St. Louis Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks: Five Seahawks Players to Watch

Week One of the 2015 NFL season. The St. Louis Rams are taking one the Seattle Seahawks at the Edward Jones Dome.

The Rams are looking to get off to a fast start. That is why the team practiced with the Dallas Cowboys in Oxnard, Calif. The first step in the Rams' path to a fast start, the defending NFC Champions Seattle Seahawks.

So, in preparation for the game on Sunday, lets take a look at some of the opposing teams' vital players.

QB Russell Wilson

Russell Wilson is one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He is smart, accurate, and can hurt you running the ball. He is what Dan Snyder in Washington hoped Robert Griffin III would turn out to be. Russ was rewarded for his play this offseason. Handsomely too, may I add (five-year, $89 million, with $60 million guaranteed). Russ is also in a serious, relationship with Ciara Harris, a former chart-topping R&B artist.

So with that all said, Wilson could potentially have plenty of distractions come Sept. 13. The Rams' star-studded defensive line – headlined by defensive ends Robert Quinn and Chris Long, and defensive tackles Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers, and newcomer Nick Fairley – can give him trouble. He can have miscommunication issues with his new Tight End. Shit, even Future could give Wilson trouble. Nevertheless, "danger" Russ can still carve the Rams' D up if Gregg Williams' boys are not on point.

Lets hope Wilson does not fuck up some commas on Sunday.

RB Marshawn Lynch

If Wilson cannot get going Week One, expect a heavy dose of Marshawn "You Know Why I'm Here" Lynch.

Lynch is getting near the 30-year  age threshold for running backs, but he is not showing any signs of slowing down. He notched just over 1,300 yards with 4.7 yards per carry average last year. in 2013 he rushed for 1,257 yards with a 4.2 ypc average. The year before that, he went for 1,590 yards and averaged five yards per carry. Marshawn's "Beast Mode" nickname is merited. So of course we know what you are here for, Mr. Lynch.

Despite all of Marshawn's individual success, he has not gone "beast mode" on the Rams. In 2014, he only mustered 53 and 60 yard games against the Rams. He will have a tough time this season as well. As mentioned above, the Rams' D-Line is star-studded!

TE Jimmy Graham

Jimmy Graham in New Orleans was a pass catching Tight End nightmare. The Seahawks are hoping they get the same player, but with a lil' wrinkle added: blocking.

Blocking will not be Graham's strong suite. The Rams should be able to feast on Jimmy when he is on blocking duty.

The passing game, however, Is Jimmy's bread and butter. Graham and Wilson connected consistently throughout the preseason, and Jimmy is always a big play away from changing the course of the game. He is a player the Rams will have to solve with any combination of safety T.J. McDonald, linebacker Alec Ogletree, and/or a corner.

FS Earl Thomas

Earl Thomas is arguably the best Free Safety in the league. He is, however, coming back from offseason shoulder surgery. Thomas was just recently cleared for contact and missed out on the entire offseason program and preseason. He has been able to participate in practice for the past couple of weeks, but that's no substitute for actual game snaps. The Rams might see Thomas with some rust.

I bet the Rams are hoping just that.

SS Dion Bailey

While strong safety Kam Chancellor – the hard-hitting enforcer in Seattle's "Legion of Boom" secondary – holds out for a better contract, former USC Trojan Dion Bailey is set to start.

Bailey signed with Seattle in 2014 after going undrafted. He spent most of the 2014 season on their practice squad. Now, Bailey in being asked to start in his very first game in the NFL. Expect the second-year player to struggle and for the Rams to challenge him from the get go.

In college, Bailey was a safety turned linebacker that then flipped back to safety. He is a thumper, but no Kam Chancellor.

The Seahawks also have fourth-year veterans DeShawn Shead and Kelcie McCray at safety as insurance.