Rams can rest starters after clinching NFC West, while Seahawks left chasing individual milestones

Seattle (9-7) at Los Angeles Rams (10-6)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST, Fox

BetMGM NFL odds: Seahawks by 6 1/2.

Against the spread: Seahawks 6-9-1; Rams 8-8.

Series record: Tied 27-27.

Last meeting: Rams beat Seahawks 26-20 OT in Seattle on Nov. 3.

Last week: Seahawks beat Chicago 6-3; Rams beat Arizona 13-9.

Seahawks offense: overall (14), rush (30), pass (7), scoring (19).

Seahawks defense: overall (13), rush (18), pass (7), scoring (T-13).

Rams offense: overall (17), rush (23), pass (14), scoring (20).

Rams defense: overall (26), rush (24), pass (21), scoring (10).

Turnover differential: Seahawks minus-7; Rams plus-7.

WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been a breakout player this season for Seattle, and is on the verge of several milestones. Smith-Njigba, who has averaged six receptions and 70 receiving yards per game this season, needs five catches to break teammate Tyler Lockett’s single-season franchise mark and needs 183 yards to pass DK Metcalf for the single-season franchise receiving yards record.

QB Jimmy Garoppolo will make his first start for Los Angeles, which can rest Matthew Stafford and other key players after clinching the NFC West last week through the strength of victory tiebreaker over Seattle. Garoppolo hasn’t played a snap this season after being held out of the preseason, so this will be his first time running head coach Sean McVay’s offense. Garoppolo threw for 1,205 yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions in seven games with the Las Vegas Raiders last season.

Seahawks offensive line vs. Rams defensive line. Los Angeles dominated Seattle on the line of scrimmage in the first matchup, coming up with a season-high seven sacks. The pass rush slumped in late November and early December, but is back with eight sacks over the past three games. Geno Smith has been sacked 48 times in 16 games.

Seahawks RT Abraham Lucas won't play because of abdominal and knee injuries. … Two of Seattle’s top defenders, LB Ernest Jones (knee) and rookie DT Byron Murphy II (back), have been limited in workouts this week. Murphy is listed as questionable, while Jones will play. … Having secured a playoff spot, the Rams can be cautious and sit RT Rob Havenstein for the second straight game because of a shoulder injury. The drop-off from Havenstein to swing tackle Joe Noteboom is significant, so having Havenstein back on the field next weekend will be paramount if the team is going to make a postseason run. ... Other key players who will be held out include RB Kyren Williams, LT Alaric Jackson, RG Kevin Dotson and WRs Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp.

The Rams have won three straight over the Seahawks and six of the past seven, including an NFC wild-card game victory in January 2021. … Seattle is 1-3 at SoFi Stadium. Its win came on Dec. 12, 2022, as Los Angeles was playing out the string in its dismal Super Bowl defense.

Seattle will be looking for its 14th double-digit win season in franchise history with a victory Sunday, improving to 10-7. It would be the team’s ninth time reaching 10 wins in the past 13 seasons, and first since 2020. With a win, Seattle would also tie the best road record in franchise history (7-1). … A win would tie the longest road winning streak in franchise history at six games. … Coach Mike Macdonald needs one win to pass Chuck Knox and Mike Holmgren for the most wins by a first-year Seahawks head coach with 10. … WR DK Metcalf needs 61 yards for his fourth 1,000-yard season, and needs seven receptions to pass Darrell Jackson for sixth on Seattle’s receptions list with 442. … Metcalf also needs one touchdown to pass Darrell Jackson for fourth on Seattle’s receiving touchdowns list with 48. … Smith needs one 300-yard game to pass Russell Wilson for the most 300-yard games in a season in franchise history with six.. … DT Leonard Williams needs 1 sack to become the first Seahawks player with double-digit sacks since Frank Clark in 2018. … Nacua needed 10 yards to become the first Rams receiver to start his career with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. He could have joined former Saints star Marques Colston as the only players drafted in the fourth round or later with two 1,000-yard seasons to start a career. … Los Angeles has the second-youngest roster in the league with an average age of 25.6. The youth movement is powered by 16 rookies, the NFL’s highest total. … S Kamren Kinchens and DB Jaylen McCollough each have four interceptions, making the Rams one of two teams with multiple players in the top 10 in picks this season. Houston is the other. … P Ethan Evans has had 24.5% of his punts downed inside the 10 yard line, which is tied with Green Bay’s Daniel Whelan for the best mark in the NFL. Evans has six punts downed inside the 5, which is second to Cleveland’s Corey Bojorquez (8). … DT Braden Fiske has eight sacks, one behind Aaron Donald and Kobie Turner for the Rams rookie record.

Garoppolo is a veteran, which makes the Rams’ reserve pass catchers such as Demarcus Robinson and Tutu Atwell intriguing long shots in daily fantasy or for anyone scrambling for options at wide receiver in a championship game.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenny McIntosh gestures after a play against the Chicago Bears during the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay reacts after a defensive stop during the first half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith, right, is sacked by Chicago Bears defensive end Montez Sweat during the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Los Angeles Rams safety Kamren Kinchens, left, celebrates after intercepting a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) runs with the ball as Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens (36) and defensive end Jacob Martin (55) try to stop him during the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)

Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Kobie Turner (91) celebrates after sacking Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray during the second half of an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Victor Wembanyama returned from a 12-game absence with 22 points and nine rebounds, giving San Antonio a surge and the Oklahoma City Thunder just its second loss with the 111-109 victory Saturday night putting the Spurs in the NBA Cup final.

The Spurs play the New York Knicks in Tuesday night's final.

Oklahoma City's last defeat was Nov. 5 at Portland, and the Thunder carried a 16-game winning streak into this game. They now are 24-2, the second-best start behind only the 25-1 record by Golden State in 2015-16.

This is the Thunder's second loss in a row in Las Vegas. They also lost last year’s final to Milwaukee 97-81.

Wembanyama, who received “M-V-P” chants from the pro-Spurs crowd, had a plus-21 rating in 21 minutes. Teammate Devin Vassell scored 23 points and De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle each scored 22.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 29 points, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams each totaled 17.

Wembanyama had been out because of a strained left calf, though the Spurs went 9-3 in his absence. He was placed on a minutes restriction against the Thunder, but that didn't limit his impact.

Wembanyama, who entered the game averaging 26.2 points and 12.9 rebounds, gave the Spurs an immediate boost and sent a surge into the crowd. Fans began to roar when he removed his sweatpants before the second quarter, and Wembanyama had a plus-20 rating in just seven minutes even with his team trailing by three points at halftime.

But San Antonio ended the first half with a 13-point run to make it a contest. The Spurs used a 10-point run in the third quarter to go up 62-56 and set the stage for a tense fourth period.

Spurs: Play the Knicks on Tuesday night in the NBA Cup final.

Thunder: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts to scoring in the second half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, center, tangles with San Antonio Spurs' Keldon Johnson (3) and Stephon Castle (5) under the net in the first half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)

Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) jumps up for a shot near San Antonio Spurs' Harrison Barnes (40) and Luke Kornet (7) in the first half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort (5) jumps to the basket near San Antonio Spurs forward Julian Champagnie (30) during the first half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)

San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) sets to play the ball in the first half of an NBA Cup semifinals basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)