News Seahawks Team Notes

49ers vs. Colts live discussion: Philip Rivers can help the Seahawks

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Okay, so Philip Rivers almost had a dream comeback after ending his five-year retirement to play for the Indianapolis Colts. The Seattle Seahawks thwarted Rivers with an 18-16 victory thanks to six Jason Myers field goals.

Philip Rivers is 4-0 against the San Francisco 49ers. A win for the Colts at home on Monday Night Football keeps them alive in the playoff hunt and severely damages the 49ers’ chances of winning the NFC West. They don’t have to worry about missing the playoffs, as they’ve already clinched through the Detroit Lions’ loss on Sunday.

What’s at stake for the Seahawks?​


As a reminder: For the Seahawks to clinch the NFC West, one of the things that must happen is the 49ers losing either versus the Colts or the Chicago Bears this Sunday. One outcome seems more probable than the other, but stranger things have happened!

What we do know is that if the 49ers win against the Colts, Seattle cannot clinch the No. 1 seed in Week 17.

ESPN and ABC have you covered tonight at 5:15 pm PT. Let’s go, Colts!

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Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...s-colts-live-discussion-monday-night-football
 
The salary cap impact of Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s Pro Bowl selection

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It’s the holidays, and fans of the Seattle Seahawks are celebrating not just the thrilling Week 16 victory over the division rival Los Angeles Rams, they are also enjoying the selection of a half dozen members of the team to the Pro Bowl Games.

There will almost certainly be additional members of the roster who are invited to participate in the Pro Bowl in the coming weeks as other players across the league opt out due to injury or are unable to participate as their team makes the Super Bowl. For the time being, though, the six Seahawks who earned Pro Bowl nods this year are:

  • QB Sam Darnold
  • WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
  • DL Leonard Williams
  • DL DeMarcus Lawrence
  • CB Devon Witherspoon
  • KR Rashid Shaheed

Obviously, making the Pro Bowl is largely a popularity contest, but players certainly take pride in what they do and enjoy the honor that comes with making the Pro Bowl. However, getting selected to the Pro Bowl also has real impacts on player contracts thanks to the collective bargaining agreement.

Specifically, for players selected in the third through seventh rounds of the NFL Draft, making the Pro Bowl means automatically qualifying for the Proven Performance Escalator, which means a raise in the final year of their rookie contract. Meanwhile, for those players who were talented and fortunate enough to have been first round picks, making the Pro Bowl during their first three seasons in the NFL has an impact on the salary that is attached to the fifth year option in their contract.

First round picks who make the Pro Bowl on the initial ballot once during their first three seasons in the league see the salary for the first year option increase to be equal to the amount of the transition tag, while those who make the Pro Bowl in at least two of their first three seasons have their salary increased to that of the franchise tag.

Thus, with Smith-Njigba making the Pro Bowl on the initial ballot, his 2027 base salary one the Seahawks exercise the fifth year option will be somewhere in the neighborhood of a fully guaranteed $24.361M, depending on exactly where the salary cap winds up. Regardless of the exact dollar amount at which the option settles, the reality is that between the current state of the wide receiver market and JSN’s production, $24.361M is an absolute bargain.

Now, for those wondering why the fifth year option amount is not the $28.046M of the franchise tag, as this is JSN’s second trip to the Pro Bowl after he made it in 2024, that’s a simple answer. In 2024 JSN did not make it to the Pro Bowl on the initial ballot, and it is only players who make it in on the initial ballot see their fifth year option amounts increase, thus his fifth year option salary is determined by the transition tag and not the franchise tag.

And for those fans curious why Devon Witherspoon’s Pro Bowl selection did not earn him a raise, that is also a simple answer. The fifth year option salary amount is only impacted by the first two initial ballot Pro Bowl selections for a player, and the 2025 election of Witherspoon is the third time in three seasons he has made the Pro Bowl on the initial ballot. In short, his salary is already maxed out, and as Nick Korte of OverTheCap.com noted on social media, Witherspoon was the only 2023 first round pick who has made the Pro Bowl on the initial ballot in each of the first three seasons.

The only player to get named all three seasons.

That really hurts me as a Broncos fan, envisioning him and Surtain on the same team…

Jalen Carter would have fit the bigger need at the time, though.

— Nick Korte (@nickkorte) December 23, 2025

Of course, as a fan of the Denver Broncos, Korte is all too familiar with the fact that Witherspoon was taken with the second of the two first round picks the Broncos sent to Seattle in exchange for Russell Wilson, a trade that just keeps on giving.

