Game Preview: Seahawks face Los Angeles Rams with playoffs on the line

SEATTLE — With just three games to go in the regular season, the (8-5) Seattle Seahawks know what's at stake in Sunday's game against the (9-4) Los Angeles Rams.

A win would put the Seahawks in the driver's seat in the NFC West due to their head-to-head advantage in a tie breaker with the Rams.

A loss would put the Seahawks two games back in the division and would significantly damage their chances at making the playoffs for the seventh time in eight seasons under head coach Pete Carroll.

When asked about the importance of Sunday's game, Carroll was quick to revert to his approach of treating every game like a "championship opportunity".

Watch Steve Raible's Scouting Report on Saturday at 7 p.m. on KIRO 7 for a complete preview of Sunday's game against the Rams. Hear Steve's one-on-one interview with running back Mike Davis, his '710 with 710' conversation with KIRO radio's Danny O'Neill and more. 

“Yeah, last week and the week before and every one of them have been the same … you can look at it differently, but we don’t,” Carroll said when asked if the importance of Sunday's game stands out.

However, Russell Wilson was quick to explain the importance of the game against the Rams following last Sunday's loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In the locker room, Wilson immediately turned his attention to the Rams and repeatedly told his teammates "we're playing for first place."

With first place on the line, all eyes will be on CenturyLink Field Sunday.

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Here are three keys to victory for the Seahawks on Sunday:

With middle linebacker Bobby Wagner questionable to play with a hamstring injury, and strongside linebacker K.J. Wright doubtful to play with a concussion, the Seahawks will have to rely on their "next man up" philosophy to fill in for their pair of Pro Bowl linebackers.

“It’s gonna be tough to replace (Wright and Wagner), experience-wise. When you put another body in, it’s the same movements. If you recognize what’s going on, that’s the biggest deciding factor,” safety Earl Thomas said this week.

Michael Wilhoite is the "next man up" at linebacker, and it's a situation that he is familiar with.

Wilhoite spent six years with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played behind pro bowl linebackers in Patrick Willis and Navarro Bowman, and started in place of the injured Bowman in the 2014 season.

In 2015, Wilhoite took over the starting job for Willis, who unexpectedly retired at age 30.

While the Seahawks hope to have at least one of their Pro Bowl linebackers on Sunday, they have an experienced backup in Wilhoite who will be counted on to stop the high-powered Rams' offense.

In last Sunday's loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars the Seahawks defensive line was unable to generate pressure on quarterback Blake Bortles, who finished the game without being sacked once.

While sacks do not always tell the full tale of a team's pass rush, the Seahawks pass rushers were unable to get Bortles off his spot and force him to make plays on the move.

In their 16-10 victory over the Rams in Week 5, the Seahawks were able to get to Jared Goff and forced him to fumble once and throw two interceptions.

After only blitzing one time against the Jaguars, look for Seahawks defensive coordinator Kris Richard to dial up some more heat against the Rams on Sunday.

Sacks or not, if the Seahawks can force Goff to make plays on the move they will be in an excellent position to get a win.

Led by special teams coach John Fassel, the Rams will bring with them one of the best special teams units in the NFL to CenturyLink Field on Sunday.

However, in the team's week-five matchup it was the Seahawks who outplayed the Rams on special teams.

Tavon Austin fumbled two punt returns, losing one, and kicker Greg Zuerlein missed a field goal in the Rams' 16-10 loss.

Conversely, Seahawks kicker Blair Walsh made all three of his field goal kicks, including a 49-yarder to give the Seahawks a 13-10 lead in the third quarter.

Walsh made 12 of his first 13 kicks this season, but has gone only eight of 14 since, including missing three in the Seahawks' 17-14 week nine loss to the Washington Redskins.

If Walsh can go perfect on field goals again, and if the Seahawks can force another turnover on Special Teams, they should be in an excellent position to get a win Sunday.

Cox Media Group