Last season, the Los Angeles Rams edged out the Seattle Seahawks through a tiebreaker to claim the NFC West title, as both teams finished with 10 wins. This year, a similar tiebreaker could be necessary again when the teams meet in Week 16 on Thursday Night Football at Lumen Field, both holding 11 wins. The San Francisco 49ers, with a 10-4 record, are still contenders but it’s likely the Rams or Seahawks will take the division title and the conference’s top seed. Both teams have been strong lately, with the Rams and Seahawks each winning eight of their last nine games. Seattle enters Thursday’s game on a four-game winning streak, following a narrow 21-19 loss to Los Angeles in Week 11.
The Rams, who might be without star receiver Davante Adams due to a hamstring injury, won a high-scoring 41-34 game against the Detroit Lions where Puka Nacua posted 181 receiving yards and Matthew Stafford threw for 368 yards with two touchdowns. The Seahawks defeated the Indianapolis Colts 18-16 last week, with Jason Myers setting a franchise record by kicking six field goals. Wide receiver Jackson Smith-Njiba has been impressive, registering his ninth 100-yard game this season and leading the league with 1,541 receiving yards.
On the NBA front, the Houston Rockets (16-7) face off against the New Orleans Pelicans (5-22) at Smoothie King Center, with Houston fresh from a tight overtime loss and New Orleans snapping a seven-game losing streak. In the NHL, the Dallas Stars (22-7-5) travel to the SAP Center to play the San Jose Sharks (17-14-3). Dallas, with an 11-2-4 away record, recently lost to the Minnesota Wild but beat the Kings 4-1 in their last game. The Sharks have won three consecutive games and scored six points in their last two contests.
College football bowl season continues with Missouri State (7-5) facing Arkansas State (6-6) in the Xbox Bowl at Ford Center in Texas. Missouri State is seeking their first bowl win ever after four previous losses, while Arkansas State aims for back-to-back bowl victories. In college basketball, Long Beach State (2-9) hosts Pepperdine (4-7) as Long Beach tries to end a three-game losing streak.
According to the latest odds, the Seahawks are slight favorites (-1.5 points) over the Rams, while the Rockets are favored by 9.5 points against the Pelicans. The Stars carry a strong edge over the Sharks on the money line, and Arkansas State is a slight favorite over Missouri State. Long Beach State is also expected to win against Pepperdine by 3.5 points.
NFL game info: Seahawks vs. Rams kicks off at 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video, with streaming available on Fubo (free trial). Expert projections predict Seattle to cover the spread in just over half the simulations, while analysts expect their defense to keep Rams’ receiver Puka Nacua under 93.5 receiving yards.
NBA game info: Pelicans vs. Rockets begins at 8 p.m. ET on League Pass and can be streamed on Fubo. The Rockets’ strong scoring and defense make them favorites, and Zion Williamson is expected to deliver a standout performance.
NHL game info: Sharks vs. Stars will start at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ with Fubo streaming available. Despite the Stars’ strong road record, model simulations favor the Sharks covering the spread.
College football bowl game: Missouri State faces Arkansas State at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, with Fubo streaming. Missouri State aims for its first bowl win in decades.
College basketball game: Pepperdine visits Long Beach at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ and Fubo. The game is predicted to be high-scoring, with Long Beach State favored to win and end its losing skid.
Fan Take: Hockey fans should keep a close eye on the NHL matchup between the Dallas Stars and San Jose Sharks, as this game could signal whether Dallas can maintain dominance on the road or if San Jose will continue their strong home streak. This kind of competitive balance is great for the sport, promising more exciting and unpredictable contests this season.