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...bas-pro-bowl-selection-2025-fifth-year-option
 
Seahawks Reacts Survey, Week 17: A Seahawks holiday confidence check-in!

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Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Seahawks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.



Happy holidays from Field Gulls! We have just one question for you in this week’s Seahawks Reacts survey, and it’s for your confidence in the direction of the team. This is the standard question baked into Reacts surveys throughout SB Nation, and while most of the season has seen Seahawks fan confidence in the 90+ percent range, that shaky win over the Indianapolis Colts was enough to DROP confidence down to 77 percent. It is very rare for confidence to drop that significantly in a win unless there was a major, season-ending injury.

Well, the Seahawks beat the Los Angeles Rams and are now two wins away (or a win + help) from locking up the NFC’s top seed. What’s your confidence level in this team now? Answer below!

We’ll see you after Christmas but before Sunday for the graphics results. And for good measure, we’ll even show you the results of Rams fan confidence after that devastating loss.

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...-seattle-seahawks-holiday-confidence-check-in
 
Seahawks GM John Schneider unofficial frontrunner for Executive of the Year

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John Schneider has never won the NFL’s Executive of the Year award. On the strength of 12-3 and a consecutive successful quarterback flip, he has finally landed himself on the short list of favorites.

Nearly every NFL team weighed in this week about their thoughts as to who is most likely to win various awards, thanks to Tom Pelissero’s anonymous survey. 21 General Managers themselves were part of the process.

Out of 30 votes gathered, 19.5 front offices around the league feel John Schneider is this year’s Executive of the Year.

Who voted half? I don’t know, but Les Snead got the other half vote, so you take a guess.

19.5 votes for Schneider, and second place was two. I did not make that up.

The league feels what many have felt throughout this season, that he’s done something truly impressive.

If Seattle wins the NFC West or even gets anywhere close to the top seed, John Schneider should absolutely win Executive of the Year.

— Mookie Alexander (@mookiealexander) November 3, 2025

The conversation began primarily with the three big moves: Geno Smith for Sam Darnold, DK Metcalf for Cooper Kupp, Tyler Lockett for nobody.

Then the rookies started to contribute.

Seahawks Starters 23 or Younger

OFFENSE
– Jaxon Smith-Njigba (23)
– Grey Zabel (23)
– Tory Horton (23)
– AJ Barner (23)
– Robbie Ouzts (23)
– Elijah Arroyo (22)

DEFENSE
– Nick Emmanwori (21)
– Byron Murphy II (23)

Name a team with better players this young on both sides pic.twitter.com/gwZ7hJNmiJ

— Brian Nemhauser (@hawkblogger) October 21, 2025

Then people began to notice DeMarcus Lawrence. In the conversation for the best free agent pickup of the year.

Then the Rashid Shaheed trade happened. Shaheed, when placed on a functional franchise with coherent special teams play, made the Pro Bowl in six games.

It’s four franchise-boosting drafts in a row now, and a team that controls its own destiny for two weeks to secure the number one seed in the NFC.

This is not the official vote, but the league is officially on notice: John Schneider is back in his bag.

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...fficial-frontrunner-nfl-executive-of-the-year
 
Seahawks-Panthers Wednesday injury report: Coby Bryant, Charles Cross not practicing

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The Seattle Seahawks’ first injury report for Week 17 against the Carolina Panthers is here, and it’s thankfully a light one.

As expected, safety Coby Bryant and left tackle Charles Cross did not practice. Mike Macdonald indicated as such at his media availability period before practice, and Cross’ hamstring injury is likely to cost him the rest of the regular season. Bryant is slated to miss some time with a knee injury, although the severity is not believed to be season-ending. Injured reserve is not a consideration for either player, which is assuring but also unsurprising given Seattle has a limited number of IR-designated for return windows left between the regular season (one slot) and postseason (two additional slots).

A.J. Barner, Abe Lucas, Jarran Reed, and Cody White were the only other players on the injury report and they all had a full participant designation. Riq Woolen and Nick Emmanwori, both of whom did not finish last week’s win over the Los Angeles Rams, obviously practiced without issue as they’re not a part of this report.

Carolina’s injury report looks fairly clean, although it’s worth noting that Robert Hunt and former Seahawks receiver David Moore are still on injured reserve and just had their respective practice windows opened.

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Coming off a long week, the Seahawks did practice on Tuesday but weren’t required to release an injury report. If anything is done on Christmas it’s presumably a walkthrough, otherwise Friday will probably be a normal practice before game designations are announced.

