The Seattle Seahawks have a lot on the line in their Week 16 divisional matchup with the Los Angeles Rams. With a win, the Seahawks could clinch the NFL Playoffs for the first time since 2022.
Despite going 10-7 in year one under Mike Macdonald, Seattle missed the playoffs in 2024. They narrowly missed the cut by losing the tiebreaker to the Rams by the narrowest of margins.
The Seahawks have a chance to right that wrong in Week 16, NFL insider Tom Pelissero pointed out.
Nine teams can clinch playoff spots this week — and the Broncos can clinch the AFC’s No. 1 seed. pic.twitter.com/eDdL8mXK5m
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 16, 2025
The Seahawks are once again in lockstep with the Rams, who became the first NFC team to clinch the playoffs in Week 15. Seattle and Los Angeles are currently tied for first in the NFC West with identical 11-3 records.
With a win, the Seahawks would take sole possession of first in the division. They would also take control of the NFC's No. 1 seed with just two more games remaining in the regular season.
The teams have already met once in 2025, with the Rams taking a 21-19 victory in Week 11. That game is the only loss of the Seahawks' current 8-1 run. Seattle now gets its home game in the matchup with the entire conference on the line.
Seattle can also clinch the playoffs if the Detroit Lions lose to or tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 8-6 Lions are currently on the outskirts and functionally need to win out to have any hope of earning a Wild Card bid.
The Seahawks are likely to make the playoffs regardless, but the Week 16 result can swing them from the No. 1 seed to as low as a bottom-seed Wild Card team. Seattle's clinching the playoffs would be the first of Macdonald's head coaching career.
Seattle has only beaten the Rams once in the last five meetings between the teams. However, four of the last five games in the series have been decided by one score.
