Playoffs? Playoffs??

[Michael K.]

The game is interesting on a number of levels. I hadn't really thought too much about Darnolds performance last season with the Vikings. In an alternate reality if he plays better in that game we still have Smith for a qb.

Those last two games were exactly why I was worried about Darnold as our QB. Believe me, I was fine with Sam over Geno, but Sam looked like Geno in those last two losses by the Vikings last year. He hasn't looked like that here at all. Yes, there have been some turnovers, but everyone is head over heels over Drake Maye. Anyone see the punt he threw up late in the first half that the hapless Jets fought over instead of making a play? Mahomes is the be all end all, he has "lead" the Chiefs to basically a .500 record. I think Sam leads the league in "how the fuck did that happen" turnovers. Sure, a little loose with the ball, but the weird bounce shit has to end soon, right?

Everyone gushed all over O'Connell for turning Darnold around, and then simply blamed Sam for the playoffs. I remember watching the playoff game against the Rams and wondering if O'Connell was ever going to adapt, or simply do what wasn't working. Kubiak has to get some credit for this. The success on play action, being able to have even a mediocre run game, somehow getting JSN open on what seems like every single pass play?

[Nwadventure]

Due to Broadcasting/Market agreements this 7-2 matchup is going to missed by so many nationally- We have to endure the 7/Million dollar man- Greg Olsen and lets see how the officiating goes as that's always a fun LA/Experience.

[DavidGee24]

As much as I'd love to go to the game at SoFi, over $ 700 per ticket on StubHub for good seats (meaning 25 yard line or better and 25th row or better), plus probably close to $ 100 for parking, an hour-plus drive in a rainstorm to Inglewood, and against a franchise that mysteriously totally has our number even when their backup QB starts. Man Cave sounds a million times better.

I also looked on StubHub at next weekend's game against the Titans in Nashville and you can get 13th row on the 50 yard line for $ 175 per ticket. Damn.

[D-train]

I think we win by double digits. 27-17

I hope you're right, but I'm nervous! This game puckers me. It's the kind of critical crunch-time game in the recent past we've needed badly, only to screw the pooch or get robbed and fall back into the pack. A buddy in the FO pinged yesterday and said they are going with their SB48 uniforms against the Rams on Sunday. They want this one big time at VMAC. I'm hopeful, but not confident.

This is a different team, different year. The past has no impact on Sunday.

[D-train]

Really not that concerned about them losing, it wouldn't dampen my enthusiasm all that much. I never expected a season close to this in the first place. Just having the game hyped so much is pretty exciting.

The game is interesting on a number of levels. I hadn't really thought too much about Darnolds performance last season with the Vikings. In an alternate reality if he plays better in that game we still have Smith for a qb.

“These last two weeks will have a big impact on his future,” ESPN analyst and Pro Football Hall of Famer Troy Aikman said on air almost immediately after the game ended. “Not only what that may look like for the Minnesota Vikings, but a big impact on what that may look like for him going to another team. Is there going to be a big payout that looked inevitable a few weeks ago? May not be quite as big as what Sam or others thought.”

I think that's what I'm going to be looking at. If it's anything like that again that would be disappointing.

We wouldn't have Geno we would likely have someone even worse than Geno.....

[auroraave]

I think we win by double digits. 27-17

I hope you're right, but I'm nervous! This game puckers me. It's the kind of critical crunch-time game in the recent past we've needed badly, only to screw the pooch or get robbed and fall back into the pack. A buddy in the FO pinged yesterday and said they are going with their SB48 uniforms against the Rams on Sunday. They want this one big time at VMAC. I'm hopeful, but not confident.

This is a different team, different year. The past has no impact on Sunday.

Thinking about this game, seems to me the pressure is on the lambs - seattle is just 'the upstart' team. This is really an ideal situation for a team with a lot of youth and the right sprinkle of vets. All the pressure is on FTR to hold off Seattle. Can't wait for this game. Maybe this is a good omen but it's been pouring rain here - gonna be raining on sunday. Yeah, I know it's an indoor stadium, but gotta love Seahawks bringing the Seattle weather vibes down here. Maybe it's nothing but work with me here, cause I just f*cking hate the Lambs.

[trharder]

This is a different team, different year. The past has no impact on Sunday.

Exactly right. It reminds me of when Pete first came and the old bad reruns ended.
This feels like it could be that. This is the first test since they got into gear.

