INGLEWOOD, CA — On the final day of the 2024 NFL regular season, the playoff-bound Los Angeles Rams look to keep their standing in the NFC when they face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

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Seattle Seahawks (9-7) vs. Los Angeles Rams (10-6)

• When: Sunday, January 5
• Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
• Where: SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)
• Channel: FOX­­
• Stream: FuboTV (Free Trial), DirecTV Stream, Sling

The Rams come into this game having already clinched the NFC West championship, their first division title since they won the Super Bowl three years ago. Matthew Stafford company got hot at the right time of the season, winning five straight games to outlast the rest in a jam-packed division race, clinching the title by beating the Arizona Cardinals last Saturday. With wins over the likes of the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers, the team has confidence in its third playoff appearance in four years.

L.A. does have something to play for on Sunday. If they were to lose on Sunday, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were to beat the New Orleans Saints, the Rams would have to play the loser of the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings matchup on Sunday.

The Seahawks were expected, once again, to challenge for the division. However, inconsistency on offense and a defense that let the team down in key moments led them narrowly missing the playoffs for a second straight season. Back-to-back losses to the Green Bay Packers and Vikings ended up costing them their season.

The Rams won the first meeting against the Seahawks this season back in November and have beaten Seattle three straight times.

MY PICK: Rams win, 27-20

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#20 Danny Leyva – 2024 Overall Rating: 5.33 in 21 appearances

MLS Regular Season: 5.25 in 12 appearances

MLS Playoffs: 6.50 in 2 appearances

US Open Cup: 5.50 in 2 appearances

Leagues Cup: 5.00 in 5 appearances

MOTM = 1 High = 7 Low = 4

Entering 2024, Danny Leyva had been a bit forgotten, overshadowed by others in the Sounders’ development pipeline who were more highly touted. Still only 21 years old, Danny had an interesting year. He was asked to play a number of positions across the midfield, and he found some success as a creative player to replace some of the attacking skill desperately needed by the Sounders. Leyva built confidence in the middle of the season which led to some opportunities late to show his impact in vitally important appearances. 

Highlights: Leyva announced himself early in 2024, and in late March he earned a ratings MOTM for great work in a losing effort against San Jose. In this match, we started to get an idea of the excitement Danny could create:

“After growing into the match speed, Danny looked excellent, helping control the center of the field and displaying outstanding vision to stretch the opponent’s defense. His vertical passing and willingness to move the ball quickly were tremendous, earning him five key passes, a shot, and 85 percent passing on 70 quality touches in the center of the pitch.”

“Danny did his best Nico Lodeiro impression, creating from a variety of areas and adding something we haven’t seen in the midfield yet this season. His ability to turn and quickly release switching balls, including an absolute dime to Jordan Morris in the 57th minute, was dynamic and inspired. Leyva’s set pieces were by far the best we have seen in a while, giving chance after chance to Seattle through consistent, dangerous service.”

Danny showed that when given the opportunity, he could be a fulcrum to quickly move the ball around to create scoring chances, and his set pieces were beautiful. Months later in the playoffs against Houston, it was again Leyva who added to the attack centrally: “After Herrera was shipped for stupidly spitting at the referee, 75 was the number coach Schmetzer called. Leyva responded with a fantastic shift, completely switching the Seattle offense from defunct to defiant. He immediately drew a yellow card with his dribbling in the 63rd minute and did it again in the 79th. Houston suddenly had to deal with a dynamic central attacker who moved all over the field, combined with the wings, and passed vertically to create chances. Leyva finished with two shots and a key pass, a secondary assist on the game-winner, four touches in the Houston box, and cleanly finished one of Seattle’s penalty tries during the shootout.” These performances paved a potential route to long term Sounders success. 

