The Seahawks are starting to push back into the conversation after their 17-3 win over the Arizona Cardinals, and the timing matters. At 5-4, Seattle is still on the outside of the playoff field after Week 9, but the second half of the season gives them a real path to climb in.
Right now, the NFC bracket is crowded at the top and messy everywhere else. The San Francisco 49ers sit at 7-1-0 and lead the NFC West, while the Chicago Bears are 7-2-0, the New York Giants are 5-2-1, and the Carolina Panthers are 3-5-0.
The current wild card spots belong to the Detroit Lions at 6-2-0, the Minnesota Vikings at 6-2-0, and the Green Bay Packers at 6-3-0. Seattle is right behind that group at 5-4-0, with the Los Angeles Rams also sitting at 5-4-0.
The Seahawks are not in the same spot they were a year ago, and they already have more losses this season than they finished with last year. In a tight NFC race, that leaves them looking up for now. But with plenty of football left, they still have a clear opening to move into the top seven and get back to the postseason.
Winning the NFC West is getting tougher by the week. San Francisco is 2.5 games ahead of Seattle and owns the tiebreaker after beating the Seahawks in Week 5 at Lumen Field. That makes a wild card berth the more realistic target, especially with Seattle just one game behind Green Bay for the No. 7 seed.
The NFC North is also shaping the race in a big way. Four teams from that division are sitting in the top seven, and all four are dealing with some of the toughest schedules left because each still has 3-4 divisional games ahead. That kind of setup usually means those teams will take turns beating up on each other, and at least one of them is likely to fall out of the playoff mix.
Since the NFL moved to the 14-team format, all four teams from one division still have not made the postseason. A third-place team has gotten in, though, and the source of that example was the 49ers last year in the NFC West.
Seattle also has to keep an eye on Los Angeles. The Rams are the Seahawks’ biggest competition in the division, especially with two meetings coming in the final three weeks of the season. The Rams just put star wide receiver Puka Nacua on injured reserve, adding another hit to an offense that already lost Davante Adams a few weeks back.
The Seahawks still have to handle their own business, but the path is there. With other contenders dropping in the standings, Seattle’s outlook is looking stronger as the season moves into its second half.
In Other News...
Seahawks Suddenly Have A Bigger Problem Than Just Sundays Opponent
The Seahawks opened the week with more than just a matchup to sort through, as their first injury report ahead of the Raiders brought a mixed bag on both sides of the ball. Backup quarterback Drew Lock is working through elbow and oblique issues, though he is making progress and could be in line to start. On the positive side, Rashid Shaheed was back to full participation, giving Seattle at least one healthy offensive piece as the team begins to settle in for the week.
The bigger concern is up front and on defense, where Quenton Nelson and Charles Cross both sat out because of injuries, while Leonard Williams remained out with a stinger. Derick Hall was limited by a back injury and Uchenna Nwosu was limited with an ankle issue, leaving Seattle with several key names still in question before facing a Raiders team that appears to be trending toward near full strength. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Still Need A Breakout And One Young Player Has Opening
The Seahawks have spent much of this season waiting for one of their younger players to turn promise into production, and injuries around the roster have made that search a little harder. Even so, there are still chances for someone to seize a larger role, especially with the offense looking for another spark beyond the steady work already coming from Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Jadarian Price is one of the names worth watching this week. The rookie running back has an opening to make a real impression against a weak rushing defense, and Seattle could use a breakout from a player still early in his NFL journey. If he can take advantage, it would give the Seahawks another useful piece at a time when they are still trying to identify who can help them most down the stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Pass Rush Has A Chance To Wreck A New Raiders Plan
The Raiders are turning the page to rookie quarterback Fernando Mendoza after moving on from Kirk Cousins, and that gives Seattles defense a fresh target heading into the matchup. Byron Murphy II and Mike Macdonald both sounded confident the Seahawks can make life difficult for Mendoza in his first NFL start, which is exactly the kind of test Seattles front likes to present when a young passer is thrown into the fire.
Klint Kubiak has already praised Mendozas preparation, but the Seahawks will be trying to turn a well-studied week into a long afternoon once the game starts. For Seattle, the bigger question is whether that pass rush can do more than just hurry a rookie - whether it can disrupt the Raiders new plan before it has a chance to settle in. [Read more 🡒]