The Seattle Seahawks currently sit at 6-5 with at least three extremely difficult matchups ahead of them. And we also should not forget the Week 17 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh is 7-4 but with a very good defense, though their defense struggles.
Part of Seattle's struggles in the last four games, in which time they have gone 1-3, is that they are so inconsistent. The offense might be decent in the first half and then trash in the second half. The defense might give up an early score and then tighten some in the second half. All these things simply go toward making the games more frustrating to watch, of course.
None of the next three teams Seattle faces has any issues with being inconsistent. Plus, the Seahawks play the Cowboys in Dallas where Dallas has won each game this season by at least 20 points. Then Seattle travels to San Francisco to play the 49ers, a team that just walloped them in Week 12.
What will happen in the Seattle Seahawks final six games of the season?
At least in Week 15, the Seahawks get to play the Philadelphia Eagles at Lumen Field, but the Eagles have only lost one game this season. Let us hope things are not overly ugly for Seattle in its next three games, but we have nothing to support any evidence that the opposite will be true. Being happily surprised would be nice, however.
So how will Seattle finish and how will each game go? Here are a few guesses. Though I hope I am wrong on many of them. Heck, maybe there will be seven or eight games left as Seattle will make the playoffs and win a game or two there.
Week 13 - Seahawks travel to play the Cowboys in Dallas
Just like in Week 12, everything points to this being an ugly game against the Cowboys. The closest any team has come to the Cowboys in Dallas is 20 points which came back in Week 2 when the New York Jets lost 30-10. Dallas is not perfect as they have lost three games and every team they have beaten does not have a winning record.
Dallas is currently first in the NFL in points score per game and is fourth in points allowed. They run the ball well enough (12th in rushing yards per game) and are third in third downs converted. Their strengths line up with Seattle's weaknesses.
Prediction: Cowboys 34 Seahawks 10
Seahawks record: 6-6
Week 14 - Seattle travels to play the 49ers in San Francisco
We all saw what happened in Week 12 when the 49ers defeated Seattle 31-13. The game was such a blowout that there seemed to be some hope when Seattle cut the lead back to 24-13, but that was still a two-score game and was out of reach for Seattle. Simply put, if the 49ers are healthy, they are a better team than Seattle.
My hope is that Seattle can keep the score closer than they have in the last four meetings with the 49ers. Expecting an upset seems foolish, unless San Francisco is simply extremely overconfident. More likely, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will play even better than in Week 12 and San Francisco will once again win comfortably against Seattle.
Prediction: 49ers 30 Seahawks 14
Seahawks record: 6-7
Week 15 - Seattle hosts the Philadelphia Eagles at Lumen Field
The Eagles almost - almost - showed they were mortal against the Buffalo Bills in Week 12. Philadelphia could not get much going running the ball and was struggling to stop Bills quarterback Josh Allen from rushing productively. Allen did finish with four touchdowns total, but the Eagles got a lot better in the fourth quarter.
The Eagles are excellent at in-game adjustments, something Seattle struggles with. With Philadelphia struggling to run, they tried something new and began to run to the left side with some zone blocking. They finished with 185 yards on the ground, and the Eagles outscored the Bills 23-10 in the fourth quarter and overtime combined. I bring all this up because the Bills are better than Seattle so the Eagles are going to have an easier time against the Seahawks.
Prediction: Eagles 37 Seahawks 21
Seahawks record: 6-8
Week 16 - The Seahawks travel to Nashville to play the Tennessee Titans
Finally, Seattle plays a team that isn't one of the five best in the NFL. This game gets a little tricky, though, because Seattle has to travel on Christmas Eve almost fully across the country. Still, unless Seattle has suffered a horrible injury or three, the Seahawks should be good enough to beat the Titans.
Tennessee is currently 27th in points per game (16.8) and their quarterbacks have combined for 9 touchdown passes - third-worst in the league - and 8 interceptions. Tennessee has also allowed the fifth-most sacks in the NFL. As long as the Seahawks can get an early lead and force the Titans to throw, Seattle should escape Nashville with a victory.
Prediction: Seahawks 23 Titans 17
Seahawks record: 7-8
Week 17 - Seattle plays host to the Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers have a terrible offense and yet they are currently 7-4 with a schedule that could allow them to be 10-5 by the time Week 17 comes around. That is because Pittsburgh's defense is really good and has not allowed more than 20 points in any one game since Week 4. Pittsburgh has gone 5-2 since that game, but since Week 4 and through Week 12, Seattle is 3-4.
The Steelers are 31st in passing yards, though, and 16th in rushing yards per game. Pittsburgh does not turn the ball over, however, and with their excellent defense they have been able to win a bunch of close and low-scoring games. The Seahawks are going to have to play a clean game, as well, but Seattle has a lot more individual offensive talent than the Steelers and Seattle should be able to win a low-scoring matchup.
Prediction: Seahawks 14 Steelers 12
Seahawks record: 8-8
Week 18 - The Seahawks travel to play the Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals have gotten quarterback Kyler Murray back since Seattle and Arizona faced off in Week 7. Murray has played the last three weeks and while Arizona did beat a bad Atlanta Falcons team in his return, the Cardinals have lost the last two games. In Week 12, they were blown out by the Los Angeles Rams 37-14.
The Cardinals might be playing for draft position by Week 18. They are currently 2-10 but they still have to play the Steelers, 49ers, and Eagles. They play the Bears ahead of the Eagles so the Cardinals should be 3-13 by the time they face Seattle. Beating the Seahawks would do them no good when having a chance to pick second-highest in 2024 (the Bears are going to get the Panthers' first-round pick in 2024 and the Panthers only have one victory). Plus, Seattle might be playing for a playoff spot.
Prediction: Seahawks 23 Cardinals 20
Seahawks record: 9-8