Lowlights: Asked to be a defensive midfielder for much of the year, Leyva consistently struggled with perhaps the most important part of the role: defense. Often out of place and prone to overly physical play because of poor positioning and lack of pace, Danny wasn’t the reliable defensive stopper that Seattle requires of the deep midfielder role. He was especially unsuccessful when his midfield partner mirrored his skillset. Not pairing well with Obed Vargas, especially, meant limited opportunity for Leyva to find minutes at defensive midfield. This put Leyva in a tough spot, because the late substitute minutes available were often given over to better defensive options. These decisions were likely based on moments like these: “A clumsy tackle outside the box gave Colorado a set piece and then they managed to put the dead ball through his spot on the wall to eventually score. Bad look all around for Leyva.” This was in March when the Sounders conceded with just moments to go and were forced to split points with Colorado, as Leyva’s defensive struggles were exploited. 

Outlook: After his appearance in the playoffs I noted: “Having a 10 on the field made a huge difference for Seattle’s offense, and Leyva showed he can be a legitimate 10. His vision, movement, and connection brought the Sounders to more success in his time on the field than almost any minute prior, showing a maturity and evolution of his skills that reminds us he’s only 21,” and this is the exciting part of the future outlook for Danny Leyva. It’s a struggle for any young player in the Sounders organization to displace the high priced DPs that have usually occupied the attacking midfield position, but Danny showed in 2024 that he is an adequate replacement who adds something different from other players. His ability to bring forward push is unique among his peers, and Leyva has a big opportunity in 2025 to build on this potential. 

Realio’s Ratings: Seattle Sounders vs. 2024, #26-#22

Round two of our ratings recap features a lot of potential, both untapped and unrealized.

Realio’s Ratings: Seattle Sounders vs. 2024, #31-#27

It’s time for 2024’s ratings recap. Our first installment features youngsters who saw a variety of opportunities.

#19 Nathan – 2024 Overall Rating: 5.50 in 6 appearances

MLS Regular Season: 5.25 in 4 appearances

MLS Playoffs: 6.00 in 2 appearances

High = 6 Low = 5

Thought to be a big signing in the offseason, injuries stunted Nathan’s brief Sounders career, limiting him to a start and 64-minute appearance on opening day, followed by a 20-match absence, a few random moments before disappearing again, and then a surprising re-emergence late. To his credit, Nathan worked all season through his injuries and was ready when Seattle needed him, showing up in the playoffs and delivering quality performances. Having Nathan on the team allowed Seattle to move on from Xavier Arreaga, providing some valuable roster flexibility. 

Highlights: Nathan did not play badly as a Sounder, earning average ratings each time out. That came in handy in the playoffs, when Seattle’s deep bench was tested. Subbed on in the 66th minute for an injured Yeimar against LAFC in the Western Conference Semifinal, Nathan came in cold to an intense game with a difficult matchup: “Nathan, who hadn’t really played all year, stepped in and was fantastic. He was clearly comfortable with the tactics, had six vital clearances, completed 91 percent of his passes, and was about as good of a Yeimar replacement as you can ask for. To come in, ice cold from the bench, to succeed against Bouanga on the road in the playoffs: that is the kind of thing this coach, staff, and administration rarely get credit for, and something they (and Nathan) should be absolutely thrilled with.” Replacing perhaps the best defender in the league and stifling one of the best attackers in the league was incredible work by Nathan in difficult conditions. When tasked with a second straight appearance in the conference final in LA, again Nathan was ready: “He had another tremendous effort, barely putting a foot wrong the entire match, meshing well between Ragen and Alex Roldan, and looking like he belonged in the back.” Nathan truly was “next man up,” showing MLS-level talent every time he stepped on the field for Seattle. 

Lowlights: There weren’t many lowlights for Nathan, because he only earned time in six games. For his salary, he should have been much more involved in matches. Nathan made one more appearance than a guy who was traded in April, and less than half as many as the backup keeper. Being stuck behind the best central defense in the league didn’t help, but Nathan also seemed to have constant injury issues. Unable to get in the discussion for minutes was concerning, as Seattle played in multiple cup competitions. There were opportunities to rotate lineups and find time for nearly every rostered player in some fashion, yet Nathan was notably absent. He wasn’t healthy when he needed to be, so was relegated to being an expensive bench player. He had far too little impact for TAM investment, and needed to be consistently excellent to remain a Sounder after 2024. 

