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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 29: Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams reacts against the Atlanta Falcons during the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 29, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The Seattle Seahawks are having their best season since 2014. They have already secured 13 wins and lead the NFL with a +181-point differential.
It would not be hyperbolic to say they are the best team in the league.
And yet…
There is a decent chance the Seahawks end up as a wild card team. All it would take is a loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night. Both teams would finish the year 13-4, and due to tiebreakers, Seattle would be a wild card team, and San Francisco would win the NFC West.
It’s a weird situation, but the Los Angeles Rams‘ 27-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on ‘Monday Night Football’ did provide some clarity to the Seahawks.
Rams MNF Loss Means Seahawks Avoid the Six Seed
Not many expected the Falcons to throw a wrench into the NFC playoff picture by beating the Rams on ‘Monday Night Football’. Probably not many Atlanta fans expected anything good after their disappointing season.
But Bijan Robinson and Jessie Bates III had other plans.
The Falcons built a 21-0 lead in the first half over Los Angeles, then held on for dear life as Matt Stafford and company clawed back to tie the game at 24-24 with just under three minutes remaining.
The comeback was all for naught, though, as Atlanta mustered just enough offense to set up Zane Gonzalez for a 51-yard field goal with 21 seconds to go. That ended up being the deciding score for the Falcons.
So why does this matter for the Seahawks?
The Rams loss means that Seattle avoids the No. 6 seed in the NFC playoffs no matter what happens in its game against the 49ers.
If the Seahawks win, they will finish 14-3 and clinch the top seed in the NFC and the bye. If they lose, they will be the No. 5 seed and play the winner of the NFC South in the Wild Card round.
Breer’s X post is mostly correct, except San Francisco can still wind up as the No. 6 seed if it loses and LA beats the Arizona Cardinals in Week 18.
Simple enough?
You can game it out in the ESPN playoff machine to see how it works.
Seahawks Avoiding the Six Seed Is Advantageous
Obviously, no Seahawks player, coach, or fan wants them to be a wild card team. Losing to the 49ers in Week 18 would put a sour note on the end of the season.
But if a loss were to happen, getting the No. 5 seed is much, much better than getting the No. 6 seed.
It is all about the potential opponent in the Wild Card round. The NFC No. 5 seed plays the winner of the NFC South. That will either be the mediocre Carolina Panthers or the fading Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Not exactly the most threatening competition.
Meanwhile, the No. 6 seed in the NFC will play either the Philadelphia Eagles or the Chicago Bears. Philadelphia and Chicago are simply better teams that play in tougher environments with worse weather. If the Eagles and Bears both win on Sunday, then Philly would be the No. 3 seed at 12-5 since it lost to Chicago earlier in the year.
Ask yourself, Seahawks fans? Would you want a 13-win Seahawks team playing in Philadelphia against the defending Super Bowl champs in the first round of the playoffs?
That would be a huge challenge in the first round of the playoffs, and the Eagles defense is playing well enough to beat anyone in a given game. And no matter what you think of Philadelphia, it is much scarier than the NFC South winner or the bye week.
But thanks to the Rams blowing it against the Falcons, that matchup is now impossible. Seattle will either get a first-round bye, or travel to the East Coast for a rematch against the Panthers or Buccaneers.
Mark Harris Mark Harris is a sportswriter at Heavy. He graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in sports journalism and has spent the last seven years in sports media. Outside of work, Mark enjoys spending time with family, hiking, skiing, and watching sports. You can find Mark on Twitter/X at @Harris_Mark7. More about Mark Harris
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