Three things to know about the Seahawks’ Week 15 opponent, the Los Angeles Rams

After a record number of NFL players tested positive on Monday, a COVID-19 outbreak among the Los Angeles Rams continued to escalate Tuesday, with wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and safety Jordan Fuller among the nine players added to the COVID/reserve list.

The Rams have had 14 players placed on the COVID list since Saturday. Starting tight end Tyler Higbee was activated off the COVID list Tuesday.

The Seahawks are scheduled to play the Rams in LA on Sunday afternoon in a must-win game for Seattle’s slim playoff hopes.

Rams coach Sean McVay announced Tuesday morning that the team would shut down its facility through at least Wednesday. Players and coaches will work remotely.

McVay told reporters it is a “uniquely challenging” situation. He said all but one player on the Rams roster is vaccinated.

“The scary thing about all this to me is every single person is vaccinated that we’re talking about,” McVay told reporters in a videoconference call. “That’s the thing that’s the most concerning about all of this is that everybody has done exactly what they could. I trust that these guys are taking the right precautionary measures and now, whether it’s this new variant or whatever it is, now you’re adding a lot of layers to this situation that we thought we were past, and that’s the thing that I think is the most mind-numbing about it all for me.”

The Rams were without five players — including four starters — for their 30-23 victory over Arizona on Monday night. Beckham had eight catches for 77 yards and a touchdown in the win.

Higbee and All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey were added to the COVID/reserve list about five hours before kickoff Monday night. Running back Darrell Henderson Jr. was placed on the COVID list Saturday, and starting right tackle Rob Havenstein and rotational cornerback Dont’e Deayon were added on Sunday.

“My initial reaction was, ‘You got to be s——- me,'” McVay said after the game. “You don’t replace those kind of guys.”

Leaguewide, 37 positive cases were reported on Monday, a single-day record. On Tuesday, 29 additional players were placed on the COVID list.

Per NFL protocols, players who are vaccinated are eligible to be activated if they have two negative tests at least 24 hours apart. Unvaccinated players have to quarantine for at least 10 days before they can return.

McVay said he expects more Rams players and staffers to be affected this week.

“Nobody feels sorry for us, and you have to be able to keep it moving,” McVay said, via the Los Angeles Times. “But it has been an interesting last 48 hours, to say the least, as it pertains to COVID.”

Details on this week’s matchup:

Seahawks (5-8) at Rams (9-4)
Time: 1:25 p.m. Sunday at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif.
TV: FOX
Radio: 710 ESPN Seattle
Betting line: Rams opened as a 7-point favorite. The line dropped to 4.5 on Tuesday afternoon.
Series history: Seahawks lead the all-time series, 25-23 (including playoffs). Rams won their first meeting this season, 26-17, in Week 5.

Three things to know about the Rams this week:

A rousing win

Despite their COVID cases, and even after all the last-minute alterations to their game plan, the Rams reestablished themselves as Super Bowl contenders with their Monday-night victory at Arizona, knocking the Cardinals out of the No. 1 spot in the NFC playoffs and keeping alive the Rams’ hopes of an NFC West division title.

“The amount of changes — I can’t even go through,” McVay told reporters after the game. “My head is killing me going through all of this.”

The Rams, after a 7-1 start to the season, had lost three straight games in November (to the Titans, 49ers and Packers). Their defense came through with two interceptions against Arizona’s Kyler Murray on Monday, both of which the Rams turned into touchdowns.

“Let’s keep building on this,” McVay said. “That’s what the good teams do. They get better in the month of December.”

Donald dominating (as usual)

Aaron Donald is in the mix for another defensive player of the year award, and he showed why Monday night. Donald, the Rams’ All-Pro defensive tackle, sacked Murray on the first play of the game and on the last play to secure the win.

He added a third sack in between and also tipped a pass. He has 10 sacks and two forced fumbles this season.

“When I get them one on ones, I’ve got to take advantage of that and I got enough opportunities … to have that game that I’m used to having,” Donald said, via the Los Angeles Times.

Donald had a sack and three QB hits in the Rams’ Week 5 victory in Seattle — including the hit that broke Russell Wilson’s right middle finger.

Best WR in the NFL?

There’s a good case for that title to belong to Cooper Kupp right now.

Kupp leads all NFL receivers in receptions (113), yards (1,489) and touchdowns (12). According to ESPN, that’s a feat achieved at season’s end by just three players in NFL history — Jerry Rice, Sterling Sharpe and Steve Smith.

Kupp, the former Eastern Washington star, caught another 13 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown on Monday night. He has at least 90 receiving yards in nine consecutive games, tied for the longest streak in NFL history.

Rams QB Matthew Stafford ranks third in the NFL in passing yards per game (299.8) and second in passing touchdowns (33).