Rams and Seahawks clash on TNF in critical NFC West matchup
Joe Rivera and Chris Bumbaca break down Thursday’s massive NFC West showdown between the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks.
Week 16 gets underway with a massive “Thursday Night Football” game when the Los Angeles Rams (11-3) and Seattle Seahawks (11-3) meet.
Tonight’s game will be a first of sorts for Amazon Prime Video: it will be the first-ever Thursday night game between teams with 11 wins, and the winner will take control of the NFC West and have the inside track to the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
Los Angeles holds the tiebreaker advantage over Seattle in the standings because the Rams defeated the Seahawks back in Week 11, 21-19. But Seattle has a chance at redemption tonight.
In that Week 11 meeting, Sam Darnold tossed a season-high four interceptions. He’s bounced back nicely over the last month, thanks in large part to his top wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
On the other side, Matthew Stafford enters Week 16 as the odds-on-favorite for MVP, but he may be without one of his best weapons, Davante Adams (hamstring). Adams leads the league with 14 touchdown catches. The Rams will likely lean on Puka Nacua, who is second in the NFL in receiving yards (1,367), trailing only JSN (1,541).
With the top seed and home-field advantage in the playoffs likely going to the winner of tonight’s game, it’s not a stretch to say this is the biggest game of the NFL season thus far. The loser will still be in line for the playoffs but their path in the postseason will be on the road.
Who will come out on top between the current two favorites to win the Super Bowl?
USA TODAY Sports will provide live updates on score changes, highlights, and notable injuries throughout “Thursday Night Football” in Week 16.
Three plays after picking up 58 yards on a reception to end the third quarter, Nacua found the end zone on a one-yard catch for his seventh touchdown of the season.
Los Angeles has pulled ahead to a two-touchdown lead, 30-14, with 13:34 left to play.
Drew Lock is Darnold’s backup in Seattle. The former Broncos second-round pick is in his third season with the Seahawks and the first year of a second stint. Lock spent last year with the New York Giants as Daniel Jones’ backup quarterback before re-signing with the Seahawks in the offseason.
Rookie quarterback and Seahawks 2025 third-round pick Jalen Milroe is behind Lock on the depth chart. He’s serving as Seattle’s emergency third quarterback on Thursday night, so he can only enter the game if Darnold and Lock are both ruled out by the Seahawks’ training staff.
Completion rate: 10-of-16 (62.5%)Passing yards: 126Yards per attempt: 7.9Touchdowns: 0Interceptions: 1Passer rating: 60.9
Through three quarters of play, Darnold has yet to cross the 150-yard mark and has one interception and zero touchdowns. He’s also been sacked twice for losses of nine total yards.
Rams cornerback Josh Wallace picked off Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold and returned his interception to Seattle’s 1-yard line. Corum got the final yard on a handoff on Los Angeles’ first play of their ensuing possession.
The Rams have extended their lead to 23-14 with 6:30 left in the third quarter.
The Rams’ 23-year-old kicker is 3-for-3 on field goal attempts on Dec. 18 and 8-for-8 on the season after his 41-yard field goal puts Los Angeles back in front.
It’s 16-14 Rams with 8:37 left in the third quarter.
Los Angeles Rams (11-3, 3-1 NFC West)Seattle Seahawks (11-3, 2-2)San Francisco 49ers (10-4, 4-1)Arizona Cardinals (3-11, 0-5)
The Rams lead the NFC West thanks to the head-to-head tiebreaker they held over the Seahawks entering Week 16.
Tonight’s “Thursday Night Football” game has huge implications for the division title race. If the Rams win, they control their own destiny to secure the NFC West crown and No. 1 seed in the NFC.
But if the Seahawks win, both Seattle and San Francisco control their own destinies for the division title and conference’s No. 1 seed. If either team were to win out (which would have to include a head-to-head victory in their Week 18 matchup), they’d earn a first-round bye in the playoffs.
It didn’t take long for Seattle to open the second half scoring. Just 2:03 into the the third quarter, Kenneth Walker broke a 55-yard touchdown run, exploding off the right side for the score. The Seahawks retake the lead. Seahawks 14, Rams 13
Los Angeles has taken the lead after capping off an 11-play, 62-yard drive with a touchdown pass to the rookie tight end. After establishing the run for the entire drive, the Rams ran a play-action-pass in the red zone. Ferguson ran a slide route after a brief block-and-release and caught quarterback Matthew Stafford’s three-yard pass for the score, making up for his earlier touchdown catch that was nullified by a penalty.
It was the second touchdown of Ferguson’s career, and the Rams now lead, 13-7, with 3:43 left in the first half.
Los Angeles lined up to go for it on fourth-and-2 from the Seahawks’ 5-yard line but took a delay of game penalty when Seattle didn’t jump offsides. After the penalty, the “Thiccer Kicker” jogged out for his second field goal of the night, only marginally more difficult than the first.
Mevis’ 28-yard field goal draws the Rams within one point of the Seahawks. Seattle holds a 7-6 lead with 12:45 left in the first half.
Mevis is the Rams’ 23-year-old kicker. After playing four seasons for Missouri in college, he signed with the Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2024 but ultimately was waived before the season.
He spent the spring in 2025 with the Birmingham Stallions of the UFL. Mevis signed with the Rams’ practice squad in early November and signed to the active roster on Nov. 19.
Mevis, who is listed as 6 feet tall and 245 pounds, filed a trademark on the phrase “THICCER KICKER” in 2022, while he was still in college, according to the Columbia Daily Tribune, part of the USA TODAY Co. Network.
Los Angeles appeared to score a touchdown on a fourth-and-goal play from the Seahawks’ 1-yard line, but it was nullified by an ineligible player downfield penalty.
