Seahawks vs. Rams Week 15 Picks: L.A. Set to Dominate

A game that’s been pushed back due to COVID-19 issues will finally be played on Tuesday night. Will the Los Angeles Rams keep rolling? Let’s dive into the matchup with our Seahawks-Rams picks.

Week 15 is the holiday season gift that won’t stop giving and seems determined to never end.

It’s been prolonged enough to give the Los Angeles Rams a chance to get core players back from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Now wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and cornerback Jalen Ramsey will return ahead of a Tuesday clash with the Seattle Seahawks.

Those two were among the Rams’ over 25 players on the list, prompting the game to be moved from its original Sunday afternoon time slot. Running back Darrell Henderson has also been cleared, but several significant contributors remain sidelined for Los Angeles, including outside linebacker Von Miller, tight end Tyler Higbee, and right tackle Rob Havenstein.

As the Rams became somewhat healthier, the virus began to impact the Seahawks. A team that’s struggled mightily on offense for long stretches this season could be without wide receiver Tyler Lockett, who’s on the COVID-19 list. He’ll be sorely missed after his 142-yard outing in Week 14. The Seahawks’ backfield depth is also a concern with Alex Collins and Travis Homer on the COVID list, too. Most alarmingly for Seattle’s defense, top cornerback D.J. Reed may not be available for the effort to contain Rams receiver Cooper Kupp.

So after a whirlwind few days and some roller-coaster line movement, which virus-ravaged team holds the edge?

Here are my Seahawks-Rams picks and predictions for their Week 15 NFL matchup (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook; pick confidence is based on a one-to-five star scale).

Seahawks vs. Rams Game Info

Date/Time: Tuesday, Dec. 21, 7 p.m. ET
TV: FOX
Location: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Weather: Indoors

Seahawks vs. Rams Odds Analysis

Time is indeed a flat circle. This line opened at most sportsbooks with the Rams at -7. By Friday it had plunged to -4.5 with the Rams' outbreak at its peak. Now with the Rams getting healthy and the Seahawks doing the opposite, the line is mostly back to where it began.

The total went on a similar journey, though it didn't fully bounce back. Most books listed it at 47 to start, and it dipped as low as 45. Now FanDuel Sportsbook and BetMGM are going with 45.5, while DraftKings is a point higher at 46.5.

Seahawks vs. Rams Picks

Rams -7 (-110) ★★★★
Under 46.5 (-115) ★★★

SEE ALSO: Eagles vs. Washington Week 15 Picks

Seahawks vs. Rams Predictions

Rams -7 (-110)

Absences tied to COVID-19 will handcuff both teams, but the Seahawks' defense is in a true five-alarm situation.

It already took a deeply creative imagination to envision Seattle containing Kupp. The Seahawks are regularly bombarded through the air while allowing a league-worst 278.9 passing yards per game. Recent blows their secondary has taken include giving up 101 yards to Texans receiver Brandin Cooks in Week 14, a game in which hapless Houston finished with 317 passing yards. And in Week 13, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle napalmed Seattle while finishing with nine receptions for 181 yards and two touchdowns.

The Seahawks seemingly give a team's top pass-catcher launchpad access and turn the key. That's true during the best of times, and Seattle certainly isn't experiencing the best of anything. Now the club will need to defend the scorching-hot Kupp without Reed, who's among Pro Football Focus' highest-graded Seahawks defenders most games.

The always elusive Kupp is the NFL's leading receiver, and he's averaging 114.5 yards per game. He's notched 120-plus yards in three of his last four contests, a run that includes a season-high 13 grabs in Week 14. Kupp is also catching 74.8% of the balls thrown in his direction, which is especially impressive with his league-leading 151 targets. He can beat defenses deep and in traffic, and Kupp is well-positioned to do that and more on Tuesday.

It's nice that Beckham will be available for the Rams, and they also now suddenly boast a powerful rushing attack after the reemergence of Sony Michel. But Kupp is the cornerstone of what they do offensively, and the Seahawks simply have no response for a marquee receiver of his caliber.

Under 46.5 (-115)

The Rams shouldn't struggle to roll over the Seahawks and produce plenty of offensive fireworks. They've lit up defenses often this season while scoring 30-plus points in six of their 13 games. That includes two straight eruptions coming into this matchup: A 30-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 14, and throttling the Jacksonville Jaguars 37-7 prior to that.

However, the Seahawks will need to do their part too for the game to soar past this number. That's a difficult task for a sputtering offense averaging only 20.9 points per game. Seattle's offense has rebounded over the team's past two matchups, but a three-game run when the Seahawks averaged a paltry 9.3 points isn't far in the rearview.

Lockett has partly fueled the Seahawks' mini offensive resurgence, and his potential absence would be crushing. DK Metcalf would get more targets, but he's been slumping this season while recording just three games with 70-plus yards. Toss in a leaky offensive line that's given up 39 sacks and will now need to contend with Aaron Donald, and the Seahawks could get smothered fast Tuesday night.

There's an opening for Seattle to push this clash over the total through garbage-time scoring, but that comes with too much uncertainty.

SEE ALSO: All picks and odds. Be sure to check out SportsbookReview.com’s community forums and betting tools.

Seahawks-Rams picks made 12/20/2021 at 5 p.m. ET.

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