Outlook: The injuries that limited his time in 2024, paired with his high cost, likely led to Nathan being deprioritized by the Sounders. There are other strong and efficiently priced pieces, making his spot on the roster a luxury that is better spent on increased offense. To his credit, Nathan showed in the playoffs that he is a good MLS defender, and that performance likely earned him a nice contract somewhere else. He is only 29, and hopefully his earlier ACL tear is behind him, but the constant injuries in Seattle may have dampened some enthusiasm to sign a highly priced player when there are legitimate questions about his durability. 

#18 Alex Roldan – 2024 Overall Rating: 5.55 in 42 appearances

MLS Regular Season: 5.34 in 29 appearances

MLS Playoffs: 6.50 in 4 appearances

US Open Cup: 5.25 in 4 appearances

Leagues Cup: 6.20 in 5 appearances

High = 8 Low = 3

As recently as 2023, Seattle relied on Alex to be a large part of the offense, using his wingback abilities to push high and offset the left-leaning offense of Nico Lodeiro. With new teammates and the addition of more direct players in front of him, Alex’s role drastically changed in 2024. Rather than bombing up the wing and crossing into dangerous areas, Roldan became more of a stay home defender who drifted inside at times to help control possession centrally. He struggled with this in the early season before adapting to a new role, leading to a wide range of ratings scores. Sometimes Alex looked completely washed, unable to add value on either side of the field, and other times his control in tight spaces was absolutely essential for Seattle’s success in overloading the midfield and building offense from the inside out. 

Highlights: In a Leagues Cup shellacking of eventual MLS Cup champs LA Galaxy, Alex was excellent:

“The resurgent Alex Roldan has been improving over the past few months and was a killer in this one, connecting with his brother up the wing, showing strong defense, and when presented with an opportunity, delivering a dagger goal deep in first half stoppage time.”

“Roldan started early in the 25th looking direct to Vargas for a nice chance, earned a 30th minute corner and 35th minute shot before ERUPTING with an audacious curling shot before half off a layoff from his big bro. He had an excellent all-around performance.”

This inch-perfect finish was the kind of direct impact Alex can have when in an advanced position, and it was no coincidence that Seattle’s offense was humming when the Broldans dominated the creative right wing. For at least one match, the Sounders offense looked potent, again fueled by Roldanery up the right, and Alex made essential runs and connections that both tormented LA’s defense and forced their wings to stay home, supporting a positive defensive shape as Seattle completely flummoxed the Galaxy for a majority of the match. This was one example of how Alex jumpstarted the offense, and he also developed some unique possession play throughout the season which supported control in the center of the pitch. Drifting toward the middle, Roldan’s excellent possession and passing allowed an inside-out style that reinforced the spine and created some of the best Seattle interplay all season. 

Lowlights: Alex Roldan took a step back in offensive output and impact in 2024. Credited with a single goal and secondary assist, Alex wasn’t involved in creating offense for the Sounders, who desperately needed it. His progressive passing-received rate and shot creating actions were way down, as Roldan didn’t get into advanced positions with any regularity. By the fourth match of the year I commented:

“It’s hard to tell what’s going on with Alex this season, but there’s been a marked decrease in his output. Whether that is entirely due to Roldan playing badly, to the new pieces around him being less effective, or to the tactical setup is hard to answer, but there is definite room, and expectation, for Alex to play better.”