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...port-coby-bryant-charles-cross-not-practicing
 
Pre-Snap Reads 12/25: Merry Xmas!

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In Today’s Links: more on Rashid Shaheed and his impact for our Seattle Seahawks, another preview or two of Sunday’s big road game against the Carolina Panthers, the Seattle sports season that was/is and the Seahawks’ place within it, more players and coaches publicly defend Derick Hall and speak on his unjust one-game suspension, an Earl Thomas interview with the Sea Hawkers Podcast, and more! Thank you so much for being a part of the Field Gulls community. We absolutely appreciate it and cannot do it without you. Go, ‘Hawks!

#np Frost the Snowman by Fiona Apple

Seahawks News

Shaheed’s All That – Seaside Joe
Rashid Shaheed has the attention of every Seahawks fan: Does he have John Schneider’s attention for an extension?

Schlereth believes Seahawks have 2 strong candidates for big awards – Seattle Sports
The Seattle Seahawks moved on from some of their most notable names this offseason, yet they find themselves in the driver’s seat of the NFC with just two games left until the playoffs.

What To Watch In The Seahawks’ Week 17 Game at Carolina – Seahawks.com
Players, matchups and storylines to watch as the Seahawks face the Panthers on Sunday.

Mike Macdonald & The Seahawks Steadily Focused On Taking The Season Week By Week – Seahawks.com
With just two games left in the regular season, a playoff berth already secured, and the No. 1 seed up for grabs, the Seahawks are sticking to what’s worked for them all season, “we have to win this game.”

Seahawks, Mariners, Torrent gave Seattle fans early Christmas present – The Seattle Times
From the Seahawks’ NFC West title quest to Cal Raleigh’s record-breaking season to the Torrent’s debut, Christmas came early for Seattle sports fans in 2025.

Seahawks’ Mike Macdonald defends suspended LB Derick Hall | Notebook – The Seattle Times
Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald gave a strong defense of linebacker Derick Hall following his one-game suspension for stepping on a Rams player in last week’s victory.

Pro Bowl snub? Whatever. Seahawks’ Byron Murphy’s got a greater Christmas gift – The News Tribune
Byron Murphy feels disrespected. He didn’t make the Pro Bowl, despite having one of the best seasons by an interior defensive lineman in the league this year.

Narrative surrounding Seahawks’ wins this season continues getting debunked – si.com
The Seahawks have shown they can win big games more than trolls realize

Why we could see some creative trades in the 2026 NFL off-season – Seahawks Draft Blog
The 2026 NFL off-season is going to be different. A very weak draft class is going to shift a lot of attention to the trade market. There’s a good chance a decent chunk of teams will use their main off-season asset (first round pick) to acquire veteran talent, because the value will be so poor in the draft.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Devon Witherspoon rejuvenated the Seahawks. Others are finally noticing – The Athletic
Devon Witherspoon has never cared about individual statistics or accolades. So on Tuesday afternoon, he downplayed the significance of being voted to the Pro Bowl for the third time in as many years.

Seahawks’ Macdonald defends Hall, disagrees with suspension – ESPN.com
Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald defended Derick Hall on Wednesday in the wake of his one-game suspension, saying he doesn’t believe the third-year outside linebacker had any bad intentions during an incident with Los Angeles Ramsguard Kevin Dotson last Thursday night.

Seahawks Legend Earl Thomas Reacts to “MOB” Defense & Playoff Push! – Sea Hawkers Podcast
Earl Thomas returns to the show, looking back on a whirlwind couple of months that saw him honored as a Seattle Seahawks top 50 player, raising the 12th Man flag alongside Kam Chancellor, and making another run as a Hall of Fame semifinalist.

NFC West News

The story of how the Bidwill family became owners of the Cardinals – Part 3 – Revenge of the Birds
Mostly played second fiddle to the crosstown Bears, and then relocated

George Kittle has a ‘chance’ to play through mid-to-low ankle sprain – Niners Nation
Ricky Pearsall and Renardo Green will practice in a limited capacity on Wednesday.

Rams need to find ‘killer instinct’ in fourth quarter – Turf Show Times
The Rams have dominated overall, but late-game execution issues continue to cost them in close moments.

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-seahawks-news/158561/pre-snap-reads-12-25-merry-xmas
 
‘I feel great’ – Seahawks’ Kenneth Walker reflects on Rams win, health, and playoff hopes

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The Seattle Seahawks needed a spark early in the third quarter in their monumental matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.

