Seattle Seahawks: Looking at Week 14 Monday Night Football vs. St. Louis Rams

The Seattle Seahawks (5-7) will find themselves in a rare position when they host the St. Louis Rams (2-10) on Monday Night Football—they will actually be favored to win. 

That didn't work out so well for them when they hosted the Washington Redskins in Week 12, though.

A lot has changed for these two teams since they met in prime time to end the 2010 regular season. The winner of that game would wrap up the NFC West Divisional Title and a playoff game, while the loser would get an early draft pick. 

Many so-called fans were actually hoping for a Seattle loss to gain a draft position that would allow them to snag a franchise quarterback. The win gave Seattle one of their more memorable sports moments, featured by the "Beast Quake" run, sealing a win over the defending Super Bowl champions. 

The 2011 season brought a lot of hope for the Rams.

St. Louis had a quarterback coming off a solid rookie season, an offensive line that was expected to be solid and a premier running back. There was also hope the Rams would be improved at wide receiver with a free-agent signing and two receivers returning from injury.

The on-field results have been a dismal disappointment for Rams fans, though, as the team ranks 31st in yards gained and dead-last in points scored.

As for Seattle—the inconsistency remains in 2011. It is a young team that makes too many young mistakes, but fans can be optimistic.

In 2010, Seattle's nine regular-season losses were all by at least 15 points. The team has been within one score in the fourth quarter in six of their seven losses in 2011. Moral victories mean very little in the NFL, but those that follow the team closely recognize the improved talent on this roster.

Seattle essentially has a second "bye week" headed into their Monday night game. Having played their Week 13 game on Thursday night, the Seahawks will have 11 days to let players recuperate.

Seattle has two players that will get an even longer break.

Golden Tate stepped into the starting role during the short week for Sidney Rice. A concussion suffered in the loss to the Redskins will cost the talented yet injury-prone Rice the rest of the season.

Russell Okung was the only starting offensive lineman for the Seahawks that hadn't missed a game to injury. His streak ends at 12—late in the game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Trent Cole did a souffle move on Okung. He was likely showing frustration with being manhandled by Okung for an entire game.

The late hit turned into a torn pectoral muscle that forced him onto the injured reserve list. 

Head coach Pete Carroll was obviously upset by the development, noting that Okung "got grabbed under the arm and thrown down to the ground. It had nothing to do with the play."

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"He got thrown down after the whistle, really blatantly,” Carroll added on Friday. “Stuff like that happens in the game sometimes, but this was most unfortunate because he was damaged by it. 

"I don’t want to put this crassly, but it’s not about the guys that you lose, it’s about who’s coming up and who’s stepping in. We’ll expect however we configure it, we’ll step to the front. I think it is a statement about our depth and the development of these guys throughout the ranks—not just the first guys."

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Okung is the third starting offensive lineman to be lost for the season. Rookies John Moffitt and James Carpenter only survived nine games, both with knee injuries. 

Seattle could use the extra time this week to get their replacements a little extra work with the starting offense. However, Carroll gave them Friday through Monday off.

While conventional wisdom would dictate Seattle's revived running game will be grounded with three reserves, the success of the unit likely has more to do with offensive line coach Tom Cable than with the blockers on the field.

Even though Marshawn Lynch had his two-game string of 100-yard games broken against the Rams the game after losing two starters, Cable quickly had replacements Paul McQuistan and Breno Giacomini up to speed. Lynch gained 111 yards the following week vs. the Redskins and posted 148 yards last Thursday against the Eagles.

Lynch has also recorded a touchdown in each of the last six games. 

Even though the players have the week off, Cable is working on how to fill the large void caused by the loss of Okung. Undrafted rookie Jarriel King could be asked to step in and get prepared for the Rams.

Carroll and Cable like King enough that they released Tyler Polumbus earlier in the season. Originally signed by the New York Giants, King wasn't healthy and was released.

He quickly impressed Carroll once he was able to fully participate in practice.

McQuistan moved over and finished the game at left tackle with Lemuel Jeanpierre playing right guard. Some are expecting that combination to continue, but King was not active for the game against the Eagles.

Regardless of who gets tapped to play left tackle, it won't be easy to replace Okung. He has had a very good season, including shutting down the Ram's blind-side pass-rush in Week 11.

Okung also helped open holes for Lynch, even though his 88 rushing yards vs. the Rams is the only sub-100 yard performance over the last five games.

Expect the Seahawks to continue to ride Marshawn Lynch in Seattle's home contest against their division rival. Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson will be asked to spread the ball through the air, but don't expect the Seahawks to open up their offensive playbook.

The Rams offense is struggling. They were shut out by the San Francisco 49ers and managed just seven points in a home loss against Seattle. They are thin at wide receiver, and even worse off at tight end.

Seattle's defense has been susceptible to big games by tight ends, and running backs have found more success catching balls out of the backfield than running. The Rams aren't likely to make an impact with their tight ends, and Steven Jackson hasn't been used much as a receiver this season.

Seattle has been solid against the run, which has been the best part of the Rams offense. Jackson has never had a 100-yard game against the Seahawks, and that isn't likely to change this season.

The Seahawks should have little trouble keeping the Rams from changing their end of the scoreboard too often. Similar to the 2010 game in Seattle, the Seahawks will ride their defense and a conservative offense to a win.

Seattle used a similar approach to notch a 24-7 win in St. Louis. Their offense will feel the loss of Sidney Rice and Russell Okung, which could keep this game in the 17-3 range.