***TNF IN THE SWAMP - LA @ SEA***
***LOS ANGELES RAMS @ SEATTLE SEAHAWKS***
I guess after a couple Prime Time gems we were due to get back to a TNF stinker am I right? Tonight the Seattle Seahawks will look to bounce back off of a brutal loss on the road in Green Bay last weekend when they welcome their lowly rival the LA Rams to the home of the 12th man. It is no secret that things could get ugly here when using common sense and judging by the spread the linesmakers dealt us here, but it needs to be noted that for whatever reason the Rams have been giving the Seahawks some serious trouble in their recent meetings with LA actually winning 4 out of 5 of the last meetings. Common sense also tells us that Seattle is no place for a rookie QB to fare well in and especially for Rams Rookie QB Jared Goff tonight making only his fifth start of the season. The Rams have lost in Goff's previous four starts and things won't get any easier for the Rook tonight now that there seems to be a heavy dose of turmoil within the organization after abruptly firing their Head Coach Jeff Fisher, shortly after granting him a two year contract extension. Extremely puzzling moves to say the least. The firing of Fisher came after last week's drubbing at the hands of the Atlanta Falcons when the Rams played so poorly that RB Todd Gurley came out and stated it feels as if they are running a High School offense out there and questioned whether or not the rest of the team was putting forth a real effort. The game started with the Rams fumbling and turning over the opening kickoff and it didn't get any better from that point, eventually losing 42-14. This marks the third straight blowout after losing to the Pats 26-10, and Saints 49-21. The firing of Fisher now promotes Special Teams Coach John Fassel to the Interim position, son of former NFL Head Coach Jim Fassel. John is a highly respected coach whos entire life has been football. To paint a quick picture of this guy; He started out as a ball boy, played WR at Weber St., and was an assistant coach for the Ravens and Raiders before joining the Rams as the ST Coach in 2012. He is extremely enthusiastic and positive and has been compared to Seahawks' Head Coach Pete Carroll in that light, but most importantly, the players love him. That all being said, I know it is a short week, but a guy like this is dedicated and I just read has barely slept while preparing for tonight since getting the word on the promotion earlier this week. Couple that with the fact that Gurley called his team out for underperforming and I think we get a maximum Rams effort on the big stage tonight. Typically, when a Head Coach is fired in any sport, the team usually plays well that next game if only for that next game. Whether it is because they feel guilty or they feel the pressure that they are now also on the hot seat of sudden changes being made, they do.
The last time we saw Seattle on Prime Time, they blew out the Panthers on SNF and Swampy shamelessly admits he backed the wrong team on that one. There was a clear discrepancy in the locker room beforehand that caused Panther Head Coach Ron Rivera to bench QB Cam Newton for the first play of the game and we all knew that game was over shortly it started. I was mistaken to believe that team would have enough pride to come to play that night, but tonight I believe will be a different scenario. The Rams will surely be motivated enough and could shake things up. I think they pound the rock with Todd Gurley and that Rookie Jared Goff will eventually find success against a secondary missing their most important piece in Safety Earl Thomas. We have seen how opposing offenses have taken advantage of the absence of Thomas in games at Tampa Bay and Green Bay, both in which Seattle lost. Now obviously the young Goff is no Jameis Winston or Aaron Rodgers, but I believe he will play well enough to keep his already motivated team to stay well within the big number when it's all said and done. LA will be without DE Robert Quinn which definitely hurts the pass rush against QB Russell Wilson, but I still like them to get after RW against a shaky Seattle offensive line and make him run around a bunch. LA has a stud at LB in Alec Ogletree who I like to track Wilson and RB Thomas Rawls throughout and these guys are no strangers to playing Seattle in general whereas an LA coaching change and new QB could provide a bit of an unknown factor for the Seattle defense tonight. Not much else to say here regarding the personnel matchup. This is more of a 'spot' play for the Swamp. After Seattle CB Richard Sherman's public comments shaming Commissioner Rodger Goodell and the NFL for forcing them to play on a short week with Thursday Night Football, I doubt he will get his usual help from the Zebras in this one. With a dull rest of the schedule for LA, I think it is safe to say that this is the last thrill the Rams have in this losing season, their Super Bowl so to speak. Basically in a nutshell here, with a Prime Time Divisional battle where these two teams typically play close, I will back the dawgie who typically has the other's number and has more than enough motivation to keep this one interesting. RAMS+15.5
