Devon Witherspoon Has Blunt Message for Matthew Stafford Before Seahawks–Rams Showdown

Devon Witherspoon tried to call it “just another matchup,” but the Seattle Seahawks cornerback still sent a loud message about what awaits the Los Angeles Rams in Week 11.

The Pro Bowl defender said the road showdown with Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams will be a “great test” for a Seahawks defense he believes plays a physical “style nobody wants to play” heading into Sunday’s battle for first place in the NFC West, he said in a press conference. 

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Devon Witherspoon Says Rams Game Is ‘Just Another Matchup’ — And a ‘Great Test’

Asked if he views the trip to SoFi Stadium as a measuring stick, Witherspoon initially downplayed the hype.

“No, I just see it as just another matchup,” he said, calling the Rams “a good, great team” and emphasizing the divisional stakes.

But the second-year corner quickly acknowledged what this game means for a 7-2 Seahawks team trying to take control of the division against the 7-2 Rams and Stafford’s MVP-caliber season.

On Stafford, Witherspoon didn’t hold back the respect.

He called the Rams quarterback “a vet” with “all the characteristics you need for a quarterback,” praising the way Stafford runs Sean McVay’s offense, diagnoses pressures and gets the ball to his playmakers. In his words, Stafford is “everything you want in a quarterback,” which is why Witherspoon labeled Sunday “a great test for our defense.”

Witherspoon also lit up when asked about the coaching chess match between McVay and Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald, with offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula in the mix. He described it as a “chess game” and “a tough matchup” that should be “fun” to watch unfold from his spot in the secondary.

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‘We Play a Style Nobody Wants to Play’

If the Rams are bringing Stafford, Nacua and Adams, Witherspoon made it clear the Seahawks plan to bring their pads.

He raved about the identity that Macdonald and new defensive pieces have helped build, crediting the “next man up” mentality and how hard Seattle’s smaller linebackers and defensive backs hit.

“We don’t kind of hold back,” Witherspoon said. “We play a style nobody want to play… we a physical football team, we play a physical style of football.”

That theme has run through the locker room all week. Rookie safety Nick Emmanwori, fresh off his first Rookie of the Week award after a breakout performance against the Arizona Cardinals, recently described Seattle’s defense as “a style that nobody wants to play” as well.

Witherspoon repeated that message, shouting out hard-hitting linebackers Drake Thomas and Ty Okada and citing the way depth players like Tyrese Knight have stepped in without the unit losing its edge.

From his brief time watching from the sideline while dealing with injury, Witherspoon said he gained a different appreciation for how the group looks from afar.

He talked about seeing the game like a fan, watching teammates execute the game plan and thinking, “Dang, we really is like that,” as backups stepped in and made plays. That view only strengthened his belief in the “next man up” philosophy the Seahawks keep mentioning.

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What It Means for Seahawks vs. Rams in Week 11

For all the talk of “just another matchup,” the stakes are obvious.

Both Seattle and Los Angeles enter Week 11 at 7-2, tied atop the NFC West and coming off statement wins — the Seahawks routing the Cardinals 44–22, the Rams blasting the San Francisco 49ers 42–26. The winner at SoFi Stadium grabs sole possession of first place and a major edge in the race for a playoff bye.

Stafford is in the middle of a huge year, with 25 touchdown passes to just two interceptions, while Nacua (775 receiving yards) and Adams give him one of the scariest receiver duos in the league.

On the other side, Sam Darnold has stabilized the Seahawks’ offense, Smith-Njigba has emerged as a true No. 1, and Cooper Kupp is preparing for an emotional first game back at SoFi Stadium since the Rams released him — even as he insists he’s treating it “like any other game.” 

Witherspoon clearly respects what Stafford and the Rams can do. But if his comments are any indication, he also believes Seattle’s defense is built for exactly this kind of heavyweight fight.

“We just going to have fun, live in the moment,” he said, summing up the mindset. “We know how they play… it’s going to be a tough, physical, fun football game.”

If the Seahawks’ “style nobody wants to play” shows up in Los Angeles the way Witherspoon expects, Week 11 might be remembered as the day Seattle’s defense proved it really is ready for the NFC’s best.

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