Grey Zabel calls out Rams as his current “kryptonite” NFC West matchup

What it comes down to is a rivalry answer. In a July 15, 2026 piece, Grey Zabel pointed to the Los Angeles Rams as the NFC West opponent that, right now, poses the biggest matchup problem for him. Zabel framed it in the language of a recurring weakness, saying the Rams are his “kryptonite” in the division.

The backdrop for that kind of frustration is the Seahawks-Rams history, a rivalry that has been a staple of the NFC West for years. In the same report, Yahoo Sports noted that the matchup “amped up” last season, suggesting the competitive edge between the two teams felt sharper than it had in prior stretches.

Even without detailing specific plays or a single game, that sort of comment matters because it indicates how a rival can become the organizing theme for preparation. When a respected observer identifies one opponent as the recurring headache, it often reflects that the film study tends to be consistent in what it challenges: how the Rams attack and how they force adjustments, and how the Seahawks respond under pressure within the same division rhythm.

For Seattle, the NFL never treats division games as mere routine. NFC West contests carry extra weight because they shape tiebreaker paths and playoff picture math across the same set of opponents. That is especially true in a division where teams can swing quickly from week to week, making late-season head-to-head results feel like they arrive with more consequence than their date on the calendar implies.

For Los Angeles, the Rams’ ability to draw that kind of characterization from someone focused on matchups is also a form of confirmation. The league’s staff and players spend an enormous amount of time trying to find repeatable solutions, and consistent difficulty for an opposing program tends to highlight identity. In this case, the Rams are being singled out not just as a good team, but as a particularly troublesome one for the person asked to name his present-day kryptonite.

The key caveat is that Zabel’s remark is an opinion about a matchup, not a statistical verdict. Without specific supporting data in the published text, the appropriate takeaway is directional: when a rivalry tips into a more emotionally charged or tactically uncomfortable zone, it becomes a storyline that follows both teams through the offseason and into their next round of division meetings.

What to watch next is whether that “kryptonite” perception shows up in how the teams structure their matchups when they play again, and whether public discussion from within both organizations continues to treat the Rams as the opponent that most tests the Seahawks’ week-to-week game plan in the NFC West. In the division, those perceptions often become self-reinforcing as teams adjust, counter-adjust, and look for any advantage that turns into a swing in the standings.