Rams Vs. Seahawks Week 1 Preview: Shorthanded Squad Looks To Shock In Seattle

The 2023 season started off with a bang as the Detroit Lions managed to shock the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday Night Football.

Like the Lions, the Los Angeles Rams will also be looking to pull off an upset as they head out on the road to take on their NFC West rivals the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1.

Los Angeles will be debuting a revamped roster featuring several second-year players and rookies, while Seattle kept the bulk of their roster intact during the offseason.

For Sean McVay, 2023 projects to be his toughest year since taking over the team as head coach as he will be working with far less experienced players than he’s used to. On the other side, Pete Carroll’s got continuity and chemistry working for him as well as home field advantage.

The Rams prospects of winning this game are slim considering the injuries they’ve already sustained, but anything can happen in the NFL.

Rams Offense vs. Seattle Defense

L.A.’s offense suffered a massive blow when McVay announced that star wide receiver Cooper Kupp would miss the game due to his lingering hamstring injury. Without Kupp, Van Jefferson figures to see the bulk of the targets, with Tyler Higbee acting as a safety valve in the short area of the field.

In order to ease the pressure off Matthew Stafford, the Rams could also lean on Cam Akers, who is healthy and appears ready to handle a bell cow role if called upon. However, the Seattle defensive line presents challenges, and their young secondary also could be problematic because of their size and speed.

That also added Bobby Wagner, of course, and Rams fans are well aware of the impact he can have on games.

Rams Defense vs. Seattle Offense

The defense is arguably more of a concern for Los Angeles as they failed to instill any confidence in their pass rush over the preseason. Aaron Donald will make his return, but he alone won’t be able to stop a potent Seahawks offense.

Geno Smith was one of the most consistent quarterbacks in 2022 and he’s got a full allotment of weapons in D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Seattle also boasts a two-headed backfield of Kenneth Walker II and Zach Charbonnet, who can gash L.A. either on the ground or through the air.

Keys to Victory

1. Utilize Cam Akers and Kyren Williams as receivers

Stafford may have trouble hitting receivers, so the Rams should make use of Akers and Kyren Williams in the pass game. Dinking and dunking isn’t McVay and Stafford’s preferred style of play, but this is a matchup to explore how much their backs can carry.

2. Limit explosive plays

Every NFL team tries its best to limit explosives, but this is particularly true when playing Seattle as nearly every one of their skill position players is a threat to break off a huge play.