NFC Playoff Picture: Seahawks fall to No. 6 seed, Rams creeping back up

The Seattle Seahawks really wasted an opportunity to gain separation from their NFC wild card foes, but instead they took a horrible 17-16 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. While the Seahawks are still in a wild card spot, they dropped from the favored No. 5 seed where the NFC South winner likely awaits. Thanks to Russell Wilson’s 4th game-winning drive of the season, the Minnesota Vikings took an L and the Seahawks only moved down one seed.

The bad news? Getting swept by the Rams means the Seahawks are only two games ahead of LA without a tiebreaker. They’re pretty clear of the Washington Commanders at this point, but will now have to fend off Minnesota, the Green Bay Packers (unless they lose both games to the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs), Atlanta Falcons, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Division Leaders

1. Philadelphia Eagles - Pending MNF

2. Detroit Lions (8-2)

3. San Francisco 49ers (7-3)

4. New Orleans Saints (5-5)

Wild Card

5. Dallas Cowboys (7-3)

6. Seattle Seahawks (6-4)

7. Minnesota Vikings (6-5)

Out

8. Green Bay Packers+ (4-6, 3-3 NFC)

9. Los Angeles Rams+ (4-6, 3-4 NFC, SOV tiebreaker over ATL)

10. Atlanta Falcons*+ (4-6, 3-4 NFC, win over TB)

11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers* (4-6, loss to ATL)

12. Washington Commanders (4-7)

13. New York Giants (3-8, 3-4 NFC)

14. Chicago Bears (3-8, 2-5 NFC)

15. Arizona Cardinals (2-9)

16. Carolina Panthers (1-9)

Even if the Seahawks falter, which of the teams seeded 8-11 will get hot in the standings? That’s essentially what it boils down to. This is a bad, bad conference and this is what happens when you expand the playoff field.