They found it in their starting running back Kenneth Walker, who broke off his longest run in over a year to put the team up by one. The 55-yard score was Walker’s first touchdown since the two teams met in November, and his longest since 2023, prompting a wave of relief as he crossed the goal line.

“It was like a relief. It always feels good to score, but scoring a long touchdown, it feels a little bit different,” Walker said in an interview with Field Gulls.

“I realized I had [the touchdown] when I did go through the backside, and I saw the corner and the safety, and I just took off.” Walker noted the play was not supposed to go that direction, but space opened up and he took full advantage.

KENNETH WALKER III 55-YARD TD RUN 🚨

LARvsSEA on Prime Video
Also streaming on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/4ezXS8hbok

— NFL (@NFL) December 19, 2025

Far from the craziest play of the contest, Walker’s long run made the Seahawks’ miraculous comeback possible. Walker said while the team has a one week at a time philosophy, it took him until Sunday to digest the win, which bolted the Seahawks to the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

“After that weekend, we had a few days off and I was still on that game. Like it was crazy that, we pulled it off with everything we had went through that game,” Walker said.

With the Seahawks in prime position for a deep playoff push for the first time in Walker’s career, he said he’s ready for it, but looking to stay focused on the team’s next opponent: the Carolina Panthers. When Walker steps foot on the field in Carolina, it will be the most games he’s ever played in an NFL season through four years with the Seahawks.

Walker said he’s very focused on keeping his body healthy after sustaining a series of injuries that held him out of six games in 2024. That starts with rest, Walker said, keeping the strain off his body and eating right have been his top priorities.

“I feel as good as you can feel at this point of the season. I’ve been taking care of my body well, I feel great,” Walker said.

“The injuries that I went through last year just helps me not take anything for granted… I’m doing everything I can to continue to stay 100% and be able to play with my brothers.”

If the Seahawks manage to win both of their last two games, they’ll remain atop the NFC, becoming the first Seattle team to do so in over a decade. Walker said the team felt they could contend for a Super Bowl early this season, but that was the case in 2024 as well. He said not making the playoffs last year has brought a different mindset to the locker room.

“This year we really like just locked in more, we know how to feels like not being able to make the playoffs last year,” Walker said. “It’s a tight knit group, everybody talk to everybody, it’s like a real brotherhood, and it’s going to continue to stay like that.”

Walker is far from the first Seahawk to applaud the atmosphere in the locker room this season with quarterback Sam Darnold saying as much after the team’s first loss to the Rams. However, Walker said he’s been able to form bonds with teammates at nearly every position.

At his own position, Walker said he and Zach Charbonent talk everyday from football to life. Yet, it was a fellow rookie from Walker’s draft class he said he was connected with the most, safety Coby Bryant.

“We pretty much almost like the same person, we think the same, we do the same things,” Walker said of Bryant. “Me and Coby [are] real close, we’ve been here for four years together, so that’s definitely one of my best friends on the team.”

At the Rams game, Seahawks mascot Blitz debuted a new pair of teeth from Oral-B, with whom this interview with Walker was made possible. As a part of the sponsorship, Walker said he saw Blitz at a photoshoot and while he was a bit shocked with the mascot’s new look, he’s coming around on it.

“It was crazy,” Walker said. “He got perfect, clean teeth all around, it’s like a grill… it’s definitely cool to see.”


Walker prioritizes clean and healthy teeth as part of his morning routine.

“First thing I do is brush my teeth,” Walker said. “I use the Oral-B iO series toothbrush. It’s been real helpful for me to keep a perfect clean. It’s got the two-minute timer and my older toothbrush didn’t have that. It’s real helpful, and I like that.”

Having brushed aside the Rams last week, next up for Walker and the Seahawks are the NFC South-leading Panthers and a chance to bolster their No. 1 seed hopes. That game kicks off on Sunday, Dec. 28 at 10 a.m. in Carolina.

The full interview can be viewed in the video below!

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...enneth-walker-reflects-rams-win-playoff-hopes
 
Seahawks Week 17 injury update: Charles Cross, Coby Bryant out vs. Panthers

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The Seattle Seahawks will be without a couple of key pieces in their effort to stay atop the NFC against the Carolina Panthers.

Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald announced they would be without starting left tackle Charles Cross and safety Coby Bryant. The Panthers’ game is the second straight game Cross will miss after suffering a hamstring injury, which might put an end to his regular season, against the Indianapolis Colts.

