Despite a win over the Arizona Cardinals, the Seattle Seahawks didn’t gain any breathing room in the NFC West. They moved to 5-4 and 2-1 in the division, but the rest of the race tightened right alongside them as every other team in the division also handled business.
That leaves the Seahawks in a tricky spot midway through the season. They’re still alive in the division chase, but there’s no cushion left. If they want to make a move, they’ll have to string wins together soon.
The Cardinals sit at the bottom of these rankings at 3-6, but they’ve been more competitive than their record suggests. Even in defeat, they’ve shown enough fight to avoid looking like a hopeless team.
They’re not winning enough, and it may take some time before they fully straighten things out, but they are building a solid culture in the desert. Technically, they’re still in the playoff race, though it’s hard to picture them finishing with more wins than losses from here.
The Los Angeles Rams have climbed back into form at 5-4, and getting Myles Garrett back on the field has clearly mattered for their defense. They remain the kind of team nobody wants to see when they’re healthy enough to function.
At the same time, the injury situation on offense is a real concern. Puka Nacua’s absence looms large because the passing game has leaned heavily on him, and with Davante Adams also out, the rest of the division may have a window to catch them.
Seattle comes in at No. 2, and this was another week where the Seahawks found a way without Darnold. Drew Lock stepped in again and delivered when they needed him most.
There’s still plenty that needs cleaning up, and Brian Fleury’s play-calling has to get better, but the defense remains a major strength. Quenton Nelson’s eventual return should also help the running game.
There are fair concerns about the quarterback situation, and the Seahawks have not exactly lived up to expectations this year. Still, they’ve been competitive in most of their losses, with the Chicago Bears game standing out as the exception.
With three NFC West games still ahead and a 2-1 division mark in hand, they’re not out of the picture by any means. They just can’t afford another slip.
At the top, the San Francisco 49ers keep making the case that they’re the team to beat. At 7-1, they own the best record in the league, and even a comfortable win over Klint Kubiak and the Las Vegas Raiders came while they were missing multiple major offensive pieces.
Kyle Shanahan’s group still has a habit of making life harder than it needs to be, but the results are impossible to ignore. That Week 12 rematch could end up shaping the season for both teams.
In Other News...
Seahawks May Be Forcing A Receiver Move They Do Not Need
The Seahawks are still poking around for receiver help, but the search says as much about the roster as it does about the market. Seattle is reportedly looking for a pass catcher who can complement Jaxon Smith-Njigba, ideally someone with a different skill set and a contract that fits a tight cap situation. Adonai Mitchell, Quentin Johnston and DeVaughn Vele have all come up as possible trade targets, which tells you the front office is at least canvassing options even if nothing is close.
Still, there is a fair amount of skepticism around whether Seattle actually needs to force the issue. The offense already leans in a certain direction, and the current receiver room has enough pieces to make a move feel more like a luxury than a necessity. With limited cap space shaping the conversation, the bigger question may be whether the Seahawks can find a deal that makes enough sense to justify changing the mix at all. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Suddenly Catch A Huge Break In Week 10
A late quarterback shakeup in Las Vegas has given Seattle a very different look at its Week 10 opponent. The Raiders sent Kirk Cousins to Minnesota shortly before the trade deadline, and with the move came a clear shift toward rookie Fernando Mendoza taking over as the starter for the rest of the season.
For the Seahawks, the change has already rippled into the betting market ahead of the matchup. Any time a team is preparing for a rookie quarterback instead of a veteran, the preparation changes a little, and Seattle now gets a chance to study a new face under center as it builds toward a game that suddenly feels more favorable. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Face A Deadline Choice That Could Split Fans
The Seahawks already made one notable move by bringing in Quenton Nelson, but the bigger roster questions may not come until the 2026 NFL trade deadline. With the front office still weighing how aggressive to be, the conversation has turned to whether Seattle should keep adding around its core or use the market to reshape the roster in a bigger way.
Among the possibilities being floated are a quarterback swap that would send Sam Darnold to the Vikings for draft capital, along with potential help on defense and at tight end. Jermaine Johnson and Dallas Goedert have both surfaced as names to watch, but for now those ideas remain just that, which leaves Seattle fans debating whether the team should chase immediate upgrades or preserve flexibility for whatever comes next. [Read more 🡒]