Seattle Seahawks Playoff Scenarios: Team Could Still Clinch Top Playoff Spot, Miss Postseason Entirely


Seattle Seahawks playoff scenarios reveal that the team could still clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC Playoffs. It’s also still possible for the Seahawks to completely miss the postseason. As the updated NFL standings show, the Seahawks hold first place in the NFC West with an 8-4-1 record. One win by the Seahawks or one loss by the Arizona Cardinals (5-7-1) will clinch a divisional title and a home game in the postseason. That’s the easiest route back to the playoffs for the team.

In a best-case scenario, the Seahawks could still clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and with it, they will secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Dallas Cowboys (11-2) hold the top seed, while the Detroit Lions (9-4) are currently in the second spot. In a scenario where the Seahawks win three games, the Lions lose two games, and the Cowboys lose three games to finish out the season, the Seahawks wind up as the leading team in the conference. In that situation, the standings would appear as depicted below.

Potential NFL Playoff Standings

1. Seattle Seahawks (11-4-1)
2. Detroit Lions (11-5)
3. Dallas Cowboys (11-5)

[Image by Jim Rogash/Getty Images]

There is also a worst-case scenario for the Seattle Seahawks playoff scenarios, as the team could potentially miss the postseason. In Week 6 of the NFL schedule, the Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals tied 6-6 in an ugly game for the offenses. This means that the head-to-head game on December 24 will determine the tiebreaker between the two teams. If the Seahawks lose their final three games and the Cardinals win their final three games, then Russell Wilson and Pete Carroll will watch the playoffs from their couches. Below is an example of how those standings would look.

Potential NFC West Standings

1. Arizona Cardinals (8-7-1)*
2. Seattle Seahawks (8-7-1)

*Would own tiebreaker.

A lot is on the line when the Seattle Seahawks host the Los Angeles Rams for Thursday night football (December 15). Although it’s a short week for both teams, it would also appear that the Seahawks have an advantage after the Rams fired veteran head coach Jeff Fisher. Fisher was fired on Monday (December 12) after the Rams lost a fourth-straight game. It dropped the team to 4-9 on the season and guaranteed another sub-.500 finish for the franchise. This all comes after the Rams and Fisher had agreed to a contract extension to keep him in place for several more years.

Additional Seattle Seahawks playoff scenarios revolve around moving back into the No. 2 slot and gaining a first-round bye in the 2017 NFL Playoffs. The Seahawks now trail the Detroit Lions by half a game in the NFL playoff standings after a rough loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 14. It means the Seahawks need to win at least one more game than the Lions down the stretch. The Lions finish with games against the New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys, and Packers, presenting what could be one of the toughest schedules in the league for the final three weeks of the regular season.

[Image by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images]

The Seahawks have three games against the NFC West to wrap up the regular season, with those games coming on December 15 against the Los Angeles Rams, December 24 against the Arizona Cardinals, and January 1 against the San Francisco 49ers. It is very likely that winning all three games will find Seattle with the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye in the 2017 NFL Playoffs. This also guarantees at least one playoff game takes place at CenturyLink Field, putting the team in a good position to make the NFC Championship Game again.

The Seattle Seahawks playoff scenarios all hinge on what takes place Thursday night against the Rams. This raises the stakes in a short week, with head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Russell Wilson needing to get the team to play consistently and impressively on national television.

[Featured Image by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images]

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