The Huge Image: Rams Prepared for Seahawks, the Workforce Jared Verse ‘Dislikes the Most’

The rematch the Seattle Seahawks have been waiting for has arrived, but the Los Angeles Rams are just as ready as they are for Thursday’s heavyweight NFC West tilt. 

Five weeks ago, the Rams edged out the Seahawks in a nail-biter at SoFi Stadium as Seattle kicker Jason Myers missed a 61-yard field goal at the buzzer.  Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold had his worst performance since joining Seattle in that game, throwing four interceptions. But with the Seahawks still having an opportunity at the end, defensive players like Leonard Williams and Uchenna Nwosu said afterward they couldn’t wait to face the Rams at their place for the rematch.

Well, the Rams can’t wait, either. While the Rams-San Francisco 49ers rivalry might be the most competitive in the NFC West considering their recent success, second-year edge rusher Jared Verse pointed at the Seahawks as the team he dislikes the most. 

“I don’t like the Seahawks and they don’t like us,” Verse said in a recent scrum. “That’s simply the way it is. You can watch the game back, you saw we were getting in their face and they were getting in ours. So, it’s going to be a good game.

“I don’t think there’s too many rivalries in the league that are for real, but in the NFC West, that’s the team I dislike the most.”

Both the Rams and Seahawks sit at 11-3 ahead of Thursday night’s tilt. Not only does the matchup give the winning team a stronger chance to claim the top spot in the NFC West, but they’ll also be in the driver’s seat to get the No. 1 seed in the NFC and home-field advantage in the playoffs. The Rams have already clinched a playoff spot as they won three of their last four, while the Seahawks would clinch a playoff spot with the victory and have won four straight since their loss at SoFi. 

There’s also something at stake in the all-time series between the two NFC West rivals. The all-time series is tied at 28-28 and six of the last seven games have been decided by six points or less. However, this rivalry has been a roller coaster since the NFL realignment in 2002. The Rams and “The Greatest Show on Turf” dominated early, winning four of the first six matchups in the newly formed NFC West.

The Seahawks then won 10 straight and 16 of 18 during a stretch coinciding with Super Bowl runs by Mike Holmgren and Pete Carroll. However, Los Angeles has won four of the last five games since 2023. And since taking over in 2017, Rams head coach Sean McVay is 12-6 against the Seahawks and 1-0 in the postseason. 

The Rams have also won four of the last six matchups at Seattle’s Lumen Field, which is considered to be one of the toughest environments in the league. Rams left tackle Alaric Jackson said he looks forward to playing in those hostile environments.

“I love playing away games,” Jackson told me. “Going to your place, whipping your ass and moving on. Yeah, I enjoy that.”

Rams center Coleman Shelton is familiar with playing in the rainy winter conditions of the Pacific Northwest, having played at the University of Washington. He expects a tough game from the team’s NFC West rivals.

“You play every game in the NFC West twice a year, so obviously you’re going to see them a bunch,” Coleman Shelton told me. “You just go out there and play hard. It’s going to be a good matchup, and we’re excited for it.” 

One of the top storylines in this one will be how Darnold rebounds against the Rams’ defense after his four-interception performance in the Week 11 loss. Since that game, Darnold’s production has leveled off after a hot start to the first half of the season. Over the last five weeks, Darnold has completed 62.3% of his passes for 1,171 yards, five touchdowns and five interceptions, posting an 81.6 passer rating. 

Rams safety Kamren Kinchens (26) had two interceptions of Sam Darnold in the Week 11 matchup against the Seahawks. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

One thing that could help with Darnold’s production is an improved performance in the running game. The Seahawks average 113 yards per game (No. 22 in the NFL) and just 3.86 yards per carry, which is No. 28 in the league.  Seattle’s inability to consistently run the football, a point of emphasis for head coach Mike Macdonald at the start of the year, has put pressure on Sam Darnold to carry the offense by throwing the football.

The Seahawks hope that pressure does not lead to another turnover-prone effort by Darnold in a rematch against their division rival, with the lead in the NFC West on the line.

“We’re excited about this challenge,” Darnold told reporters. “Obviously, it’s a divisional game, and playing these guys last time wasn’t my best effort. I feel like as an offense we’ve just got to continue to do what we’ve been practicing, stay on the details.”

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams.

Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!