Rams vs Seahawks: Why Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Will Step Up on Monday Night

The Seattle Seahawks, at 5-7, aren't necessarily one of the NFL's most dominant teams, but that doesn't mean they won't entirely throttle the St. Louis Rams when the two teams meet on Monday night.

There's a simple reason for why the Seahawks should end the night with a decisive victory—running back Marshawn Lynch.

Lynch is one of the most aggressive runners in the league, breaking tackles with seeming ease while notching big gains out of runs that would have gotten nowhere for a number of other backs around the NFL.

The leader in yards after contact since Week 9, Lynch had a whopping 75 yards after first contact in his team's win over the Philadelphia Eagles and their struggling run defense last week.

He should see even more success tonight, when he's likely to run over the Rams' last-place run defense that's allowing an average of 157.8 rushing yards per game.

It's not uncommon to see a running back making up the bulk of his team's offense this season; it's happened for a number of teams already, though most of them have had to do without their leading rusher at some point this year, as all of the league's top backs have suffered some type of injury.

Should Lynch remain healthy, he should be able to power his team to three wins in their remaining four games and could even put his team in playoff consideration.

So far this season, Lynch has rushed 202 times for 854 yards and eight touchdowns and has caught 20 passes for another 170 yards and a score.

He's on his way to his third 1,000-yard season in five years and looks likely to notch his sixth 100-yard game of the season tonight, with the Rams so pitiful at stopping the run.

The benefits Lynch provides his team are many. First, he just manages to make plays, carry after carry, which is always a good thing for a starting running back to do.

Secondly, his effectiveness on the ground takes the pressure off quarterback Tarvaris Jackson and the passing game, which struggles when Jackson is called upon to do too much.

With Lynch running well, Jackson doesn't have to throw more than 30 times a game (more usually throwing somewhere between 20-30 times), lessening his odds to make mistakes and cost his team wins.

The St. Louis defense is markedly stronger against the pass than the run, so Lynch's ability not only to break off big-yardage runs but also to protect Jackson from taking too many risks should make all the difference for the Seahawks tonight.