In a postseason full of curveballs, the Los Angeles Rams have landed in a spot that feels tailor-made for Sean McVay: one win away from the Super Bowl. But to get there, they’ll have to go through a familiar NFC West foe-the Seattle Seahawks-in what’s shaping up to be a heavyweight NFC Championship clash with all the tension of a trilogy fight.
We’ve seen this movie before. Matthew Stafford is back in MVP form, throwing 46 touchdowns in the regular season like it’s 2021 all over again. Rookie sensation Puka Nacua has gone from breakout to bonafide star, racking up 129 receptions and becoming the engine of the Rams’ high-octane offense.
But when you’re up against a defense as stingy as Seattle’s-currently the best in the NFL in yards allowed per rush-you need more than just your headliners to carry the load. You need someone who can do the dirty work, someone who can grind out the tough yards and keep the chains moving. That someone is Kyren Williams.
While Stafford and Nacua grab the spotlight, Williams is the heartbeat of this offense. He piled up 1,252 rushing yards during the regular season, proving that last year’s breakout wasn’t a fluke-it was a warning shot. Williams isn’t just productive; he’s the kind of back who can turn a two-yard loss into a five-yard gain and wear down a defense that’s built to stop the pass.
And that’s exactly what makes him the X-factor in this matchup.
Seattle’s defense thrives on discipline and speed. They lead the league in fewest rushing yards allowed per play (just 3.7), and they do it with light boxes and a fast, reactive second level. Ernest Jones IV-yes, the same Ernest Jones who used to wear a Rams uniform-is now the enforcer in the middle for Seattle, and he’s been a nightmare for opposing backs all season.
But Williams is built for this kind of fight. He thrives in tight spaces, finds daylight where there is none, and gives McVay the flexibility to keep Stafford upright against a pass rush that features Leonard Williams and Byron Murphy II. If Williams can force Seattle to bring an extra defender into the box, it opens up the field for deep shots to Nacua and a returning Davante Adams.
And speaking of Adams-his return from a hamstring injury couldn’t come at a better time. Before going down, he led the league with 14 touchdown catches.
His presence alone changes how defenses line up. Seattle loves to run five-defensive-back sets-they’ve done it more than any team in the league this year-and that nickel-heavy look is great against the pass.
But when you’ve got Adams on one side and Nacua on the other, those lighter formations start to show cracks.
That’s when Kyren Williams can really go to work. With the defense stretched horizontally, the middle of the field becomes fertile ground for Williams to churn out chunk plays and keep the Rams in manageable down-and-distance situations.
But this isn’t just about offense. It’s also about keeping Sam Darnold off the field.
The Seahawks quarterback has had a renaissance season, but he’s still turnover-prone-leading the league with 20 giveaways. The best way to capitalize on that isn’t just by forcing takeaways; it’s by keeping him on the sideline altogether.
That’s where Williams and rookie Blake Corum come in. Corum quietly added 746 rushing yards this year, and together, the duo has the potential to control the tempo.
If they can combine for 30 or more carries, the Rams can dominate time of possession and take pressure off a special teams unit that’s been shaky all year. After all, there’s a reason special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn was let go in December-the Rams allowed a league-worst 16 yards per punt return.
The fewer opportunities Seattle’s return game has, the better.
This game isn’t going to be a shootout. The Seahawks are too disciplined, too well-coached, and the stakes are too high. Whether it’s under the lights at Lumen Field or back at SoFi, this rivalry always delivers intensity.
Stafford will make throws. Nacua will make plays.
Adams will draw coverage. But the game will be won in the trenches-on third-and-short, in red zone situations, and in those long, clock-chewing drives that break a defense’s will.
If Kyren Williams can cross the 100-yard mark and keep the Rams ahead of schedule, Seattle won’t be able to dictate terms. The path to the Super Bowl doesn’t go over the top-it goes straight through the teeth of the Seahawks’ defense, on the legs of No. 23.
If Williams delivers, the Rams won’t just be heading to the Super Bowl-they’ll be doing it with a George Halas Trophy in hand.