In prior years, the week 18 matchup the Lions had was merely a game for the opposition to rest their starters against poor Lions teams. This year is not one of those years. The Lions find themselves in the heat of a playoff push come week 18 with the Seahawks and Packers in contention. How to get into the playoffs? Simple, the Seahawks must lose to the Rams on Sunday and the Lions must beat the Packers. Since the Lions game will be on Sunday night football, we can turn our attention toward the Seahawks-Rams game, one that will determine if a playoff spot is on the line Sunday night. Here, we break down a key feature for both teams in the matchup.
Seahawks: Tariq Woolen
Tariq Woolen was a fifth-round pick in last year’s draft that has soared above the rest in his class. Standing an impressive 6’4, he’s used that size to be an effective ballhawk, snagging six picks this year to go along with 52 tackles. He’s been extremely lockdown in coverage too, with an incompletion rate of 56%. Woolen and the rest of Seattle’s defense should pose a tall order for Baker Mayfield and the Rams. Other key standouts on the Seattle defense include Tanner Muse and Uchenna Nwosu. This defense is scary and could cause issues for the Rams.
Rams: Sean McVay
Through this hangover year from the prior’s SuperBowl victory, Sean McVay has remained relatively constant in the Rams locker room. From heavy-hitting injuries to key pieces in WR Cooper Kupp and QB Matt Stafford to a very tough schedule, the Rams have faced a gauntlet this year. In the final game, it’s easy to see how the team would want to go out on a high note and knock their division rivals out of the playoffs. McVay has been able to make things happen with mid-season addition Baker Mayfield, so we can expect to see him utilize him to his full ability. With nothing to lose, this team can squeeze out the little juice left in the tank, and we can expect McVay to use it well.
These two sides should put on a good show for us Lions fans, and hopefully, let us have the epic Sunday night matchup with Green Bay to determine a playoff spot. Remember the keys listed here when you watch and Go Rams!
