This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/seahawks/onsi as Seattle Seahawks defense is special, and DeMarcus Lawrence knows why. When the Seattle Seahawks first signed former Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, the initial reviews were awful.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford talks preparing for likely rainy game Thursday night at Seattle and what he's seen from the Seahawks' defense since the two teams first faced each other this season.

The Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams will play a potentially fate-deciding contest on Thursday Night Football in Week 16. The winner will take sole control of the NFC West division. They'll also possess the inside track on claiming the NFC's No. 1 seed, which comes with a first-round postseason bye and homefield advantage.

The Seahawks have a defense that is firing on all cylinders, having yielded only nine points over its last two games, both lopsided wins for Seattle.

Seattle will face another tough running back for the second week in a row when they face the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

With Sunday's injury to the Colts' Daniel Jones, the Seattle Seahawks' defense will now face three rookie QBs in a four-week span.

Expert Larry Hartstein reveals picks, predictions, analysis for Rams vs. Seahawks on 'Thursday Night Football'

The Rams and Seahawks each rank in the top 6 all-time for their DVOA rating this year, making Thursday's game one of epic proportions.