If Jeff Fisher got to play the Seattle Seahawks every week he might not be the losingest coach in NFL history. That sounds kind of strange since Fisher hasn’t had a winning record in his tenure with the Los Angeles Rams and guaranteed that streak will continue with another embarrassing loss last week. But the Rams have had success against Seattle with three consecutive wins, including a 9-3 slugfest earlier this season. The Seahawks will look to end that streak as a heavy favorite in this Week 15 matchup.
Watch this regular season Week 15 matchup live on Thursday, December 15, 2016, at 8:25 p.m. ET at CenturyLink Field.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Los Angeles Rams +14
Seattle Seahawks -14
Over/Under 40
Odds Analysis
Seattle hit the board as the biggest favorite of the week at -14. It’s easy to see why given how the Rams have looked while losing four straight and eight of the last nine. But don’t discount the recent success the Rams have had in the series. A year ago the Rams ventured into the Link and won outright as an 11.5-point pup. Seattle hasn’t lost at home this season going 6-0 SU and 4-2 ATS. The teams combined for 12 points and no touchdowns in the first meeting, won 9-3 by the Rams as a 5.5-point dog. The total is higher this game but the teams will struggle to reach it.
Injury Report
Benny Cunningham – The Rams’ kickoff return man and reserve running back was sorely missed in a loss to the Falcons. His replacement on returns, Mike Thomas, fumbled the opening kickoff which was recovered by Atlanta and turned into a touchdown on the next play. Malcolm Brown, taking snaps as the No. 2 back behind Todd Gurley, also lost a fumble. Cunningham sat with a neck injury and is doubtful to play in Seattle.
Earl Thomas – We said it could take time for the Seahawks to get used to playing without their starting safety, who was lost for the season a few weeks back with a broken leg. Aaron Rodgers took advantage with a quick strike and the Packers never let up. Rodgers had just five incomplete passes and tossed three touchdowns against the vaunted secondary.
Revenge Angle
The Seahawks are considered a top team in the NFC and a legitimate threat to reach the Super Bowl. But it’s been a roller-coaster ride for Seattle the last three games with a frustrating loss in Tampa Bay in Week 12 and a pounding by the Packers in Green Bay last Sunday. In between, the Seahawks destroyed the Panthers 40-7 at the Link. Seattle returns home with a chance to right the wrongs and take out some frustration on a Rams team that is seemingly going through the motions at this point.
Back in Week 2, however, it was a different story. Playing their first home game in Los Angeles since the 1995 season, the Rams stifled the Seahawks, holding them without a touchdown in a 9-3 victory. That loss raised more questions for Seattle and why they can’t beat a Rams team that honestly isn’t and hasn’t been that good. The Rams have won three in a row over Seattle and four of five since the start of the 2014 season. The overall records of each team show just how different they’ve been: the Seahawks are 30-13-1 while the Rams are only 17-27 over the last nearly three seasons. Beating the Rams, and doing it convincingly, is something the Seahawks need at this point.
Free ATS Pick
The Seahawks are coming off the worst loss in the Pete Carroll era and we could say that Russell Wilson had a lot to do with that. Wilson tossed five interceptions among Seattle’s six turnovers, never giving his team a chance in the 38-10 loss. With a pair of losses in the past three games, there are concerns surrounding the club. Not to worry, though. We anticipated a letdown following the loss of Thomas, who not only is one of the best safeties in the league, but a leader in the locker room as well. The Seahawks have a comfortable lead in the NFC West, which also played a role. The biggest factor, though, was the six turnovers.
I don’t expect the Seahawks to duplicate that performance and Wilson has an uncanny way of bouncing back, as does the entire team. Seattle is a different squad when playing at the Link and a return home against the woeful Rams is just what they need. L.A. plays Seattle tough and has had the most success against the Seahawks than any other team over the past few seasons. That’s a mental edge that the Rams have to keep them within the two-touchdown spread, but the Seattle gets a victory to clinch the division title.
NFL Odds: Seahawks 24, Rams 13
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