Even for the Seattle Seahawks, known for their patented abnormal games, Sunday afternoon's game in East Rutherford, New Jersey, was insane. Following a record number of special teams gaffs that dug a 21-7 hole for the Seahawks, the Jets were in scoring position in the second quarter after yet another kickoff muff.
Facing a very possible insurmountable 28-7 deficit, the Seahawks remembered they controlled their own destiny in the NFC West. Defensive lineman and Defensive Player of the Year candidate Leonard Williams turned the direction of the game with a 92-yard pick-six.
Seattle's defense, as well as some clutch offensive moments, didn't blink an eye as they erased a big early deficit to go on a 19-0 run for the Seahawks' seventh win of the season that gave them sole possession of first place in the division. Seattle got some help from the Minnesota Vikings in their comeback win against the Arizona Cardinals, who were tied with Seattle for the division lead.
Seattle Seahawks likely still need some help getting to the playoffs
Arizona fell to 6-6, while the Los Angeles Rams improved to 6-6, and Seattle has a one-game lead in the division. Oh yeah, and the 49ers lost in embarrassing fashion to fall to 5-7.
With only five weeks remaining in the 2024 season, the Seahawks control their own destiny in the NFC West. With a one-game lead over two teams behind them, there's not much room for error, especially with the Rams already owning a head-to-head win over Seattle. However, the bottom line is Seattle won't need any help to win the division as long as they win. But help would be nice.
The Seahawks remaining schedule
Next Sunday, the Seahawks make the short trip down to the desert to face the Cardinals for the second time in three weeks. Last week, Seattle handily defeated Arizona at Lumen Field, 16-6, behind a dominant defensive performance. However, next week, the game will be at the cursed, no-good, evil State Farm Stadium in Glendale. It should be considered a must-win for Seattle, who risks losing the top spot in the division.
After the Arizona trip, Seattle returns home for a huge two-game homestand against NFC North opponents. Luckily, the Seahawks got the Lions game out of the way early, but the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings are both playing excellent football as well. These two consecutive games will be an important indicator on what Seattle is as a team, and if they can win the division.
Starting with Sunday night, December 15, the Seahawks host the currently 9-3 Green Bay Packers, who have a massive game this Thursday night against the Lions. Since it's a Thursday night game this week, Green Bay will have extra rest before their trip to Seattle. The Packers are beatable this season, but it'll take some serious effort from Seattle.
The following Sunday, Seattle stays home to face off against the currently 10-2 Minnesota Vikings, who are shockingly having a fantastic season behind quarterback Sam Darnold. Minnesota has some serious offensive weapons, but their defense has been elite this season. Seattle will need another extraordinary effort to beat Minnesota, even at home.
Seattle has a short week after Minnesota, as they fly to what will inevitably be a freezing Soldier Field right on the coast of Lake Michigan. The Chicago Bears have been a dumpster fire as of late, but rookie quarterback Caleb Williams is starting to play some good football and they will be tough to play on an icy Thursday night the day after Christmas.
To wrap up the season, Seattle heads back West to sunny Los Angeles for likely their most important and consequential game of the season for their final game against the Rams. There's a possibility this game can clinch the NFC West for the Seahawks, but there's also a real possibility this game can knock Seattle out of the playoffs altogether.
Can Seattle get any help?
With this five-game gauntlet coming up for the Seahawks, it genuinely feels like every single game is a must-win. With only a one-game buffer between Seattle and the Cardinals and Rams, dropping one game can flip the division instantly. We know the Seahawks have an incredibly tough schedule remaining, but what about their divisional foes?
The Cardinals, at 6-6, don't exactly have a gauntlet to end the year. They host the Seahawks next week in a game that will determine the NFC West leader, but outside of that, they don't play a single team with a winning record. After Seattle, they play the New England Patriots and the Carolina Panthers, who own a combined 6-19 record. Seattle won't get much help there, but after that, Arizona faces the Rams and the 49ers to close the season, who will hopefully beat up on each other.
The Rams, also sitting at 6-6, don't have as easy of a schedule. On Sunday, they face the red-hot Buffalo Bills. After that, they play the 49ers, the New York Jets, and finally, the Seahawks to close the season. I can count at least one loss for the Rams at the hands of Buffalo, but the remaining three games are all a toss-up.
The lowly Niners fell to 5-7 on Sunday night in snowy Buffalo, and vibes are at an all-time low for San Francisco. The Niners still have the Lions and the Dolphins on their schedule. Their season and Super Bowl window are likely over. To add insult to injury, running back Christian McCaffrey is, in all likelihood, out for the season with another injury suffered in Buffalo.
The realistic dream scenario for Seattle
The Seahawks beat the Cardinals on Sunday. Then they split the homestand against the NFC North duo. Seattle goes into Chicago and sneaks out with a win, then walks into Los Angeles and snaps the losing streak against the Rams. The Seahawks finish the season 11-6.
Elsewhere in the NFC West, the Rams lose to Buffalo this Sunday. As long as the Rams lose that game and the Week 18 game versus Seattle, they are taken care of. And so long as the Seahawks beat Arizona this Sunday, Seattle can still lose a game and own the tiebreaker over the Cardinals even if the Cardinals win out. The 49ers are almost assuredly irrelevant in this entire scenario, which feels so good to write.
Factually, the Seahawks do control their own destiny and don't necessarily need help to win the division. Could Seattle run the table? Possibly, but unlikely. If Seattle wants to win the NFC West, they surely need to win at least four of the next five. And they will need some help. Their best bet is a Buffalo win against the Rams this coming weekend, but any other bit of help would be a fantastic Christmas gift for Seattle, who looks to win the division for the first time in four years.