The NFC West is a wide-open race with all four teams separated by just a half-game. Two of those teams, the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams, are facing off on Sunday.
One of those teams — Seattle — is going to be playing without one of its top offensive players.
The Seahawks have ruled wide receiver D.K. Metcalf out for Sunday’s game due to his sprained MCL.
It will be the second consecutive game that Metcalf has missed due to the injury.
He also did not play in Sunday’s 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills, and the Seahawks offense desperately missed his big-play potential.
Metcalf was injured in Seattle’s 34-14 win over the Atlanta Falcons two weeks ago.
While the Seahawks do have some solid wide receiver depth with Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Metcalf is the player who really opens up their passing game. In seven games this season, he has 35 receptions for 568 yards (over 16 yards per catch) and three touchdowns.
Seattle enters the game in a three-way tie for first place with Arizona and San Francisco. The Rams are a half-game back at 3-4. The 49ers have their bye week, while the Cardinals host the Chicago Bears.
The Seahawks enter the week having lost four of their past five games after starting 3-0. Their next three games — and four of their next five games — all come against NFC West teams. It is not an overstatement to suggest this is their biggest stretch of the season, and Metcalf’s availability could significantly impact how they do through it.