One NFL.com writer has the Seahawks going to the Super Bowl

We’re a week out from the first Sunday of the 2023 NFL regular season, so you might as well get your Super Bowl predictions out while you can.

The folks at NFL.com have all put in their picks for who will be vying for the Lombardi Trophy in Las Vegas next February, and unsurprisingly the Kansas City Chiefs are the popular pick to repeat as champs for the first time since the first New England Patriots dynasty of the 2000s. As for which team the Chiefs will conquer to make it three titles in five seasons? Columnist and Senior Director of Content & Editorial Ali Bhanpuri is swinging for the fences here by saying the Seattle Seahawks are going to win the NFC.

Here’s the full article:

Ali Bhanpuri: Chiefs over Seahawks. No controversial ending for Seattle on this Super Bowl Sunday, as the planet’s best player confounds a talented Seahawks defense from the opening kick. Pat Mahomes’ six-year slash line as a starter improves to a sick 6/4/3 ... as in six AFC title game appearances, four trips to the Super Bowl and three Lombardi Trophies.

Bhanpuri is the only one out of nearly three-dozen analysts to have Seattle in the Super Bowl either as a winner or a loser. Interestingly enough the only other non-Seahawks fan prediction of a Super Bowl appearance for the Seahawks was in Athlon Pro Football:

I’m not going to pretend that I won’t have a totally sleepless night if the Seahawks lose the Super Bowl for the third time in four appearances, but grander perspective will look at this hypothetical outcome as a monumental success for Seattle. Geno Smith leading the Seahawks to a Super Bowl appearance two seasons after the massive decision to trade Russell Wilson away? That’s a story that seems almost too good for Hollywood.

For what it’s worth, the Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers, New York Jets, and the Dallas Cowboys (only by Eric Edholm) were the other teams picked to win it all. Curiously, all three New York Jets predictors had them winning the title over the 49ers.

If I can pour water on Bhanpuri’s complimentary prediction... he had the Buccaneers and Broncos last season, the Buccaneers over the Browns (!!!) in 2021, but there was a more sensible yet still failed pick of Ravens-Seahawks in 2020. I suppose he gets points for a Saints-Chiefs Super Bowl pick for 2019, as KC did get that far and actually won it all.

By the way, check back midweek because we’re going to have your opportunity to make some Seahawks season predictions!