In April, with cracks showing all over the Sounders team, rival Vancouver entered and rode TWO Sounder red cards to a win in Seattle. Alex had one of the worst moments of the entire season when he earned the second red:

“This was a rough outing for Alex, who had zero offensive impact to go with his two tackles and one clearance defensively. He apparently was as dissatisfied with his performance as the crowd, as Roldan showed himself the door in the 75th minute, getting an early start on washing the muck of the game off … Losing his mind and lashing out to cleat a player, resulting in a red card and likely extra suspension, was an embarrassing foul, capping off a shameful performance.”

This was a plethora of awful; Alex’s emotional outburst was in direct conflict with the team culture, resulted in immediate expulsion, and was one of the lowlights of the entire 2024 season. 

Outlook: Alex continues to reinvent himself as a multifunctional player who is reasonably priced, a solid contributor, and a consistent if unspectacular depth piece for Seattle. Some of the moves rumored to come this offseason could impact his starting status. It will be interesting to see whether there is valid competition for his right back spot and what that might do to Alex’s performance. A lot of his success is the solid connection with his brother on the wing, an innate understanding of movement that helps both of them excel. If Cristian has found a permanent spot in the middle of the pitch, it will be crucial for Alex to create a similar understanding with whoever plays in front of him in 2025. Still possessing excellent service from the right as well as a great connection with the mighty Yeimar next to him, Alex will be hard to easily dislodge from this position. 

#17 Pedro de la Vega – 2024 Overall Rating: 5.57 in 23 appearances

MLS Regular Season: 5.63 in 16 appearances

MLS Playoffs: 5.50 in 4 appearances

US Open Cup: 5.00 in 1 appearance

Leagues Cup: 5.50 in 2 appearances

High = 7 Low = 4

The Sounders paid a huge fee to bring in a young player, expecting big things. Instead, they got Pedro de la Vega, the 17th highest rated player in 2024. He was a disappointment, as the team needed much more from him, but there were flashes of brilliance that kept us hoping he’d develop into the player Seattle needs. What we needed was dynamic goal creation through creative interplay and direct shooting, but our DP seemed at times to be playing in single-player mode. Tantalizing control and dazzling dribbling showed a high ceiling for PDLV, but these skills were almost always combined with a tactical page from some other team’s playbook. Time and again he did interesting things, then immediately turned the ball over, or just missed a run from a teammate. Getting on the same page with fellow Sounders was something Pedro struggled with all year, and this was compounded by consistent injuries that kept him on minutes restrictions. Early on, he seemed to force things, coming back too deep to find the ball. Later in the season he improved his movement, but still couldn’t consistently find teammates. This meant that while he was clearly more comfortable and did some fun things on the field, it rarely connected with others, and he just couldn’t unlock his clear potential within the Sounders’ system. 

Highlights: Pedro’s season started off well. He subbed in against LAFC in the first match of the year and immediately showed talent at dribbling and control. He dropped deep for touches, moved central, and was able to get into attacking areas on the dribble or with dynamic off-ball movement. His energy and drive were incredibly exciting and his desire to get on the ball was reminiscent of Nico Lodeiro. When given the pressure of taking a spot kick, he finished the penalty, giving Seattle 15 minutes to try to find an equalizer. Even in the first match of the year, it was clear that Pedro had talent and attacking influence as expected. We continued to see these high-ceiling moments throughout the year, small seconds of intensity as he easily controlled a difficult ball or dribbled through multiple defenders with the kind of elite skills that DPs must have in this league. Although there was plenty of adversity for Pedro and the Sounders in 2024, he had at least one big “wow” moment every time out, showing a skillset that the rest of the team was lacking. 

Lowlights: Expecting big things immediately, Sounders fans instead got a steady diet of injuries, starting as soon as PDLV arrived in Seattle. This led to strict minutes restrictions and much less output than expected. After playing in the first two MLS matches of the year, Pedro missed 19 of the next 20. He then sporadically featured, missing half of the next 10 available games. He wasn’t consistently available for the team until August 24th, seven months into the season. When he did play, it was not a full 90, due to fitness and injury caution, leading to stunted appearances and low performance metrics. A DP should never rate a 4, yet Pedro did this twice, once in mid-July and once in the playoffs.

