Rams Hit Travel Snag Ahead of Crucial NFC West Clash with Seahawks
The Los Angeles Rams are no strangers to adversity this season-but this time, it’s not coming from across the line of scrimmage. It’s coming from the tarmac.
Just ahead of their high-stakes NFC West showdown with the Seattle Seahawks, the Rams’ travel plans hit an unexpected snag. According to reports, the team’s original flight was delayed due to an equipment issue with the plane, forcing the organization into scramble mode to get players, coaches, and staff to Seattle on time.
The updated plan? Players and coaches were rerouted to a 737 scheduled to take off at 5:25 p.m.
PT, while the rest of the staff was set to follow later on a separate flight. Not exactly ideal when you’re preparing for one of the most important games of the season.
A Season That Keeps Throwing Curveballs
This isn’t the first time the Rams have had to adjust on the fly-literally. Earlier this year, head coach Sean McVay had to travel separately from the team to avoid a potential illness outbreak ahead of their Week 14 matchup with the Cardinals. That last-minute pivot didn’t seem to rattle the Rams, who rolled to a dominant 45-17 win in Arizona.
Now, they’re hoping for similar resilience as they head into a Thursday night clash that could shape the entire NFC playoff picture.
Playoff Implications: All Eyes on Lumen Field
Kickoff is set for Thursday at 8:15 p.m. ET at Seattle’s Lumen Field, and make no mistake-this game is massive.
Both teams are sitting at 11-3, locked in a battle not just for the NFC West crown, but potentially for the No. 1 seed in the conference. The Rams currently hold the head-to-head tiebreaker thanks to a gritty 21-19 win over the Seahawks back in Week 11, but a Seattle victory on Thursday would flip the script and give them sole possession of first place with just two weeks left in the regular season.
This is the type of late-December football that separates contenders from pretenders.
Strength vs. Strength: Rams Offense vs. Seahawks Defense
The matchup on the field is just as compelling as the stakes. The Rams come in with the NFL’s second-highest scoring offense, averaging 30 points per game. They’ve found a rhythm behind Matthew Stafford and a rejuvenated run game led by Kyren Williams, who had 91 yards and a touchdown in the previous meeting with Seattle.
On the other side, the Seahawks bring the league’s No. 2 scoring defense to the table, holding opponents to just 17.3 points per game. That unit has been the backbone of Seattle’s current four-game winning streak, including a nail-biting 18-16 win over the Colts in Week 15.
In their first meeting, it was the Rams’ defense that stole the spotlight-picking off Sam Darnold four times and doing just enough offensively to escape with the win. Stafford wasn’t flashy, but he was efficient, throwing for 130 yards and two touchdowns on a night when every possession mattered.
Momentum Meets Mayhem
Both teams are riding in with momentum. The Rams have won two straight and seem to be peaking at the right time, while the Seahawks are on a heater of their own, winning four in a row and playing with the kind of swagger that makes them dangerous in December.
But before any of that unfolds under the lights on Thursday night, the Rams have to get to Seattle-and that’s proven to be more complicated than expected. Still, if there’s anything we’ve learned about this team, it’s that they know how to adapt.
The road to the playoffs is never smooth. For the Rams, that road just happened to start with a delayed flight. Now it’s about landing, locking in, and showing up when it matters most.