Seahawks (8-8) vs. Rams (5-11)
1:25 p.m. | Lumen Field | Seattle
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It’s raining pretty steadily at Lumen Field about 45 minutes before kickoff.
— Larry Stone (@StoneLarry) January 8, 2023
Seahawks wearing the college navy on college navy combo today. They are 63-24 since 2012 in that combo, but just 2-2 in it this year — losses against Atlanta and Raiders, wins against Arizona and Giants.
— Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) January 8, 2023
Neal among Seahawks inactives
Seattle’s list of inactives for Sunday’s must-win game against the Los Angeles Rams includes safety Ryan Neal and guard Phil Haynes — who had each been listed as questionable. But it does not include receiver Tyler Lockett, who had also been listed as questionable but who had said Friday he expected to play.
Neal will miss a third straight game with a troublesome knee injury. Haynes is out with a high ankle sprain suffered against the Jets.
Other inactive players are: receiver Penny Hart, cornerback Artie Burns, linebackers Vi Jones and Joshua Onujiogu and defensive tackle Isaiah Mack.
All are healthy scratches to get down to the gameday max of 48.
Two other players listed as questionable — guard Damien Lewis (ankle) and defensive lineman Quinton Jefferson (illness) — are each active as coach Pete Carroll had indicated would be the case.
With Neal out, Johnathan Abram is expected to get a second straight start at strong safety. And with Haynes out, Gabe Jackson may be asked to play the entire game — Jackson and Haynes have been alternating at right guard most of the season. Seattle has Jake Curhan active to add depth at guard, if needed.
What to watch for when Seahawks host the Rams in Week 18 — plus Bob Condotta’s prediction
It has to be the Rams whom the Seahawks must defeat to reach the playoffs, doesn’t it?
The Seahawks had to defeat the Rams in the 2010 regular-season finale to take the NFC West at 7-9 and kick off the Pete Carroll era in fitting fashion, setting up all that happened later.
And the Seahawks had to defeat the Rams in the 2013 and 2014 regular-season finales to secure home-field advantage in the playoffs, which proved critical in reaching the Super Bowl both years.
And the Seahawks had to beat the Rams in 2020 when they last clinched a division title.
The Seahawks again end the season with the Rams in a pivotal game — a must-win game to reach the playoffs.
Actually, it’s win and wait. The Seahawks must defeat the Rams and need Detroit to defeat Green Bay on Sunday night to get the NFC’s seventh seed.
But first things first.
Let’s look at Sunday’s matchup with our weekly keys to the game and prediction.
Seahawks’ playoff path is simple: Beat Rams and hope Lions win
RENTON — Call this the NFL’s version of a doubleheader.
If the Seahawks can beat the Rams in an actual NFL game Sunday at Lumen Field, they will be forced to play the waiting game to see whether Detroit can beat Green Bay and allow Seattle to get into the playoffs.
The Seahawks, Lions and Packers all enter the weekend 8-8, each vying for the seventh — and final — spot in the NFC playoffs.
If Seattle gets to 9-8, it needs the Lions to beat the Packers at Lambeau Field since the Seahawks hold a tiebreaker edge on Detroit (due to a win over the Lions earlier this year) but not on Green Bay (due to a worse conference record).
But if the Seahawks lose to the Rams, it won’t matter, leaving the Lions and Packers to play for the last spot.
“All we’ve got is what we can do, and that’s going out there and winning this game on Sunday and becoming the biggest Detroit fans in the world after that,’’ quarterback Geno Smith said.
Neither game might be all that much fun.
As the longest-tenured Seahawk, Tyler Lockett, said this past week: “If there’s any team that wants to spoil our season, that’s the Rams. Especially with Bobby [Wagner] being able to come back.’’
Seattle Times sports staff