- WHERE: Lumen Field (Seattle)
- WHEN: Saturday Jan. 17 OR Sunday, Jan 18
This was not a tough call. If things play out how we expect on Wild Card Weekend — with the Rams beating the Panthers and the Bears notching a victory over the Packers — it will set up a rematch of NFC West elites. Seahawks vs. Rams, Part III.
Two regular season clashes provided ample evidence of the evenly matched nature of their 2025 existence. The Rams won in Los Angeles, 21-19, in Week 11, and the Seahawks escaped with a 38-37 overtime win at home in Week 16, after a monster comeback that leads our list of the best games of the year. So, how do you choose between these two powerhouses?
Sean McVay’s squad did hit a rough patch, falling in a costly upset to the Falcons, while Seattle has handled its business with consecutive double-digit wins to secure a first-round bye. Keep in mind, though, that the Rams were without star WR Davante Adams in the loss to the Seahawks, and they still gave Mike Macdonald’s defense all it could handle. Adams hasn’t played since Week 15, but he is expected to return on Wild Card Weekend.
The Seahawks are the Super Bowl favorites now, but the Rams are right behind them in the pecking order. In the end, we have more trust in Super Bowl champion Matthew Stafford to find a way than Sam Darnold, who fell on his face in first career playoff start last season, a 27-9 Vikings loss to the Rams. There’s a good chance the winner of this projected game will be hoisting the Lombardi on Feb. 8.
— Dan Parr
