Seahawks aim to stretch success against LA Rams
LOS ANGELES: Pete Carroll is the master of the short week.
Under Carroll, the Seattle Seahawks are 10-1 in Thursday night games and have won their past nine.
That doesn’t bode well for the Los Angeles Rams, who will travel north for an NFC West showdown in Seattle this morning, Thai time.
The Rams (3-1) are coming off a 37-20 loss at home to the Arizona Cardinals in a first-place showdown on Sunday.
“We won’t allow one game to define us,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “It was not the outing we wanted from anybody, but fortunately we’ve got a short week to dust ourselves off and get back ready to roll.”
The Rams entered last week with the NFL’s top-rated defence, but they allowed Kyler Murray and the Cardinals to gain 465 yards of total offence, including 216 on the ground.
“That wasn’t up to our standard, for sure,” Los Angeles cornerback Jalen Ramsey said. “So whatever it may be, whatever it’s going to take, we need to figure it out ASAP.”
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, acquired in an off-season trade with Detroit, was 26 of 41 for 280 yards against the Cardinals, with two touchdowns and one interception, for a season-low passer rating of 89.5.
“When the quarterback in this league plays well, their team has an opportunity to win games,” Stafford said, “and I’ll make sure that on Thursday, I’m in the right place, ready to go.”
The Seahawks (2-2) avoided their first three-game losing streak in the Russell Wilson era with a 28-21 victory against hosts San Francisco on Sunday.
Wilson passed for only 149 yards against the 49ers yet threw for two scores while compiling a 116.0 passer rating. He also rushed for a touchdown.
Today, he will be wary of Ramsey, a two-time All-Pro.
“Jalen is one of those guys who doesn’t have many weaknesses,” Wilson said. “He’s really special. He’s a great football player, so you have to know where he is and what he’s doing and how he plays the game.”