The Los Angeles Rams travel to Seattle to face the Seahawks in the NFC Championship game on Sunday. Little do people know, this could be a chess match between two candidates who have interviewed with the Cardinals for their head coaching vacancy.
Let's get into the specifics. It will be L.A. defensive coordinator Chris Shula against Seattle offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
Kubiak, 38, spent 2024 with the New Orleans Saints as their OC, but in the wake of Dennis Allen’s firing, he needed to find a role elsewhere. It’s an understatement to say he’s found the right spot in 2025, as he has been the leader of one of the league’s most prolific offenses. Leading a two-headed monster at running back in Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet, coupled with being able to coach the best wide receiver in the league in Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He has also helped quarterback Sam Darnold build off the success he had in 2024.
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On the other side, Chris Shula leads a Rams’ defense that has an incredibly versatile front seven. Headlined by Jared Verse and Kobie Turner, it is an offensive line’s worst nightmare to face a duo like this. The team also has a trio of defensive backs in Cobie Durant, Emmanuel Forbes, and Quentin Lake.
Seattle is coming off a 41–6 thumping of the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round, while L.A. is coming off a thrilling overtime road victory against the No. 2-seeded Chicago Bears. So both teams are coming off completely different forms of victory, and it
The last time these two division rivals faced off against each other, Seattle won in a thriller after tight end Eric Saubert caught a game-winning two-point conversion in overtime, leading the Seahawks to a 38–37 home win.
A little more is at stake this time around, as the winner will punch their ticket to Super Bowl LX. And on the Cardinals' side of things, the chance to hire the loser’s coordinator as their head coach.
Arizona fans, pay close attention to the game on Sunday.