Seahawks try to overcome defensive injuries

Dec 14, 2017 - 1:45 AM RENTON, Wash. -- With five Pro Bowl defensive players potentially out for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams, the Seattle Seahawks face a tall task in their pursuit to make the playoffs for a sixth straight season.

"We have to do everything right to have a chance and that's what we're preparing to do," head coach Pete Carroll said.

Cornerback Richard Sherman, safety Kam Chancellor and defensive end Cliff Avril are all out for the season and won't play. But with linebackers Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright also sustaining injuries last week in Jacksonville, Seattle's defense could find itself overwhelmingly depleted this Sunday.

Neither Wagner or Wright was able to practice on Wednesday. Wagner aggravated a hamstring strain that has kept him limited in practices for over a month last week against the Jaguars. Wright sustained a concussion in a collision with fullback Tommy Bohanon. The status for either player won't be known until later in the week.

"K.J. is in the (concussion) protocol. That's up to the doctors," Carroll said. "And Bobby is going to go all the way through the week, as he has the last couple of weeks. We'll have to wait and see."

Michael Wilhoite replaced Wagner at middle linebacker with D.J. Alexander taking over for Wright on the weak side. Terence Garvin replaced Wilhoite at the strong-side linebacker spot as Seattle had to play with reserves for almost the entire second half last week in Jacksonville.

The Rams have given Seattle problems for years, even with lesser talented rosters than their current iteration. While the Seahawks have won the division three out of the last five seasons, the Rams have won four of the last seven meetings between the two teams.

"When you put two physical-minded teams together, you typically get a good football game," wide receiver Doug Baldwin said of the Rams. "That has always been the case. It's been the case since I have been here. They have done a phenomenal job and obviously have had extreme success with it this year."

Baldwin said it would be a natural reaction for Seattle's offense to feel like they have to carry the day given the number of injuries on the defensive side of the ball. However, he said they have to fight that notion and stay within themselves.

"Human nature would tell you 'OK, look, there is going to be some kind of give here on the defense, so we have to do more offensively,'" he said. "But for the most part, we have to correct that as professionals, as people who have been here for a long time.

"We are not going to change our mentality. We are not going to try to make things up. We are going to continue to go out there and do what we've always planned to do, which is put points on the board."