The Seattle Seahawks may be defending Super Bowl champions, but ESPN’s latest projection says they won’t be the team standing atop the NFC West when this season is over.
Seth Walder’s forecast has Seattle finishing tied for second in the division at 12-5, a strong mark that still leaves the Seahawks behind the San Francisco 49ers. ESPN projects San Francisco to win the NFC West at 13-4, while Seattle is grouped with the Los Angeles Rams.
That setup makes the division race look brutal. The 49ers are out to a 3-0 start and are one of the NFL’s few undefeated teams.
The Rams, meanwhile, have stumbled to 1-2 despite building what had been viewed as a juggernaut in the previous offseason. Even with those different starts, all three teams are being treated as Super Bowl contenders, and the NFC West is shaping up as one of the league’s toughest battles.
For Seattle, the projected 12-5 finish would still mean a strong regular season and a secure spot in the playoff mix. The Seahawks are 2-1 now, and with more elite opponents ahead - starting with the Week 4 slate - every game is going to matter in the fight for postseason positioning.
Walder’s projection doesn’t suggest Seattle is fading. It suggests the Seahawks are still very much in the hunt, just not quite in front of the 49ers. And with the Seahawks, 49ers and Rams all expected to post impressive records, the NFC West could wind up rivaling the NFC North and AFC West as the tightest division race in football.
For Seattle, though, the bigger target is clear: turn that projection into another Super Bowl run.
In Other News...
Ernest Jones Sent A Clear Message After Seattles First Loss
The Seahawks first loss of the season did more than end a 12-game winning streak, it also sharpened the focus on how this team handles the next turn. Ernest Jones pointed to execution as the issue after the setback, a familiar refrain for a defense that has spent most of the season carrying the expectation that Seattle can answer anything with steadiness and composure.
For a team still very much in the mix, Jones comments served as a reminder that the response matters as much as the result. Seattle has built its run on resilience, and after a game that snapped the streak, the real test is whether that confidence shows up quickly or gives way to a longer slide. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Rookie Picture Just Got More Concerning After Week 3
The Seahawks rookie class got a harsher spotlight in the wake of the Week 3 loss to Washington, and not every first-year player came away looking the same. Guard Beau Stephens continued to show promise while splitting snaps at right guard, a small but meaningful sign that Seattle may have found a young lineman it can keep developing as the season moves along.
Elsewhere, the picture was less encouraging. Running back Jadarian Price had a rough outing, highlighted by a fumble that cut into his playing time, and the teams roster shuffling only adds to the uncertainty around the group. Seattle brought back defensive tackle Uso Seumalo and moved guard Anthony Bradford to injured reserve, while injuries at safety have further thinned the available options, leaving the rookie pipeline under a little more pressure than the Seahawks likely wanted this early. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Loss Reopened A Roster Debate Fans Wont Ignore
The Seahawks loss to Washington did more than add another mark in the standings. It pushed a few familiar roster questions back into the spotlight, especially the ones that have been hanging around the edges of the season for weeks. Special teams has been one area of concern, and the decision to move on from Cody White keeps looking more consequential when that unit struggles to find steady footing.
Up front, the right guard spot is still in flux, with Christian Haynes and Beau Stephens continuing to share the conversation rather than settle it. And while Rashid Shaheed brings a different kind of speed to the offense, the fit still invites debate when the line is not holding up and injuries keep shaping the weekly picture. The Seahawks can point to the moving parts as context, but the larger issue is whether the roster as built is giving them enough stability where they need it most. [Read more 🡒]