My Monday Night Rams-Seahawks Pick

Although they won't repeat as NFC West champs, the Seahawks are better off now than they were a year ago.

Last year, the Seahawks became the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs, and then stunned the league with an upset of the Saints in the wild card round.  But that didn't change the fact that Seattle had a flawed team with the fifth-worst point differential in the league.  Pete Carroll continued his rebuilding process this season, and although the Seahawks won't reach the postseason, they are better than they were in 2010.  If not for two disappointing losses to the Browns and Redskins, Seattle could be 7-5 and firmly in the playoff hunt.  Instead, their game tonight against the Rams is virtually meaningless.

Carroll has built a young and underrated defense by finding gems in the draft.  Linebacker K.J. Wright and defensive backs Kam Chancellor and Richard Sherman were all selected in the fourth round or later.  Carroll has also brought the best out of journeyman defensive end Chris Clemons, who you might remember me praising in the past.  Seattle's biggest problems lie on offense, where everyone outside of Marshawn Lynch, Doug Baldwin and Max Unger have disappointed this season.  There are worse quarterbacks out there than Tavaris Jackson, and one of them is Charlie Whitehurst.  It still baffles me why Carroll gave a third round pick for a backup who had never thrown a pass in the NFL.  I assume this is how the deal for Whitehurst went down, with Chargers GM A.J. Smith playing the role of the crack dealer.  If Seattle sees a quarterback they like in April's draft, they should pounce on him.

As for the Rams, this has been a lost season for them.  Injuries to their receiving corps made a tough first-half schedule flat-out insurmountable.  And injuries to Sam Bradford have stunted the development of the second year franchise quarterback.  I like Steve Spagnuolo and believe that he deserves another year as coach, but his team must show some fight in this final month.  With the Bengals, Steelers, and 49ers on the horizon, this may be his last chance.

Pick - Seahawks (As my friend Matt pointed out to me, Seattle actually has the best Monday Night Football winning percentage in the NFL.)

ATS - Seahawks (-9.5)

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 Image found here.