Really, the season series should be split. The Seahawks gagged away a sure win on Oct. 10 by letting St. Louis mount a furious comeback in the fourth quarter and win 33-27 in overtime. The Rams then handled the Hawks rather easily in the rematch, winning 23-12 on Nov. 14.
This time, there's a lot more on the line.
The prevailing thought is that neither one of these teams deserves to be in the playoffs, but they are, and someone is going to go another round deeper into the postseason.
The Hawks are in a weird state for this game. Shaun Alexander is complaining about missing the rushing title, Koren Robinson can't be bothered to show up to meetings, Matt Hasselbeck is still banged up, and most importantly, the defense is still shaky.
Still, are the Rams much better? Coach Mike Martz is Mike Martz, Stephen Jackson is hurt, receivers Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce carry the ball like it's butter-coated, and most importantly, St. Louis' defense is worse than Seattle's.
I think that, presented with an opportunity to take an important step forward, Seattle will get the job done Saturday.
This game will come down to the Seahawks' weak link: a defensive unit that has not stopped anyone since the early weeks of the season.
Who knows what Martz will do, but you have to figure that quarterback Marc Bulger is going to air it out and see what happens. While the Seahawks' secondary has been decent, it is imperative for the beleaguered front line to get some pressure on the QB.
If the Seahawks have any heart, this is a game tailor-made for them to win. I think they'll get it done. Pick: Seahawks 27, Rams 21.
- New York Jets at San Diego: The Chargers are the feel-good story of the year, but now they have to prove themselves all over again.
San Diego's offense is a potent mix of run, pass and power. QB Drew Brees is having a breakout year, LaDainian Tomlinson is one of the league's premier backs and tight end Antonio Gates is a potent downfield threat.
But none of these players have playoff experience.
The Jets seemed like a strong playoff contender before a late-season fade left them scratching to get in. While New York has a solid defense and ageless running back Curtis Martin, the Jets' chances rest on the shoulder of Chad Pennington.
Since he got hurt, New York's downfield passing game has fizzled. Does Pennington have enough juice in his arm to keep the Jets in a high- scoring game? I don't think so. Pick: Chargers 24, Jets 17.
- Denver at Indianapolis: Never has a game been more meaningless than last week's game between the Broncos and Colts. Indy rested its starters and played vanilla offense, since it knew this matchup was likely. Peyton Manning and the Colts' explosive offense will be back on the field this week, and that is trouble for Denver.
In a game where Jake Plummer will likely have to pass 40 times for the Broncos to have a chance, I'll take the odds that he'll make two or three mistakes that cost his team. Pick: Colts 41, Broncos 21.
- Minnesota at Green Bay: These rivals meet for the third time this season. Green Bay has won two 34-31 thrillers.
The Packers' Lambeau Field mystique is not as strong as it once was, but they catch a break in playing a dome team that has never fared well outdoors.
The Vikings are falling apart again, and it's hard to imagine them coming up with an inspired performance in a hostile environment. Still, Minnesota does have Daunte Culpepper and Randy Moss, so they'll keep it interesting. Pick: Packers 21, Vikings 13.
- Last week: 7-9 (.437). Final regular-season record: 158-98 (.617).
Elliott Smith covers sports for The Olympian. He can be reached at 360-754-5473 or ejsmith1@olympia.gannett.com.