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Who is biggest threat to the Seahawks in the NFC West?

By Thomas Oide

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1. St. Louis Rams

Dec 28, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) passes under pressure from St. Louis Rams defensive end Robert Quinn (94) during the second quarter at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Key Losses: Sam Bradford, Jake Long

Key Additions: Nick Fairley, Kenny Britt, Nick Foles

When I saw that the Rams managed to sign defensive tackle Nick Fairley, a former first round pick, I shuddered.

Think about the Rams’ defensive line: Robert Quinn (29.5 sacks in the past two years), Chris Long (8.5 sacks in 2013), Aaron Donald (9 sacks in 2013), and Nick Fairley (one sack).

Here’s why I think the Rams could pose a serious threat to the Seattle Seahawks.

That defensive line is downright scary. The Seahawks’ biggest weakness right now is the offensive line, and I have no doubt that Quinn, Long, Donald and Fairley will absolutely dominate in the trenches, especially against the Seahawks’ line.

Russell Wilson was sacked eight times in two meetings with the Rams, a number that is far too high for a team of the Seahawks’ caliber. On top of that, the addition of Fairley gives the Rams another excellent run stopper to pair with Aaron Donald. While I don’t believe that those two players along can stop Marshawn Lynch, they can certainly slow him down to an extent. 

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Second: the St. Louis wide receivers and Nick Foles.

Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey are both in their critical third year in the NFL. Often times, the third year is the make-it-or-break-it year for wideouts.

If the Rams were watching the Super Bowl, they should have seen how Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola were able to beat the Seahawks with their short passing attack: slants, screens, hitches.

Both Austin and Bailey are speedsters who can make plays in space and would thrive in west coast style offense that heavily relies on the quarterback’s ability to get the ball out quickly and accurately.

And, in my opinion, there is no better quarterback to run that offense than Nick Foles. Many people only heard of Foles when he broke out two years ago for Chip Kelly and the Eagles, but I’ve been watching him for the better part of four years, specifically during his time at the University of Arizona.

At the U of A, Foles played in a spread attack that attacked defenses with a plethora short routes and the occasional deep ball, something that I could see the Rams running next season.

Foles completed 69.1 percent of his passes in his senior season and complete 64.1 percent in his 2013 breakout season in the NFL. With weapons like Bailey, Austin and running back Tre Mason, there is no doubt that the Rams will be the biggest threat to the Seahawks next season.

Projected record: 11-5

Next: 7 Seahawks Poised for Breakout Seasons

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