Every Seahawks fan came into 2026 with a different set of expectations after the Super Bowl win, but the first six games have not matched most of them. Seattle is sitting at 3-3, and the losses have come against teams that were dealing with major injury issues. That wasn’t the script.
Still, the NFC may be doing the Seahawks a favor.
The biggest reason is how thin the conference looks outside a few pockets. Two divisions in particular - the NFC East and NFC South - could end up with just one playoff-caliber team between them. They will each send at least two teams to the postseason, but both divisions look like long shots to produce a true wild card threat.
The East is especially murky. There is no clear favorite, and it is starting to look like the division winner could finish with a losing record. If that happens, the whole division would be underwater, which would make it hard for anyone else there to climb into the playoff field.
The South is not much cleaner. The Carolina Panthers might be decent, though there’s reason to doubt it, and the rest of the division has looked badly flawed so far.
The NFC North is much more competitive. The Vikings are 5-0 despite having one of the league’s worst offenses, which makes their start both real and a little shaky. The Packers have turned things around after a rough opening stretch, but questions remain about their offensive line and run defense.
Then there are the Bears and Lions, who look similar in one important way: both have offense, and both are still searching for enough defense to match it. Chicago has a chance to get better on that side of the ball and has shown some signs of progress lately. Detroit, meanwhile, has a soft schedule that could carry it to a strong record even if it continues to struggle against good offenses.
The NFC West is where the picture gets really interesting for Seattle. The Rams have fallen apart through the first third of the season and have to be viewed as a bad team right now.
They can still improve, but their remaining schedule has plenty of trouble spots. If Los Angeles doesn’t end up as a wild card team, and the Cardinals don’t either, there may not be anyone else left in the race.
That’s why the path still exists for Seattle, even if you give the division to the 49ers and assume the Seahawks keep stumbling. A 10-7 finish - or even 9-8 - could still be enough. The NFC North is going to beat itself up, which makes it hard to imagine all four teams from that group getting in.
And if Seattle does sneak in, nobody is going to want to see this team in January, whether it’s as a division winner or a wild card.
In Other News...
Seahawks Suddenly Have A Tight End Problem They Can't Ignore
Elijah Arroyos shoulder injury has pushed the Seahawks into a spot they cant really gloss over at tight end, especially with the severity still being sorted out after the recent game. Seattle moved quickly by signing veteran Josiah Deguara to the practice squad, a clear sign the team wanted another body in the room while it waits for a better read on Arroyos timeline.
The timing makes the situation more delicate because the Seahawks are also waiting on another key offensive update in running back Zach Charbonnet, who has been sidelined with an ACL injury. Even if Arroyos absence turns out to be manageable, Seattle is suddenly navigating depth concerns at multiple spots, and what happens next at tight end could shape how the offense handles the next stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Defense Has One Frustrating Flaw Fans Can't Ignore
The Seahawks have spent enough time around the top of the league conversation defensively to know where the frustration is coming from. But the red-zone numbers have become impossible to overlook, with Seattle allowing touchdowns on 75% of opponents' red-zone drives this season, a sharp drop from last year's 50%. In the overtime loss to Denver, that issue surfaced again when the Broncos finished both of their red-zone chances with touchdowns, leaving Seattle to chase the game in a spot where its defense has usually been expected to hold firm.
Brock Huard added to the criticism after the game, pointing to specific plays where the Seahawks failed to keep Denver out of the end zone. For a unit with bigger ambitions, the concern is not just the single loss but the pattern underneath it, one that keeps showing up in the tightest moments and keeps turning strong defensive stretches into costly breakdowns. Until that changes, Seattle's defense will keep inviting the same uncomfortable questions. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Are Taking A Chance On An Overlooked Run Game Fix
The Seahawks added a couple of familiar-looking pieces to the practice squad this week, signing undrafted rookie fullback Jackson Acker and tight end Josiah Deguara. It is the kind of move that usually flies under the radar in midseason, but for a team still looking for answers in the run game, it stands out as more than just roster churn.
Acker brings the sort of size and speed that can matter in short-yardage and in creating cleaner paths for the backs, which is part of why Seattle is taking a look. The broader issue has been the Seahawks' recent rushing struggles, and the team may be hoping this new mix of personnel can give them another option as they map out what the ground game looks like in upcoming games. [Read more 🡒]