[Donn Beach]

This is a different team, different year. The past has no impact on Sunday.

Exactly right. It reminds me of when Pete first came and the old bad reruns ended.
This feels like it could be that. This is the first test since they got into gear.

Yeah, I didn't know much about MM but what I read tended to put me off. He was characterized as being an introvert. I knew he knew football but I was concerned about his ability to lead an entire team. We kept getting warned he wasn't going to have Pete's charm. But I'm not seeing it at all, he seems to have plenty of charisma. He has a great football mind but he also strikes me as a terrific leader. I really wasn't expecting that, that's whats got me excited. He seems like everything Pete was and more, they nailed the hiring .

[D-train]

Playoff picture pretty clear. We just need to win out and we have the number 1 seed and a bye. ha

By Bob Condotta
Seattle Times staff reporter
Another week, another win for the Seahawks.

And if you were hoping for a more artful W than the 26-0 victory over Minnesota that featured just one offensive touchdown, the real beauty came in looking at the standings afterward.

The Seahawks are 9-3, tied for the best record in the NFC with the Bears and Rams.

They have had a better record after 12 games only four times in team history — 11-1 in 2013 and 10-2 in 1984, 2005 and 2019.

The Seahawks also have the best point differential in the NFL at plus-133, ahead of the second-place Rams at plus-124.

To put that another way, the Seahawks have a league-leading average margin of victory of 11.1 per game.

The only two seasons in which the Seahawks finished with a better average margin of victory are 2013 (11.6) and 2005 (11.3).

You may remember where those two seasons ended.

Where would the Seahawks play in the postseason if the season ended today? What is next for the NFC West? And who graded out well Sunday?

Let’s look at those questions in this week’s Four Downs with Seahawks beat reporter Bob Condotta.

What is Seahawks’ postseason outlook this week?
On the surface, it’s the same as the past few weeks.


If the season ended today, the Seahawks would be the No. 5 seed and play a wild card playoff game at Tampa Bay.

The Rams’ surprising loss in Carolina means the Seahawks again control their own destiny to win the NFC West — win out, and it’s theirs.

That also means the Seahawks have better odds for winning the NFC West (now up to 29%) and for getting the No. 1 seed in the NFC (22%) via The Athletic’s Playoff Simulator, than the past few weeks.

The Rams remain the favorite in the NFC West per The Athletic at 54% and also the favorite to get the top seed in the NFC at 37%.

As for simply making the playoffs, those odds now reside at 94%. The only team with better odds in the NFC are the Rams at 97%.

Why are the Rams’ odds better when they have to come to Seattle?
The main reason is that L.A. already has the one win over the Seahawks, and if they beat them again will control the tiebreaker.

Sign up for Fan Fix
Your dose of local sports news. Delivered Monday through Friday.

And the rest of the Rams’ remaining schedule is, on paper, a lot easier.

Aside from their visit to Seattle, the Rams have games home and road against the 3-9 Arizona Cardinals, at home against the slumping 7-5 Lions and at 4-8 Atlanta.

That’s a 26-34 combined won-lost record, 43.3%, the 25th easiest schedule in the NFL over the final five weeks of the season via Tankathon.com

The Seahawks face four teams with winning records, all in the last four weeks of the season.

This week, the Seahawks play at 4-8 Atlanta but finishes with home games against the 8-4 Colts and 9-3 Rams and road games against the 7-6 Carolina Panthers and 9-4 49ers.


That’s a combined win-loss record of 37-25, or 59.7%, the fifth-toughest schedule.

The 49ers also have a tough ending slate.

After a bye this week, the 49ers host the 1-11 Titans but play at the 8-4 Colts and host the 9-3 Bears and 9-3 Seahawks. That’s a combined 27-21, or 56.2%, eighth-hardest remaining schedule, and a whopping 26-10 over the final three weeks.

The Rams and Seahawks are big favorites this week — Seattle by seven points at Atlanta and the L.A. by eight at Arizona.

Each will be watching closely as the Bears head to Green Bay where the Packers are 5.5-point favorites.

The Bears hold the top seed in the NFC because of a better conference at 6-2. The Rams are 4-3 and the Seahawks are 5-3.

A Bears loss Sunday and wins by the Rams and Seahawks would mean that L.A. and Seattle could be playing for not only the NFC West title but the top seed in the NFC when they meet at Lumen Field.