If you ask Mike McDonald or any member of the Seattle Seahawks who they’d prefer to play in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs, you’ll almost certainly get the standard answer: “We can’t control that. We’ll be ready for whoever comes to town.”
But fans think a little differently. We root hard for the matchup that we think will be easiest. So the question for Sunday is just that: Who do you want the Seahawks to play next weekend? You must figure this out before Wild Card weekend is over if you expect the power of your fandom to have any say in the outcomes.
Of the six other teams on the NFC side of the bracket, the only two Macdonald’s men could not face next weekend were the Chicago Bears and the Philadelphia Eagles. That means four other teams landed in the “possible” category. On Saturday, though, the Los Angeles Rams squeaked by the Carolina Panthers, and the Chicago Bears did the same with the Green Bay Packers.
The Seahawks most likely opponents in the NFC divisional round
This means the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles will determine the Seahawks' next opponent. If you trust me, then it is most likely to be the Los Angeles Rams. If you are one of those contrarians who doesn’t trust anyone, get ready for the San Francisco 49ers.
San Francisco 49ers
A division rival always poses a tough challenge, and no one would consider this an easy game, especially if the 49ers have Trent Williams and Ricky Pearsall available. But the utter dominance Seattle exhibited on the road in Week 18 should give them great confidence in any matchup with the 49ers right about now.
This matchup would only have occurred if Chicago beat Green Bay and San Fran tops Philadelphia. According to the current lines, San Francisco beating the Eagles would be considered an upset, so it does not seem likely.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles are likely being overlooked, and it might be because of their own fans. If Philly even hints at losing, their fans freak out as if the team didn't just win the Super Bowl last season. That makes them dangerous for the Seahawks eventually, possibly even more so than the 49ers and Rams.
At its best, the Eagles have a better defense than either LA or San Francisco, and their offensive line is at least equal to those two. The Rams might have the better quarterback, but the defending champion, and the confidence that comes from that, will hopefully lose to the 49ers.
Looming: Los Angeles Rams
Seahawks’ fans know all about the Rams. The teams were almost even this season. Their two games were photo negatives of each other. One team dominated the game but still managed to lose. First it was Seattle, then it was Los Angeles.
This is the toughest possible first-round matchup for Seattle, but it seems likely that they will meet in either the divisional or conference championship round. Maybe it’s better to face Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford, and Puka Nacua coming off a bye, when Seattle is likely to be at its healthiest.