St. Louis Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks: Full Seattle Game Plan Preview

The Seattle Seahawks take on the St. Louis Rams in a NFC West rivalry game at CenturyLink Field for the last time this regular season.

The 12th Man is in holiday spirits:

Ideally, the Seahawks will be in the spirit of handing out a whooping to a team that beat them in Week 1. It was a back-and-forth battle that ended in a Rams overtime win.

Sunday will not see the same results.

Let's get right into what a winning game plan will look like, so that Seattle can avoid the sweep by St. Louis.

Offensive Game Plan

On offense, the Seahawks won't look to fix what isn't broken. The unit has shown serious explosiveness in the last five games, posting less than 30 points only once in that span. 

Against the Rams, Seattle will continue fine-tuning its running game with running backs Christine Michael and Bryce Brown. In Week 1, Seattle rushed for 124 yards on 32 carries. Marshawn Lynch ran for 73 of those yards.

This week, Seattle should use that yardage total as a benchmark—one that the Seahawks will hopefully pass.

In order to do so, the offensive line will need to continue its stellar play. The group has been so good in the back half of the season that O-line coach Tom Cable might deserve a 2016 presidential nomination:

Truth be told, though, the difference in this game might come in the form of pass protection—in Seattle's Week 1 loss, the Rams sacked quarterback Russell Wilson six times. 

That can't happen again. Not this week or the next or in the playoffs.

But here's a resounding stat that indicates just how good Seattle's front five has been in the last month or so: Since Week 11, the Seahawks have only allowed six sacks in total.  

That kind of protection will allow Wilson and Co. the opportunity to do similar things to the Rams that can be seen in the following highlight reel:

On Sunday, offensive success for the Seahawks starts in the trenches. Success up front means that everything else will fall into place. 

Defensive Game Plan

We can sum up Seattle's defensive strategy for this game in just three words: Stop Todd Gurley.

St. Louis has six wins this season. In four of those, Gurley has posted at least 100 yards. When the Rams are successful, their plan isn't a secret—they like to wear opponents down on the ground.

However, doing that against Seattle won't be easy, as this football fan recognizes:

This writer doesn't think Gurley will be productive this weekend. Take that for what you will, Jim. 

There are simply too many factors stacked against Gurley and the Rams for them to be effective on the ground. 

First, Seattle's run defense is among the best in the league. It allows just less than 84 rushing yards per game and gives up 3.7 yards per carry. Those stats are a testament to the play of the front seven.

Second, the Seahawks will be out for revenge against the Rams, a divisional opponent. Seattle has come a long way since losing in Week 1, and it would be naive to think that the Seahawks don't want to prove that point this weekend.

As with their last two opponents, it's imperative for the Seahawks to shut down the running game and make the quarterback beat them. Next up? The Rams' Case Keenum.

Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett might as well be licking his chops at the opportunity to chase Keenum around:

Bennett has had one sack in each of his last three games. Expect that streak to continue this weekend against St. Louis. 

Key Matchups

Seattle Front Five vs. St. Louis Front Four

The Rams have enough talent on the defensive line to wreak havoc at any time. Just ask Wilson, who was sacked six times in the first meeting between these two teams. 

Expect Seattle's O-line to play infinitely better this week in pass protection.

Its main focus will be Rams stud defensive tackle Aaron Donald. The second-year pro has a whopping 11 sacks on the season—more than double the next-best St. Louis sack producer (Robert Quinn has five). 

In Week 1, Donald and Quinn each finished the game with two sacks. Containing that pass rush will be imperative for Seattle this weekend.

It will be interesting to watch the Seahawks' left tackle position Sunday. Starter Russell Okung is slated to be a game-time decision, so backup Alvin Bailey might be charged with protecting Wilson's blind side.

It's a good thing the Seahawks quarterback can run. That's not to say Bailey is a bad player—it's just that the Rams have a ferocious pass rush that has accumulated 36 sacks this season.

Seattle should find success running the ball against the Rams, who give up 118 yards per game on the ground. It's the team's pass protection that will be scrutinized Sunday.

Todd Gurley vs. Seattle Defensive Front

By now, you know that Gurley is one of the best young runners in football:

"

Todd Gurley is a rookie and he's already getting selected into pro bowls...

— kingkurt4 (@KurtisReid) December 25, 2015"

It's a little early to attach goat emojis to his name, though. Just saying, Kurt.

Even still, the young man is a legitimate threat, but the Seahawks' stellar run defense will be ready to stop him this weekend. 

Linebacker Bruce Irvin is a premier run-stuffer in this league. Expect him to be around the ball when it's in Gurley's hands at all times. 

The equation here is simple: If the Rams successfully run the ball with Gurley, they'll have a shot at controlling the game's tempo. If they don't, then Keenum will have to beat the Seahawks with his arm, which Seattle won't allow on its home turf. 

Stopping Gurley represents the Seahawks' winning formula, and they know it. Expect Seattle to stifle the rookie rusher en route to a statement win.

Prediction: Seahawks 35, Rams 14

Seattle's defense sets the tone of this game by shutting down the Rams running game early, and the offense will put the exclamation mark on a 21-point home victory.

Michael and Brown combine for 150 yards and two touchdowns, while Wilson and rookie Tyler Lockett connect for two scores through the air. Wilson finishes with 250 yards, the two touchdowns and an interception. 

Wilson also evades St. Louis' pass rush with his signature escape artistry, finishing the game with 60 yards rushing. 

The Rams, meanwhile, struggle on offense, which puts their defense in a hole it can't climb out of. Gurley finishes with less than 75 yards and one short rushing touchdown. Keenum finds wideout Tavon Austin for the Rams' only other score but throws two picks to the Seahawks secondary.

Members of the 12th Man, such as this one, will have fun watching the Seahawks defeat a division rival at home for the final time in the regular season:

The Seahawks will once again win in dominant fashion, showing the football world that they are a serious threat heading into the postseason. 

Ethan is a Seattle Seahawks Game Day Correspondent for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @ebai_today for Seahawks coverage and musings about the NFL. Happy holidays!