The Seattle Seahawks enter a pivotal matchup Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, with both teams sitting at 7-2 and battling for control of the NFC West. The stakes are high, as the San Francisco 49ers remain close behind at 6-4 and have starting quarterback Brock Purdy healthy again as they push back into the divisional race.
Seattle, however, will be without one of its most promising young pass catchers. Rookie wide receiver Tory Horton has been ruled out for the second straight week because of groin and shin injuries. Horton, a fifth-round pick out of Colorado State, has appeared in eight games this season. While his yardage numbers are modest — totaling 161 receiving yards — he has made the most of his opportunities, scoring five touchdowns and establishing himself as one of the Seahawks’ top deep-threat options.
The Seahawks opted not to place Horton on injured reserve, a sign the team expects him to return relatively soon. Still, his absence comes at an inconvenient time as Seattle prepares for a divisional showdown that could influence playoff seeding down the stretch.
Without Horton available, quarterback Sam Darnold will likely rely more heavily on Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Kupp and newly acquired wideout Rashid Shaheed. Seattle traded for Shaheed before the deadline, and he recorded one catch for three yards in his debut last week.
Regardless of Sunday’s outcome, the Seahawks and Rams are scheduled to meet again in Week 16, a matchup that could carry even greater postseason implications.
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