Outlook Good for Seahawks in Division Matchup

In last week's surprising upset of the visiting Baltimore Ravens, the Seahawks showed real promise. They also showed some of the same old issues that have plagued them thus far this season. This week, Seattle takes on the struggling Rams in St. Louis. With kickoff just hours away, will the Seahawks be able to carry last week's positives over and leave the costly mistakes behind?

Here are four things the Seahawks need to do today to add another win to their record:

Keep Running: Marshawn Lynch has strung together two 100-plus-yard rushing performances, which is not a common occurrence in his career. Considering that the Rams rush defense is the worst in the league right now, Lynch might have a shot at adding a third 100-plus-yard game to that streak of his. In addition to bolstering season statistics, a solid running performance today could relieve some of the pressure on quarterback Tavaris Jackson and his still ailing pectoral injury.

Stay Special: The Seahawks special teams beat up on Baltimore's kick returner David Reed so badly last week (he gave up two fumbles and racked up a big penalty on a third return) that he was placed on the inactive list this week. The special teams-induced turnovers were a huge factor in last week's game, and they could come in handy this week as well.

Go Deep: Tavaris Jackson aired out the ball quite a few times last game in spite of his injury, and he should do so again today. The Rams secondary has been hit hard by injuries this season, and cornerback Al Harris is just the latest casualty. Receivers Doug Baldwin and Sidney Rice both had their bells rung last week, but they are both cleared to play today, and it could be a good game to get some passing touchdowns.

Close the Gap: The Rams have a heck of a running back in Steven Jackson, and Seattle's run defense will need to stop him from finding holes to run right through. Limiting Jackson will break quarterback Sam Bradford's rhythm and force him to throw. Seattle's secondary put up an effective pass defense last week, and the leading Rams receivers haven't put up stellar numbers this season, so it could be a good matchup.