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Seahawks playoff picture: Updated NFL scenarios for Seattle to clinch NFC West, No. 1 seed originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Seattle Seahawks are getting close to earning their first NFC West division title in five years. Coach Mike Macdonald, who saw his team miss the playoffs in 2024 at 10-7, knows his team already will be making the playoffs coming out of the 2025 NFL season.
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The Seahawks (13-3) have clinched at least the top wild-card spot going into Week 18. But they’re aiming for bigger things: the top seed in the conference that comes with a bye into the divisional playoffs and home-field advantage. Here’s a look at Seattle’s updated outlook ahead of Saturday night’s big game at San Francisco (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC):
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Here's a look at the current potential initial matchups for this year's playoffs:
When the Seahawks take the field at Levi's Stadium, also home of Super Bowl 60, they know they're in the driver's seat in the NFC with the matchups for now looking like this:
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No. 1 Seattle Seahawks (13-3) vs. lowest remaining seed in divisional playoffs
No. 2 Chicago Bears (11-5) vs. No. 7 Green Bay Packers (9-6-1)
No. 3 Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) vs. No. 6 Los Angeles Rams
No. 4 Carolina Panthers (8-8) vs. No. 5 San Francisco 49ers (12-4)
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Seahawks playoff picture
The Seahawks hold the No. 1 seed in the NFC, a game ahead of the 49ers for conference's best record and NFC West title. Their record matches the top AFC teams, the Broncos (13-3) and Patriots (13-3) going into Week 18.
Seed | Team | Record |
1 | Seattle Seahawks* | 13-3 |
2 | Chicago Bears* | 11-5 |
3 | Philadelphia Eagles* | 11-5 |
4 | Carolina Panthers | 8-8 |
5 | San Francisco 49ers* | 12-4 |
6 | Los Angeles Rams* | 11-5 |
7 | Green Bay Packers* | 9-6-1 |
8 | Minnesota Vikings - eliminated | 8-8 |
9 | Detroit Lions - eliminated | 8-8 |
10 | Dallas Cowboys - eliminated | 7-8-1 |
11 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 7-9 |
12 | Atlanta Falcons - eliminated | 7-9 |
13 | New Orleans Saints - eliminated | 6-10 |
14 | Washington Commanders - eliminated | 4-12 |
15 | Arizona Cardinals - eliminated | 3-13 |
16 | New York Giants - eliminated | 3-13 |
*=clinched playoff spot
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NFC West standings
The NFC West has three dominant teams in the conference, a rarity to have a division leader and two clinched wild cards with 36 combined victories going into Week 18:
Rank | Team | Record |
1 | Seattle Seahawks | 13-3 |
2 | San Francisco 49ers | 12-4 |
3 | Los Angeles Rams | 11-5 |
4 | Arizona Cardinals - eliminated | 3-13 |
Seahawks clinching scenarios
The Seahawks have a simple path to locking down the No. 1 seed. They can either beat the 49ers to improve to 14-3, with the 49ers dropping two games behind at 12-5. They also can tie the 49ers to improve to 13-3-1, still winning the division vs. 12-4-1 49ers.
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The Seahawks, however, would drop all the way down to the No. 5 seed with a loss at San Francisco. In the case, the Seahawks and 49ers both would be 13-4, but the 49ers would have the head-to-head tiebreaker from a season sweeping, having also won in Week 1 at Seattle.
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