It's not exactly a clash of titans, but it is the only game of this last weekend of NFL regular-season action involving win-and-you're-in, lose-and-stay-home situations for both teams, as the St. Louis Rams rumble with the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday night at Qwest Field to decide the NFC West title (8:20 pm Eastern, NBC).
Earlier this week
BetJamaica.com opened this game with St. Louis favored by a point, and the total set at 43. As of Friday morning the Rams have been bet up to -3, and the total has dropped to 41.5.
St. Louis is also listed at -155 on the
BetJamaica.com moneyline, with the Seahawks getting +135 to win the game outright.
Coming off a 1-15 season the Rams went off this year getting +2,000 at
BetJamaica.com to win the NFC West. But after an 0-2 start St. Louis, with a rookie starting at quarterback, fought back to get to 6-6. The Rams then dropped consecutive games to New Orleans and Kansas City, both division champions this season, but bounced back to beat San Francisco last week 25-17 to keep their playoff hopes alive.
After going a combined 9-23 the last two seasons Seattle began this season with a new head coach and getting +350 at
BetJamaica.com to win the division title. The Seahawks started 4-2, then lost four of five, then beat Carolina in Week 13 to get to 6-6. But Seattle has lost its last three games by an average score of 37-18.
And still, thanks to the collection of lousy teams in the NFC West, the Seahawks have a chance to win the division.
Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck hurt his back/hip in last week's loss at Tampa, and he's considered doubtful for Sunday night's game. If Hasselbeck can't go, Charlie Whitehurst, who's completed 35 passes as a pro, would likely make his second career start.
Seattle had beaten St. Louis 10 times in a row until the Rams beat the Seahawks 20-3 back in October. St. Louis outgained Seattle that day 349-257, and held the ball for nearly 33 minutes. The Rams won outright as 1.5-point home underdogs, and the game played way UNDER its posted total of 40.
Neither of these two teams is too great statistically. On the season St. Louis is getting outgained by 26 YPG, and outrushed by nine YPG. Seattle, meanwhile, is getting outgained by 85 YPG, and outrushed by 38 YPG.
The Rams are 6-9 on the OVER/UNDER so far this year, as their games have averaged just under 40 PPG. Which is more than four PPG below this season's league average of 44.5.
And the Seahawks are a lopsided 11-3 on the totals this season, as their games have averaged over 46 PPG.