> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Will the ‘Real’ Seahawks and Rams Please Stand Up? - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/will-real-seattle-seahawks-los-angeles-rams-please-stand-up/ - Published: 2026-01-24T20:07:38.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T06:16:14.000Z - Author: Aaron Coe - Tags: Analysis, Seahawks, Mike Macdonald, Aden Durde, Sam Darnold, Matthew Stafford, Leonard Williams \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="3942"\] ![ Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum (22) dives for a touchdown against Seattle Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (7) in the second half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/usatsi_27848072-format-original.jpg) Los Angeles Rams running back Blake Corum (22) dives for a touchdown against Seattle Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (7) in the second half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images \[/caption\] RENTON, Wash. - What kind of game will the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams play in Sunday’s NFC Championship game? The two regular-season meetings between the NFC West rivals [looked quite different](https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/home/seattle-seahawks-path-super-bowl-revolves-challenge-slowing-los-angeles-rams). They split the series and are separated by one point and one yard in their two prior contests, but it could be argued that the wrong team won each time. The third meeting, 3:30 PM PT Sunday at Lumen Field, comes with much higher stakes — a trip to Super Bowl LX. “It's awesome,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said. “This place will be rocking. It will be electric — 12s will be on their stuff. It's going to be awesome, man. Last week was incredible, so I'm imagining it's going to be kicked up a notch. I don't know how that's possible, but again, this is why we do what we do. It's for weeks like this, for our community, for our city, for the 12s, for our guys to have this opportunity. Doesn't get any better than this.” If anything was learned from the first two games, it’s that something out of the ordinary may be on Sunday’s itinerary. ### Game 1 On November 16 at SoFi Stadium, the Seahawks dominated the Rams in several key areas. Seattle outgained Los Angeles in total yards 414-214, and converted seven of 16 third downs compared to just two of 11 for LA. The Seahawks possessed the ball for nearly 38 of the game’s 60 minutes. And yet, they still lost. A frantic 61-yard field goal attempt by Jason Myers fell short as time expired, and the Rams won a relatively ugly, low-scoring game at home. Four Sam Darnold interceptions doomed Seattle, as did scoring touchdowns on just 50% of red zone trips, on an afternoon in which the Seahawks otherwise dominated the Rams on their home field. “Obviously wasn't my best performance, with still a chance to win at the end,” Darnold said Wednesday. “For me personally, comes down to protecting the football, being smart, and getting the ball out of my hands at the same time.” ### Game 2 The more recent December 18 meeting turned into a shootout, and the Rams hit most of the shots for the majority of the Thursday night game at Lumen Field. After throwing for 130 yards in the first game, Matthew Stafford torched Macdonald’s defense for 457 yards. Los Angeles led 30-14 with 13:34 to go after Stafford threw a 1-yard TD pass to Puka Nacua for one of his 225 receiving yards, and a few Seahawks fans trickled out of the stadium. The Seahawks managed to send the game into overtime with a Rashid Shaheed punt return for a touchdown, a Darnold touchdown pass to AJ Barner, and a couple of two-point conversions before Seattle won 38-37 in overtime. This time, it was the Rams who left town believing they let an opportunity slip away. They outgained the Seahawks 387 yards to 126 yards in the game’s first 47 1/2 minutes, and finished with a 581-415 edge in a loss. It was just the second time Seattle allowed over 400 yards this season, with the first being a 38-35 loss to Tampa Bay on October 5\. “There was a few different reasons, and some of it is just execution and some of it is communication,” said Aden Durde, Seattle’s defensive coordinator. “Some of it is just angles and allowing people to run. So there is a few different reasons here and there that we have to clean up.” Two drastically different games, 32 days apart, that left the road team shaking their heads on the way to the airport. ### Common Thread Though the Seahawks held the Rams to a modest 3.9 yards per carry in the first meeting and 3.2 in the second, LA was able to get enough on the ground to keep Stafford from facing third-and-long. He wasted no time getting rid of the ball. “If you watch the games, he gets the ball out extremely fast,” Seahawks defensive tackle Leonard Williams said of Stafford on Wednesday. “What they do a good job at is putting them in third and manageable downs. I think they have the shortest distance on third downs in the league, which allows for quick passes. “You don't have to sit back and drop and read coverages when you only need three to five yards for a first down. A lot of times he just catches the ball and knows exactly where to put it — sometimes he's not even looking. He's a great quarterback. I think that's why I said I think we're going to have to do a good job on first and second down stopping the run, getting them in a little bit more backed up third downs.” ### Sunday’s Rubber Match So, what type of game will be played on Sunday? A shootout? A defensive scrum? The Rams secondary has showed major leaks a few times during the second half of the season, though they’ve registered four total interceptions in postseason road wins over Carolina (34-31) and Chicago (27-20 OT). It seems unlikely that the Seahawks will escape again if they give up nearly 600 yards again. Though Stafford is not an escape artist, he’s shown wizardry with no-look passes and making the ball disappear before the pass rush breaks through. Seattle will need to rely on its front four like never before to put a little heat on the 37-year-old passer while the rest of the Seahawks plug holes downfield, hopefully having more chances to get after him with improved play on early downs to set up ideal third down situations. The Seahawks were relatively healthy in the second meeting, but the defense has played at a different level since then. The battle between Sean McVay, one of the game’s best offensive minds, and Macdonald’s defensive genius will be a fascinating one, as will the adjustments they’ve made since the last meeting. Both had moments they regretted in the first two contests. If Seattle can avoid a rash of turnovers from the first matchup and the leaky yards from the second one, they’ll likely be headed to Santa Clara to play for their second championship. However, if the first two games are any indication, something weird is bound to happen that will determine the outcome and fans shouldn’t be surprised by anything that happens between two evenly matched squads.