Get set for a banger of a matchup on Thursday Night Football, as the Seattle Seahawks host the Los Angeles Rams.
The pregame narrative: Whoever wins on Thursday will have the inside track on the NFC's No. 1 seed, so the stakes speak for themselves. L.A. won the first head-to-head matchup thanks to four interceptions from Sam Darnold, but now the Seahawks can return the favour at home.
Check out my Rams vs. Seahawks picks for Dec. 17, featuring a prop bet on Puka Nacua.
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Rams vs. Seahawks picks
Best Bet: Nacua over 7.5 receptions (-124)
It feels pretty square to bet an over on Nacua's prop market, but it feels like the sky is the limit for him right now.
For the second time in three seasons, Nacua has crested the 100-catch mark. He would've easily gotten there last year had he played more than 11 games.
- Nacua is as reliable and sure-handed as any receiver in the NFL today. He leads WRs in first downs (66) and has a 79.1% catch rate (96th percentile, per RotoWire).
- Nacua has 7+ catches in 10 of 13 games and is averaging 9.9 targets.
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The trick here is that Seattle has one of the very best defences in the NFL, ranking No. 2 in scoring and No. 1 in net pass yards per attempt.
But I expect Nacua to be heavily involved, no matter what. I prefer his receptions total over his yards because the Seahawks are typically adept at eliminating chunk plays.
Last time he faced Seattle, Nacua caught seven of eight targets for 75 yards. That illustrates my point about heavy involvement but a lower ceiling in terms of total yards.
With Davante Adams (hamstring) missing practice on Monday and Tuesday, there's a real chance for Nacua to see even more targets than usual.
Nacua has gone crazy the past two weeks, combining for 16 catches (22 targets), 348 yards and two touchdowns. The Rams have to continue getting this guy the ball, and I believe they will.
Key stat: Nacua is averaging 7.8 receptions per game.
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TNF O/U prediction
Under 42.5 points (-110): These are two great teams with elite defences. On a short week in some gusty conditions, I don't envision a shootout.
- Seattle and L.A. rank second and third, respectively, in EPA per play on defence, according to RBSDM.com.
- Both teams are allowing fewer than 19.0 points per game.
- According to The Weather Network's hourly report, wind gusts between 26 and 32 km/hour are expected from 8-10 p.m. in Seattle on Thursday.
-> Go to full Rams vs. Seahawks TNF betting markets
Darnold's four interceptions in the first matchup between these teams helped keep scoring down, but that's far from the only low-scoring duel they've had recently.
In their past six meetings, unders are 5-1. And the average total in those games was 42.0 points.
Rams vs. Seahawks picks made at 1:50 p.m. ET Dec. 17, 2025.
