There is no bigger matchup in NFL Week 11 than the 7-2 Los Angeles Rams hosting the 7-2 Seattle Seahawks.
With respect to the Detroit Lions taking on the Eagles in Philly on ‘Sunday Night Football’ and the Kansas City Chiefs facing the Denver Broncos, Seahawks-Rams takes the cake on Sunday.
These West Coast rivals boast the highest point differential marks in the NFL, with Seattle leading the way at +103, while Los Angeles sits at +98. Nine of their 14 combined wins have come by double digits, and it’s why they are ranked as the top two teams in total DVOA.
The dominance the Seahawks and Rams have shown through nine games is evident. Could it indicate that one of these teams will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl?
ESPN NFL analyst Dan Graziano sure seems to think so.
The Seattle Seahawks or Los Angeles Rams Could be NFC Favorites
We’re midway through the NFL season, and sports talking heads are already looking ahead to the championship. Some things never change.
But the hyperbole makes sense when there is such an impactful divisional game on the Sunday slate.
Here’s what Graziano said on Get Up on Nov. 14 about the Seattle Seahawks vs. the Los Angeles Rams in Week 11:
Well, nobody can argue that the national media isn’t paying attention to this game, despite it not being in a primetime window.
“I think the winner of this game is the clear favorite in the NFC and possibly for the Super Bowl,” Graziano said on Get Up.
Graziano clearly values the level of dominance Seattle and LA have shown in recent weeks. He later went on to say, “based on the way everyone is playing right now,” these teams are playing the best football, and it is hard to argue against that. The Rams have won four straight games by 14 or more points, while the Seahawks have opened up leads of 28-0 and 35-0 in the first halves of their last two games.
Let’s just say that a lot of Seattle and LA backups have gotten plenty of playing time in the second halves recently.
While most neutral observers would agree with or at least understand Graziano’s point of view, the fine folks in Philadelphia see it differently.
After all, the Eagles are the reigning Super Bowl champs, sit atop the NFC at 7-2, and have a win over the Rams under their belt.
Philly certainly has reason to feel slighted in the debate over NFC supremacy, but their ugly stretches of inconsistent offense (hello, A.J. Brown) and their propensity to play down to their competition hurts the Eagles’ public perception.
With all that said, the battle between these three teams, the NFC North contenders, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, should make for some exciting playoff football.
Is Seahawks vs. Rams Actually That Pivotal?
Obviously, this game is important for both the Seahawks and Rams, but it is not the be-all and end-all.
These teams play again in Week 16! Seattle hosts Los Angeles on ‘Thursday Night Football’ on Dec. 18, and that game will likely determine who wins the NFC West.
Plus, both these teams still have some other tests on the horizon aside from playing each other. The Rams still play the Buccaneers and Lions, and the Seahawks have the Indianapolis Colts and the San Francisco 49ers left on their schedule. Both Seattle and Los Angeles also have a road game against the upstart Carolina Panthers, a clearly inferior team, but a more formidable foe than expected before the season.
While this Week 11 showdown carries a ton of weight, it does not officially determine anything. It will be interesting to see how each team responds after the outcome, and how the rematch plays out in Seattle later in the season.
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