The NFC West rivalry will be decided at the NFC Championship, where No. 5 Los Angeles will travel to face top-seeded Seattle for a berth in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
These teams have been razor-close all season. This meeting will only be the second-ever NFL playoff encounter in which both regular-season games between the clubs were decided by fewer than three points (the other was Bills vs. Browns in 1949). Across their two matchups this year the Rams edged Seattle by a single point (58–57) and by one yard overall (830–829). In Week 11 at SoFi Stadium the Rams harassed Seahawks QB Sam Darnold into a career-high four interceptions and led 21–19. But in Week 16 at Lumen Field Seattle rallied from a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit, capped by a Darnold-to-Eric Saubert two-point conversion, and prevailed 38–37 in overtime. Two days after that game the Rams fired special teams coordinator Chris Blackburn following a 58-yard punt-return touchdown by Rashid Shahid that helped fuel the Seattle comeback.
A 12-person CBS Sports staff panel made its prediction on which team will represent the NFC in Super Bowl LX; 75% of the panel picked the same winner. The panelists were: Pete Prisco, John Breech, Jared Dubin, Garrett Podell, Tyler Sullivan, Joel Corry, Kyle Stackpole, Zach Pereles, JP Acosta, Mike Renner, Jordan Dajani and Brian Diard.
Rams (8 votes)
– John Breech: Believes the Seahawks’ defense is elite but recalls Matthew Stafford’s 457-yard, three-TD performance against Seattle without Davante Adams — predicts Rams 30, Seahawks 23.
– Jared Dubin: Thinks the teams are very close but sides with the superior QB — Rams 23, Seahawks 20.
– Garrett Podell: Points to Darnold’s turnover struggles versus the Rams and backs Los Angeles — Rams 27, Seahawks 24.
– Mike Renner: Cites the Rams’ consistent offense and greater trust in Stafford in big games — Rams 31, Seahawks 24.
– Brian Diard: Sticks with a preseason Rams Super Bowl pick and notes Seattle will be missing RB Zach Charbonnet — Rams 27, Seahawks 20.
– Jordan Dajani: Remains confident in his preseason Rams pick, noting Los Angeles still produced 581 yards and 37 points in the Week 16 loss — Rams 30, Seahawks 27.
– JP Acosta: Flags the return of RG Kevin Dotson and believes a ground game could give the Rams an edge — Rams 28, Seahawks 24.
– Zach Pereles: Acknowledges Seattle’s advantages but trusts Stafford and Puka Nacua in a tight finish — Rams 28, Seahawks 27.
Seahawks (4 votes)
– Pete Prisco: Calls Seattle’s defense the best remaining unit and favors the home team — Seahawks 23, Rams 17.
– Tyler Sullivan: Highlights Seattle’s dominant defense and home-field edge, while questioning Sean McVay’s steadiness — Seahawks 30, Rams 20.
– Joel Corry: Notes Seattle’s defense has improved since the Week 16 thriller — Seahawks 23, Rams 20.
– Kyle Stackpole: Sees Los Angeles as diminished since blowing the 16-point lead and expects Seattle to exploit those flaws — Seahawks 20, Rams 17.
Fan Take: This game matters because it pits two evenly matched NFC West rivals whose playoff meeting could hinge on a single play, underscoring how thin the margin is between victory and defeat in today’s NFL. A Seattle or Rams win not only decides a Super Bowl representative but also reinforces how pivotal coaching adjustments, turnovers and special teams can be in shaping postseason outcomes.
