In Week 10, the most competitive division in the NFL serves up its top three teams in two of six games with nail-biting potential (opening and currently holding at 3 ½ points or less). The first of these two, 5-3 Arizona Cardinals versus 7-2 Buffalo Bills (Sunday, 1:05PM PT) is certainly must-see TV. Like last week’s Cardinals-Miami Dolphins contest, it’s also a new enough marquee match-up to lack the certainty of dropping confident dollars either way with the average bettor. The second game between the well-acquainted Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks holds more promise in terms of clearing the spread.
Los Angeles Rams Could Be One of the Surest Bets in Week 10
The Rams-Seahawks match-up opened at Rams -2 and has since eased down to Rams -1 ½. Let’s face it. A few short weeks ago, when Russell Wilson was the unanimous 2020 season MVP front-runner, the Seahawks would likely be favored even in Los Angeles. But with both teams losing two of their last three games, this week’s battle now has the look and feel of NFC West normalcy again. Meaning trust me. If the planets are all aligned as per usual, this favors the Rams.
Pete Carroll vs Sean McVay
In the first head-to-head match of wits between Seattle’s experienced Pete Carroll and the inexperienced Rams upstart Sean McVay back in 2017, Carroll emerged on top, 16-10. Later that season the Rams walloped Carroll’s team 42-7. The Rams would sweep the Seahawks the following year. In fact, Carroll would not beat McVay again until 2019’s first meeting. That margin of victory, one point. A seven-point total.
McVay is 4-2 in regular-season meetings with the ‘Hawks by margins of 35, 2, 5, and 16 points respectively.
Both Sides of the Ball: A Glance at the Numbers
The Seahawks are extremely potent on offense without question, second to only the Kansas City Chiefs in scoring. But Russell Wilson, like most quarterbacks, can only resemble mere mortals at their best when under pressure. The Buffalo Bills defense demonstrated this in the prior week and the Rams come in with better overall talent in the box, including the league’s most disruptive player several years running, Aaron Donald.
Meanwhile, Seattle’s defense is struggling to keep opponents from scoring 30 or more points per game, having done so only in half of their games. What’s more, they have yet to hold any team to 20 points or fewer in 2020.
The Rams defensive unit is not practicing such social distancing and has held opponents to less than 20 points in all but the three losses. They trail only the Baltimore Ravens in fewest points allowed.
The Week 10 Injury Lists
Los Angeles holds the biggest edge here. The single most important reason the Seahawks need to start fast and furious is because their lack of depth is likely to keep them fresh enough late against a strong second-half Rams team.
Just a bit of a difference between the Rams and Seahawks injury reports lol. pic.twitter.com/1BsKVK2TdO
— Joe Fann (@Joe_Fann) November 12, 2020
Last Word on Los Angeles Rams – Seattle Seahawks
The Rams are surprisingly more consistent on defense than offense this season. Still, we all know what they are capable of doing offensively. With a bye week under their collective belt, they are fresh and stand to be a bit more precise than we’ve seen them recently, especially with an able Cooper Kupp in the line-up.
Look for the Rams to pound away on the ground, wearing down this already-battered Seahawks squad. More important, will Seattle be able to handle Donald sufficiently enough if they miss center Ethan Pocic to concussion protocol.
All that being said, Russell Wilson is having magical moments hard to explain at times and I’m not as smart as Las Vegas oddsmakers as a whole. Wager at your risk, of course, but I like the Rams chances in Week 10.
