Drew Lock is Darnold's backup in Seattle. The former Broncos second-round pick is in his third season with the Seahawks and the first year of a second stint. Lock spent last year with the New York Giants as Daniel Jones' backup quarterback before re-signing with the Seahawks in the offseason.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are reeling after giving up a 14-point fourth-quarter lead to the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night to drop a second straight game within the division.

The Los Angeles Rams, led by quarterback Matthew Stafford, face the Seattle Seahawks, led by quarterback Sam Darnold, on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 (12/18/25) in a Thursday Night Football showdown at Lumen Field in Seattle,

On top of that, as the season has gone on, most rankings have placed the Seahawks and Rams as the two best teams in the NFL, in some order. It’s arguable that this is the best game of the entire NFL regular season, unless that title went to the first meeting between the teams.

Before the season, the Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans were clear favorites to win their respective divisions. It hasn't played out that way. The Texans are 5-5, in third place of the AFC South and three games behind the first-place Indianapolis Colts.

The NFL season continues Week 17 when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Denver Broncos on Christmas Day. Start time, how to watch, stream and TV schedule.

It's not a great matchup for Thursday night, though it has playoff implications for the Buccaneers and perhaps some future ramifications for the Falcons. It's the type of game that probably should have been flexed out of prime time, though the NFL had its best intentions when it scheduled it in May.