Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks will have one of the easiest schedules among contenders in 2026. They will have the second-easiest schedule in the NFC West, and they won't have nearly half as much as the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams.
However, that doesn't mean they can afford to rest on their laurels. The NFC will be pretty brutal this season, and the Rams will continue to be one of the teams to beat for as long as Sean McVay is calling the shots.
Considering that, the Seahawks must approach every divisional game as another Super Bowl. That's why their Week 12 matchup with the 49ers might actually be their biggest game of the regular season.
Week 12 will be crucial for the Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks will face a tough test in Week 1 when they host the New England Patriots. Then, they have two winnable matchups with the Arizona Cardinals and Commanders before a tough two-game slate against the Los Angeles Chargers and 49ers. From there, it's the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears, Cardinals, and Las Vegas Raiders before their Bye in Week 11.
All things considered, they should be able to win at least 7 of those games before their rematch with the 49ers. That will be their fourth divisional matchup of the season, and with the Rams right on their toes, going 3-1 or 4-0 in those games will be paramount for their aspirations.
The Seahawks won't play the Rams until Week 15, with two games against them in the final three games of the season. Going 2-0 vs. the 49ers and Cardinals will take plenty of pressure off their shoulders ahead of those two matchups with McVay's team, and that might be the difference between a first-round bye and a divisional pennant and having to be on the road in the playoffs.
Divisional games are crucial, and the Seahawks need every single edge they can get over the only team that posed a legitimate threat to beat them in the playoffs last season. They should be favored to win almost every team in the league this season, but those two games vs. the Rams will likely be a toss-up.
Assuming that the Seahawks should have no trouble sweeping the bottom-feeding Cardinals this season, those two matchups with Kyle Shanahan's team, and especially that second one on the road, might be a pivotal time in their road to another Super Bowl.
Add us as a preferred source on Google