After the Rams backed up to the 6-yard line, kicker Harrison Mevis nailed a chip shot field goal to get his team on the board.
It’s 7-3 Seahawks as they take over possession with 1:43 left in the first quarter.
Two plays after fellow running back Kenneth Walker got the ball down to the Rams’ 5-yard line on a 46-yard catch-and-run, Charbonnet hit pay dirt for the first points of the night.
The Seahawks have taken a 7-0 lead at home after Jason Myers knocked through an extra point. Los Angeles will take over for its second possession with 7:09 left in the first quarter.
If the ball is close to the line to gain, the referee can call for a virtual measurement.
Once the ball is placed by an official, the operator zooms in on the ball to confirm it’s location. The cameras in the stadium then cut back to the location of the ball on the previous play, determining the distance between those points.
The camera system will not spot the ball for referees, leaving that human element intact. All it will do is determine if the ball carrier achieved a first down based on the official’s spot.
Other critics have highlighted that the virtual measurement can sometimes take a long time. Since players, officials and fans are left standing around waiting for an image to generate on the in-stadium screens, there is a noticeable lack of movement compared to the drama that was built as the chain gang ran out onto the field. – Nick Brinkerhoff
The Seattle Seahawks will add an intriguing visual layer to Thursday night’s highly anticipated rematch with the Los Angeles Rams as they become the penultimate team to debut their Nike “Rivalries” uniforms this season.
Get ready for the “High Decibel Zone” look.
“(T)here’s something about rivalries − going back to when you were a kid − it brings out the best in everybody. Because that one game can make your season,” former Seattle linebacker Lofa Tatupu said when the new threads were first unveiled in August. – Nate Davis
What channel is Seahawks vs. Rams Thursday Night Football on tonight?TV channel (national): N/ATV channel (Seattle market): KCPQ (Fox 13)TV channel (Los Angeles market): KCOP (Fox 11)
The Seahawks vs. Rams matchup will not air on TV, as it will be streamed on Amazon Prime Video. Viewers in the local markets can watch via Fox.
Watch ‘Thursday Night Football’ with Amazon Prime
Adams will not play tonight vs. the Seahawks.
Adams, 32, aggravated an existing issue during the fourth quarter of Los Angeles’ Week 15 game against the Detroit Lions. The veteran wideout was tracking a deep ball from quarterback Matthew Stafford when he pulled up short and fell to the ground. Rams trainers helped Adams off of the field after tending to him moments after the play.
NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported on Dec. 15 that Adams’ status is considered “week-to-week” and that he would “almost certainly” miss the game against the Seahawks on Dec. 18.
On Dec. 17, the Rams officially listed Adams as doubtful.
Davante Adams will not play vs. the Seahawks tonight as he nurses a hamstring injury. Here’s the rest of the list:
Ahkello Witherspoon, CBStetson Bennett IV, QBDavante Adams, WRJarquez Hunter, RBBeaux Limmer, OLNick Hampton, OLB
Seattle will be without starting left tackle Charles Cross tonight vs. a ferocious LA pass rush. Here’s the rest of the inactives:
Jalen Milroe, QB (E3QB)Jake Bobo, WRJared Ivey, LBCharles Cross, TBryce Cabeldue, GMason Richman, OLBrandon Pili, NT
This year’s playoffs will start with a three-day wild-card round slate. Two games will take place on Saturday, Jan. 10; two more on Sunday, Jan. 11; and the wild-card round will conclude with a single game on Monday, Jan. 12.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Rams‘ scheduled flight to Seattle ahead of a Week 16 meeting with the Seahawks was “significantly delayed” minutes before takeoff due to an issue with the plane’s equipment. Schefter wrote on social media that Los Angeles would be seeking “alternative travel arrangements to prevent any further delays.”
Schefter later reported that the Rams found a new flight to Seattle, with players and coaches scheduled to leave at 5:25 p.m. PT – around two hours after their originally scheduled departure – and the remaining Los Angeles personnel flying out later on another plane.
What time is the Seahawks vs. Rams game tonight?Start time: 8:15 p.m. ET | 7:15 p.m. CT | 5:15 p.m. PT
The Seahawks and Rams are scheduled to kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET. Los Angeles travels to Lumen Field in Seattle to take on their division rivals.
Seahawks vs. Rams stream
Amazon Prime Video will air the Seahawks-Rams “Thursday Night Football” matchup. Those in local TV markets can watch the matchup on Fubo.
Watch ‘Thursday Night Football’ with Amazon Prime
Seahawks vs. Rams prediction
The stakes are high tonight. The NFC West crown and the NFC’s No. 1 seed could potentially end up going to the winner of this game. It’s a heavyweight battle, and the Seahawks came up just short in the first meeting, losing 21-19. Despite Darnold tossing four interceptions, Seattle kept things close and this time they came out on top. Stafford will be without Davante Adams and the Seahawks defense has allowed just one touchdown and 25 points in their last three games combined. Field goals won’t get the job done. Seattle rolls to victory tonight and the Rams will eye revenge come playoffs.
Prediction: Seahawks 26, Rams 20
Here’s how USA TODAY Sports’ NFL experts feel tonight’s game will go:
Jarrett Bell: Rams, 26-23Nick Brinkerhoff: Rams, 27-23Chris Bumbaca: Seahawks, 16-14Nate Davis: Rams, 27-24Tyler Dragon: Rams, 24-20Mike Middlehurst-Schwartz: Rams, 21-16Seahawks vs. Rams odds, moneyline, O/U
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a complete list.
Over/Under (O/U): 44 (O: -115 | U: -105)Moneyline (ML): Seattle -110 (Bet $110 to win $100) | Los Angeles -110 (Bet $110 to win $100)Against the spread (ATS): Seattle +1 (-115) | Los Angeles-1 (-105)