Next for Rams: rematch with up and down Seahawks

There are no half measures this season with the Seattle Seahawks. They have a 4-4 record, with three double-digit victories, while the four losses have come by a total of 23 points.

Seattle seemed to have gotten back on track in October. Their twopoint home loss to the Rams was sandwiched between four victories, and the Seahawks found an identity with a strong run game.

Then, last week, multiple breakdowns doomed the Seahawks in a loss to the Chargers. Now, it’s rematch time against the Rams. Given the uninspiring nature of the NFC West, the Rams (8-1) essentially could clinch the division with a victory Sunday at the Coliseum, but Seattle isn’t giving up on this season.

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“So close to getting it done,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll told reporters in Seattle this week. “I’m hoping the second half of the season will allow us to finish those games and give us the wins that we want and turn the season into a really positive year for us.”

There’s still reason for confidence in Seattle. Three years ago, the Se-

ahawks also started 4-4, then closed the season with a 6-2 run, won the division and won a playoff game.

Beating the Rams will take a lot. The Seahawks, in recent weeks, had based much of their offense on running back Chris Carson, who topped 100 yards in the first game against the Rams, but Carson had to leave last Sunday’s game because of a hip injury, and his status for Sunday is in question.

Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson also will have to get going. He had a handful of big pass plays in the first meeting against the Rams, but finished with only 13 completions overall.

WHO’S COACHING THE

SEAHAWKS? Carroll ruled the Coliseum during his years as USC coach, but his two return game as Seattle coach have been a bit ugly: a 9-3 loss to the awful Rams in 2016 and a 16-10 victory in Oct. 2017.

Carroll’s Seahawks haven’t finished under .500 since his first two seasons, when they went 7-9, but there’s some danger this season as the Seahawks sit at 4-4. After they face the Rams, the Seahawks have three very winnable games — two against San Francisco and one against Arizona — but also have games against Kansas City, Carolina, Minnesota and Green Bay.

BY THE NUMBERS — 10: Number of points by which the Rams were favored when the opening betting line was set. The Seahawks haven’t been double-digit underdogs going into game since 2010.

— 4: First downs, out of 15, converted by Seattle’s offense against the Chargers last week. The Seahawks had converted 22 of their 37 third-down attempts over the previous three games.

— 7: Consecutive games the Seahawks have gone without a 100yard receiver. In their eight games, they’ve had four different leading receivers.

PLAYER TO WATCH The loss of Carson would be a significant blow to the Seattle offense, but without prompting on Monday, Rams coach Sean Mcvay mentioned the production of Mike Davis, Carson’s likely replacement.

When the teams met last month, Davis was Seattle’s secondary option against the Rams but still totaled 68 rushing yards and one touchdown, and averaged 5.7 yards per carry.

Davis’ role diminished over the next couple weeks, as the Seahawks focused on Carson in the run game, but after he got hurt last week against the Chargers, Davis took over and finished with 62 rushing yards and also caught seven passes for 45 yards.

WHAT DID HE SAY? “We’ve figured out how we want to play. We have a real sense for that. … Now we have to find a way to get the wins.”– Carroll, on the Seahawks’ offense and close games.