X vs. O: Breaking down Week 9's most intriguing tactical matchups

Here's a look at the key tactical matchups that will go a long way toward determining the outcomes of three Week 9 contests.

Rams' defense vs. Saints' offense

Can the Saints' O-line fend off Dante Fowler and Aaron Donald?

The Los Angeles Rams made a plethora of moves this offseason in the pursuit of a deep playoff run. The majority of their significant additions came on defense, where Marcus Peters, Ndamukong Suh, and Aqib Talib were brought in to play alongside an already talented unit led by Donald.

But injuries have stopped the Rams' defense from being as stellar as the organization hoped it would be. While it ranks among the top-10 teams in scoring defense, giving up an average of just 19.4 points per game, it needed a boost to a pass rush that had notched just 17 sacks on the season - ranking it squarely in the middle of the pack.

Enter Fowler. The former first-round pick found himself on the outs in Jacksonville after the Jaguars drafted Taven Bryan in the spring.

Making matters tougher on opposing passers is the thought of pairing Fowler on the outside with a player such as Donald (highlighted), who can do things like this on the inside:

But as everyone knows, getting after Drew Brees is a stiff challenge. Brees remains the second-quickest passer in the league, getting the football out of his hands an average of 2.55 seconds after the snap. We've also seen Brees' ability to extend plays - and drives - with strength and athleticism, traits that played a big role in the Saints' comeback victory over the Baltimore Ravens.

The matchup between this talented Rams defense and Brees and Co. is a fascinating one, and whether Fowler can contribute quickly enough is an enthralling subplot.

Chargers' defense vs. Seahawks' offense

Will Russell Wilson punish the Chargers' secondary?

Don't look now, but the Seattle Seahawks are surging.

After starting the season 0-2, the Seahawks have improved to 4-3, with their one blemish coming at the hands of the Rams. As you might expect, a big reason for Seattle's recent success has been the play of Wilson. He has been nearly perfect during this stretch, throwing 11 touchdowns with just one interception, while completing 79 of 113 passes (69.9 percent) for 1,032 yards.

Schematically, the Seahawks have been effective when running play-action passing plays. Against the Oakland Raiders a few weeks ago in London, the Seahawks turned to a play-action design working off a split-zone blocking scheme, and got Wilson outside the pocket to his right for a quick and easy throw to pick up a first down:

In their most recent game against the Detroit Lions, the Seahawks got into the end zone on a throw from Wilson to Tyler Lockett on a similar design. Of note is how the Seahawks design the play to ensure Wilson gets to the outside cleanly, using a wide receiver as an extra blocker to help secure the edge for the quarterback:

This is the challenge facing the Los Angeles Chargers this weekend. While the Chargers have enjoyed a great start to 2018, mobile quarterbacks have given them a bit of trouble - most recently, Marcus Mariota two weeks ago in London.

Packers' defense vs. Patriots' offense

Can the Packers' beleaguered D tame Tom Brady at Foxboro?

It's easy to fall into the trap and term this game a showdown between Aaron Rodgers and Brady, but the true matchup is between a diverse New England Patriots offense and an athletic Green Bay Packers defense.

Prior to last week's hiccup against the Buffalo Bills, the Patriots' offense was on a roll. In the four previous games, it had scored 38, 38, 43, and 38 points, respectively. A reason for this recent outburst was the play of running back James White, who is a matchup nightmare out of the backfield as a receiver. White caught four touchdown passes during that four-week stretch, including two against the Chicago Bears. What makes him so dangerous is his ability in open space, particularly when matched up against linebackers. That helped White (highlighted) get into the end zone on this play against Bears outside linebacker Leonard Floyd:

It also helped him convert a pivotal third down for New England last week when he was able to beat Bills outside linebacker Julian Stanford:

However, White might not see as many favorable matchups Sunday night. On a recent episode of the "Locked On Patriots" podcast, "Locked on Packers" host Peter Bukowski outlined how the Packers have been relying on more dime or dollar packages on defense, aligning with six or seven defensive backs. Here is a look at how that works in the Green Bay defense:

Here, the Packers come out with a 3-2-6 dime defense, putting safety Jermaine Whitehead down in a linebacker's alignment. The coverage downfield is great and Rams quarterback Jared Goff has nowhere to go with the football, forcing him to throw it away.

These packages dare an offense to run the ball and look to equalize the footing in the passing game. The Patriots' offense thrives on getting favorable matchups in the passing game for players like White and Rob Gronkowski. The Packers, and their dime and dollar defensive schemes, might flip that script. What remains to be seen, however, is how the recent trade of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix changes Green Bay's defensive plans, if at all.

Mark Schofield writes NFL feature content for theScore. After nearly a decade of practicing law in the Washington, D.C., area Mark changed careers and started writing about football. Drawing upon more than a decade of playing quarterback, including at the collegiate level, Mark focuses his work on quarterback evaluation and offensive scheme analysis. He lives in Maryland with his wife and two children. Find him on Twitter @MarkSchofield.