The Seattle Seahawks season came to a sudden end during the Wildcard game against the Los Angeles Rams. This game resulted in a final score of 30-20, there were many flaws in the Seahawks’ offensive and defensive game plan and some things that were just out of the Seahawks’ control. Unreliable offensive line, offense not converting, defensive errors, not being able to stop the run, and a weak secondary were all huge factors in the loss.

 One of the biggest struggles the Seahawks had with the Rams was stopping the run defense, in particular Cam Akers. He made it look effortless rushing for 131 yards and a touchdown right before halftime to give them a commanding ten point lead. The Seahawks’ weak secondary was also exposed multiple times throughout the game by Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods. One of the issues that was noticeable was that the Seahawks were playing Jamal Adams in coverage when he is typically used as a blitzing safety. His true role on the defense is to apply pressure to the quarterback and get sacks. Playing him in coverage was proven to be a mistake multiple times as he was beat by deep shots down the field.

The offensive side of the ball struggled primarily because of the offensive line, they couldn’t provide Russell Wilson with enough time to make a play. This isn’t the first occurrence of the offensive line doing this but when on the big stage against a good defense it is crucial that they give Wilson time. Playing against a true defensive force like Aaron Donald, it is critical that you do everything in your power to block him. Wilson was running for his life all game, taking hit after hit that led him to make unreasonable decisions like the pick six in the second quarter.

 Despite the offensive line being destroyed by the Rams defense, the Rams’ secondary was also a huge factor. Jalen Ramsey played a key role in shutting down one of the Seahawks’ biggest offensive weapons, DK Metcalf.

 Although he broke out for 5 receptions, 96 yards, and two touchdowns, when he was in single coverage with Ramsey he was locked up. When matched up across from each other, Ramsey held DK to only 3 receptions for 33 yards on seven targets while being completely shadowed on 65% of downs. Taking DK out of the picture is a huge block in the road as the Seahawks run game is almost nonexistent with the unreliable offensive line. This puts Russell Wilson in a tough situation to make difficult throws which leads to fast turnovers.

Regardless of how the Seahawks played, it was their game to lose. Just a glance at the rosters shows how uneven of a matchup it was between the Seahawks’ offense and the Rams’ star-studded defense. In the upcoming draft, the Seahawks have to make it a priority to draft offensive linemen, or else they will continue to be put in the same situation every year.

  Seahawks will be missing out on yet another Super Bowl run and will have to watch Mahomes vs Brady from their homes. What’s in store for years to come in Seattle is unknown, only time will tell.