“Pedro generally looked incapable of connecting with teammates. His passing remains dismal, 56 percent completion in this match which may have been an improvement over previous outings. Either way, he is not connecting with Sounders when kicking the ball, and his dribbling, while fun to watch, isn’t producing for himself or others.”

It was startling how much this criticism midseason mirrored the complaint five months later at the end of playoffs:

“This was a disappointing outing from PDLV, who struggled in most aspects of the match. Although he contributed a key pass and a shot, a majority of the time he was not in the same book, let alone the same page as the rest of the Sounders. This showed up in his abysmal 67 percent passing and five turnovers. The movement he makes can be so good, but it must be supported by quality combination with those around him, and that disconnect often meant that the right wing was where attacks went to sputter and die.”

All the individual skill paled in comparison to those wingers higher up in these ratings, and that’s not because they are more talented than Pedro, but they’re better at fitting into the team. It was frustrating to see someone as technically skilled as de la Vega not understand the tactical needs of the Sounders system. One goal, one assist in the 2024 season was a huge disappointment. 

Outlook: From July: “Sure, he’s an eight million dollar man. Sure, he’s exciting. Sure, he’s the future of the franchise you build around. At some point, he needs to be all those things AND combine with teammates while being goal dangerous. He hasn’t been. And I don’t want to wait for next year.” And here we are, preparing for next year. While 2025 isn’t a make-or-break year for a 23-year-old, Seattle needs more from de la Vega than what he brought in 2024. He’s clearly talented, but there is plenty to improve upon. Seattle has been spoiled with Oba, Raúl, Nico, JP, etc. coming in and being immediately impactful as DPs. That isn’t always the case in MLS; it often takes a while to feel comfortable in such a physical grind. We hope a season full of injury adversity and learning the team culture has prepared Pedro for the long schedule and travel expectations of his new league. If he can combine with teammates, it’s clear he has elite talent that can dominate in MLS, but putting it all together isn’t guaranteed. After struggling in 2024, PDLV must consistently produce in 2025 to be a success.

Thus far, the Seattle Mariners have done next to nothing this offseason. They’ve acquired utility player Austin Shenton in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays but they haven’t spent even $1 in major league free agency.

The teams around them in the American League West have been active though, with the Houston Astros trading away Kyle Tucker and bringing in Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes. They are also set to lose Alex Bregman. The Angels have brought in Jorge Soler, Kyle Hendricks, Scott Kingery, Travis d’Arnaud and Yusei Kikuchi while the A’s have signed Gio Urshela and Luis Severino. The Rangers brought back Nathan Eovaldi, signed Joc Pederson and traded for Jake Burger.

While there’s been plenty of movement around the Mariners, here’s one rumor that doesn’t look like it will happen: Anthony Santader to the Astros.

Santander has been linked to the Toronto Blue Jays, Angels and Astros, but Ari Alexander in Houston doesn’t see the team spending at the level necessary to acquire Santander.

While Santander is also a fit with the Houston Astros, who could use a high-impact outfielder after trading away Kyle Tucker, a league source tells KPRC 2 that it is unlikely Santander will land in Houston. The switch-hitting outfielder is seeking the type of long-term deal that would put the Astros well into the competitive balance tax for the second consecutive season, something that is very unlikely to be palatable to the Astros.

The 30-year-old Santander is native of Venezuela and is coming off an incredible year for Baltimore where he hit .235 with 44 homers and brought in 102. A lifetime .246 hitter, he helped Baltimore get to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons (2023 and 2024)

The Astros won the American League West in 2024, chasing down the Mariners, who had a 10-game lead in June.

Continue to follow our Inside the Mariners coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following Teren Kowatsch and Brady Farkas on “X” @Teren_Kowatsch and @wdevradiobrady. You can subscribe to the “Refuse to Lose” podcast by clicking HERE.