Arizona Cardinals last week. Are the Rams snapping out of their doldrums in time to make a playoff run? Or will Seattle push ahead to 11 wins with a big road victory? Check out our sports betting preview of this NFC West clash.
Seahawks vs Rams 2019 NFL Week 14 Odds, Preview & Pick
Getting ready for the Rams. 🔜#GoHawks x #SEAvsLAR pic.twitter.com/F4Hc1YILdT
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 5, 2019
- When: Sunday, December 8, 2019, 8:20 pm ET
- Where: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles
- TV: NBC
- Radio: Westwood One
- Live Stream: NFL Game Pass
- NFL Odds: Seattle -1 / O/U 48
Why should you bet on the Seahawks?
Seattle got a terrific game out of quarterback Russell Wilson against the Vikings, as he went 21 for 31 for 240 yards and a pair of scores (although he also threw a pick). Tailback Chris Carson also scored a touchdown, as he ran 23 times for 102 yards. The defense also chipped in with two takeaways, as Trey Flowers had a pick and Bradley McDougald picked up a fumble. Bobby Wagner led the team with 10 tackles on the night, also contributing a pass deflection.
Seattle is getting things done this year thanks to balance on offense. When Wilson does not have a solid running game at his disposal, opposing defenses can focus on pressuring and containing him. However, with the tandem of Carson and Rashaad Penny running the ball, Seattle’s offense has been harder to predict this season. As a result, Seattle is sustaining longer drives. The defense has been inconsistent (after all, they did give up 30 points to the Vikings), but they have been finding ways to win. If you like the Seahawks here, you see how they’ve been toughing out close games. They have won five straight, but none by more than eight points.
Why should you put your money on the Rams?
The Rams went the whole month of November without scoring more than 17 points, and they took a 45-6 beating at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens two weeks ago on Monday Night Football. They responded by taking out a lot of frustration on the Arizona Cardinals down in the desert last week, rolling to a 34-7 win. Quarterback Jared Goff was a huge part of that rejuvenation, going 32 for 43 yards for 424 yards and a pair of scores. Goff has had a hard time in recent weeks finding enough time in the pocket to make solid decisions, but his line stood up for him last Sunday. It helps, of course, that the Cardinals don’t mount much of a pass rush, but Arizona came close to defeating San Francisco in both of their meetings this season, so credit the Rams for understanding how to dismantle a young team in a rebuild.
The Rams’ defense stood tall as well after that embarrassment by the Ravens. Arizona only picked up 198 yards of offense in the loss. Linebacker Cory Littleton picked up eight tackles, one tackle for loss and a sack. Defensive lineman Aaron Donald, who has had a hard time putting up numbers this year, had 1 ½ tackles for loss and 1 ½ sacks. Defensive lineman Dante Fowler Jr added a sack and two tackles for loss. If you like the Rams to pull off the slight upset here, you see that offensive momentum from the win over the Cardinals continuing against a Seahawks team that can be vulnerable in their secondary.
Final Score Prediction
Seattle has put together a solid string of wins. They have also been much better in crucial road games this season than they have been in recent seasons. I see Seattle getting a concerted rush after Jared Goff and forcing him into multiple mistakes. While the Rams might be able to pressure Russell Wilson, he has the mobility to make plays nonetheless. I predict a final score of Seattle 27, Los Angeles 23.
