Well, well, well. Isn't this a pleasant surprise for the Seattle Seahawks? Coming into the season, fans had relatively low expectations for this team. After trading away Geno Smith and acquiring Sam Darnold, many did not believe in this team. While they were expected to be a playoff team, they weren't supposed to be any more than that.
Yet here we are. With just two games left in their schedule, the Seahawks have taken the first seed in the NFC with a scintillating win over the Los Angeles Rams. Seattle has not only clinched a playoff spot, but they have a chance to earn a first-round bye in the 2026 NFL playoffs.
It's too early to celebrate, though. As this season has proven time and time again, wins are hardly ever guaranteed in the NFL. While extreme pessisism is not good, it's worth looking at the worst possible scenario for a team. Let's look at what nightmare scenario the Seahawks need to avoid as the playoffs approach.
Seahawks nightmare Round 1 matchup: Philadelphia Eagles
First off, the true worst-case scenario for the Seahawks is off the table: they cannot be eliminated from the playoff race at this point. At twelve wins this season, the worst thing that could happen to this team is for them to become a Wild Card team.
Let's start from there, then. Say the Seahawks drop their next two games and lose control of the NFC West. Seattle would still be a post-season team, but they will now be playing on the road and will have to take on one of the division leaders in the Wild Card round. That's obviously less than ideal, especially since the alternative is simply coasting through the first round with the bye.
The real worst-case scenario for the Seahawks is if they face the Rams in the Wild Card round. Even though they split the season series against each other, it's clear that something about LA bothers Seattle. They lost convincingly in the first round and had to manufacture a 16-point comeback in the other one to win the game.
That being said, it's unlikely that the Seahawks and Rams face each other in the first round: PlayoffStatus.com gives Seattle a less than 1% chance of facing LA in the Wild Card. Should they fall off the first seed, their most likely opponent will be the Philadelphia Eagles. That's also the team that they do not want to face in the first round.
Why Seahawks shouldn't face Eagles in Wild Card round
Even after his breakout campaign last season, Sam Darnold has had one key weakness. When the pressure is on, the Seahawks quarterback begins to struggle. It's one of the many concerns about Darnold when he signed with Seattle this offseason. Smith seemingly struggled under this offensive line last season, getting pressured in most of his dropbacks.
This season, the Seahawks have done a good job protecting Darnold. Sharp Football Analysis has the Seahawks as the fifth-best offensive line in terms of pressures allowed at 32.8%. That being said, the Eagles are one of the best teams in generating pressure: SFA has the Eagles defensive line pressuring opposing QBs 40.4% of the time, the sixth-best in the league.
The Eagles have been dysfunctional this season, yes. However, we must remember that this team is the reigning Super Bowl champions for a reason. They still have a ton of talent on offense that could pose an issue for their middling passing defense (209.1 passing yards allowed, 15th in the league). The Seahawks are great, but the Eagles have a relentless pass rush and one of the best defensive minds in Vic Fangio calling their defense. It's for these reasons why Seattle shouldn't want to see Philly anytime soon.
