The Los Angeles Rams rested a bunch of their starters. The game in Week 18 versus the Seattle Seahawks should not have been close. LA started backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (who has become a journeyman) and Seattle got an early lead. Geno Smith was playing well. Seattle should have won relatively easily.
The issue was that Seattle did not. In a meaningless game for both teams, though even more meaningless for the Rams as they knew they had a playoff spot cemented and did not care whether they won or lost, Seattle could never put Los Angeles away. Just imagine, had the Rams started starters Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, and Puka Nacua. The game would not have been close and LA would have won.
The players were not solely the difference in the game. This is the same in the rivalry as it was when Pete Carroll was the coach of the Seahawks. Rams head coach Sean McVay is simply better at his job than Carroll and, seemingly, Mike Macdonald are. McVay's scheme is better than what Carroll had or Macdonald will have.
Seattle Seahawks Week 18 victory belies a future of absolute sadness
One of the frustrating aspects is that the Rams appeared to sell out to win a Super Bowl, which they did for the 2021 season. Only, they didn't. Los Angeles has not suddenly tanked. Their team has managed to make smart draft choices even when not having a first-round pick in many drafts. They have outsmarted not only the Seahawks but most of the rest of the NFL as well.
That's fine as long as the Seahawks could out-scheme the Rams. The fact is that if all things are equal (or even in the case of Week 18 when Seattle has the personnel advantage due to Los Angeles resting so many starters), the Rams were better because of McVay. The LA head coach is only 38 years old. One year older than Macdonald.
Seattle might have the youngest head coach in the NFL, but he is not much younger than the best coach in the division. That fact is not likely to change for several more years. It also doesn't take into account that the San Francisco 49ers, when healthy, are really good and their head coach, Kyle Shanahan, is just 45 years old.
Macdonald might be a very good defensive coach. There is no proof that his scheme works against McVay who would have beaten him twice this year, and once with a lot of offensive backups. Should San Francisco, who beat the Seahawks once this season, stay healthy, Shanahan's system works well against Macdonald as well.
Mike Macdonald might be a good head coach. His team might also want to get used to being third in the NFC West and missing the playoffs. At least, for the next 10 years.