The Seattle Seahawks' defense has the rest of the league in a chokehold. They were at their best in the dominant win over the San Francisco 49ers, to the point where Kyle Shanahan had no choice but to give them their flowers.
Now, they're going to face their toughest challenge yet. They will meet with the Los Angeles Rams for the third time this season, this time in a win-or-go-home situation. Moreover, they'll try to hold down Matthew Stafford, who torched them for a season-high 457 passing yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions in their past meeting.
Then again, the Rams' offense hasn't been as proficient lately, and Stafford is well aware of it. That's why, when asked about the Seahawks' defense, he gushed about their personnel and tipped his hat to Ernest Jones, one of his former teammates.
Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford tips his hat to Seattle Seahawks star Ernest Jones
" I think Ernest is playing at an all-time level and playing great in the middle. He's running the show for those guys. The front's great, the secondary is great. They're a really well-rounded defense," Stafford said.
Stafford is more than familiar with Jones, who started 11 games for the Rams' Super Bowl-winning team in 2022. He's having a breakout campaign in Seattle, logging 126 tackles, seven passes defensed, five picks, one pick-six, and a half-sack while starting all 17 regular-season games. He earned second-team All-Pro honors.
Jones picked up things where he left them in the playoffs. He was spectacular in the NFC Divisional Round, forcing one fumble and intercepting Brock Purdy in the 41-6 win. Now, he will have to take things up a notch to keep Sean McVay's offense off the field on Sunday.
While he has yet to pick off Stafford, he fared quite well in his two meetings with his former team this season. Jones combined for 18 total tackles (nine solo) and one tackle for loss, including a season-high-tying 12 tackles in the overtime win.
Ernest Jones is just another example of how much coaching and being in the right system can do for a player. He went from being traded for a future sixth-round pick in a salary-dumping deal to becoming one of the most prominent figures in a championship-caliber defense. And after such an impressive season, his three-year, $33.5 million deal looks like a major bargain.