This is an important game in the quest for home field advantage. It's an important game in winning the NFC West, as the Rams won today and still own the tiebreaker. It's most important to me, at least, in that it's another game in which the Seahawks can show that they are a good team or a bad team.
Seattle is banged up. Brandon Mebane is missing from the defensive line. Tom Cable coaches a nasty, tough and underrated offensive line. The Raiders are a run first offense, and stopping the run should help the pass defense. Walter Thurmond and Kelly Jennings are also inactive, and that thrusts Roy Lewis into his first professional start. If Seattle can smother the run and force favorable down and distance, it can blitz and protect Lewis. If the Raiders run at will, favorable down and distance and play action could expose the young corner. Whatever the down, watch out for the screen game.
I don't know what to expect from the Seahawks offense. This should be a game where they can shoulder the burden and push Seattle over the top. We shall see.
SEA!