Josh Jones, a versatile offensive lineman who signed with the Seahawks in the offseason, will start in Cross’ place for the second week in a row. Jones played his first significant snaps for the Seahawks last week against the Los Angeles Rams and did not allow a sack against a hungry Rams’ pass rush.

Seahawks game statuses for Week 17:

Out — Coby Bryant (knee) and Charles Cross (hamstring)

Everyone else is good to go.

— Dugar, Michael-Shawn (@MikeDugar) December 26, 2025

The Seahawks will once again be turning toward Ty Okada for help in the secondary with the loss of Coby Bryant. Bryant suffered a knee injury that held him out of the second half of the Rams game and did not practice at all this week.

Okada has been instrumental for Seattle this season, providing relief when safety Julian Love missed time in the first half of 2025. He’s totaled 58 tackles and snagged his first career interception with an immaculate catch against the Washington Commanders.

The good news for the Seahawks is that Bryant and Cross are the only starters with injury woes after receiving positive news on Riq Woolen and Nick Emmanwori earlier this week. It’s starting to feel like 2013 again as the Seahawks head to Carolina with the NFC’s No. 1 seed on the line on Sunday.

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...ate-charles-cross-coby-bryant-out-vs-panthers
 
Seahawks announce Week 17 game captains vs. Carolina Panthers

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On Friday, the Seattle Seahawks announced their selection of Week 17 game captains ahead of Sunday’s matchup vs. the Carolina Panthers.

This week’s captains are running back Kenneth Walker III, nose tackle Jarran Reed, and linebacker Drake Thomas. Thomas will be making his third appearance as a game captain this season, having last played with the “C” on his chest during Weeks 3 and 10. In addition, Reed and Walker will both be captains for the second time this season, previously serving as game captains in Weeks 5 and 14, respectively.

Reed and Thomas are both originally from North Carolina, with Thomas having played college football at N.C. State. Perhaps they can provide Seattle with some good mojo heading into Charlotte as the Seahawks hope to stymie the Panthers’ playoff hopes in the penultimate week of the regular season.

Walker played a vital role in Seattle’s overtime triumph over the Los Angeles Rams in Week 16, collecting his second 100-yard game on the ground this year and a touchdown in the third quarter, as well as three receptions for 64 yards in the air. Although Zach Charbonnet leads the team in rushing TDs (9), Walker is ahead in both yards (879) and carries (190).

Reed missed four games in November due to wrist and thumb injuries, but has looked good since his return to action in Week 14. Over the last three games, the 33-year-old nose tackle has recorded 10 tackles and a tackle for loss, providing five tackles and the aforementioned TFL vs. the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15.

Thomas has had a breakout year on the Seahawks’ defense this season, having appeared in all 15 games up to this point. Entering Week 17, the third-year linebacker has totaled 86 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, six QB hits, and six passes defended. Thomas had a standout performance in Seattle’s win over the Rams last week, ending the night with a season-high 13 tackles.

The Seahawks will face the Panthers at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium at 10:00 a.m. PT on Sunday.

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...ks-week-17-game-captains-vs-carolina-panthers
 
Seahawks Week 17 playoff picture: Outlining every NFC West, top seed scenario for Seattle

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The Seattle Seahawks have a playoff spot clinched, but the NFC West is still very much up for grabs among the Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, and San Francisco 49ers. Seattle can secure the top spot in the division and the entire conference by winning against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, followed by the 49ers in Santa Clara in Week 18, but there are many scenarios at play worth exploring based off of the Week 17 outcomes.

NFC Playoff Picture entering Week 17 as of Saturday​

  1. Seattle Seahawks (12-3) – Clinched playoff berth
  2. Chicago Bears (11-4) – Clinched playoff berth
  3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-5) – Clinched NFC East
  4. Carolina Panthers (8-7) – Can only clinch playoff berth through NFC South title
  5. San Francisco 49ers (11-4) – Clinched playoff berth
  6. Los Angeles Rams (11-4) – Clinched playoff berth
  7. Green Bay Packers (9-5-1) – Clinched playoff berth
  8. Detroit Lions (8-8) – Eliminated
  9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8) – Can only clinch playoff berth through NFC South title

This week, the Seahawks take on the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, the 49ers host the Chicago Bears, and the Rams travel to Georgia to play the Atlanta Falcons on Monday. Let’s look at how those three games tie into one another.


If the Seahawks win or tie and the 49ers win​


The Los Angeles Rams are eliminated from NFC West contention before Monday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons and therefore their result doesn’t matter. Seattle and San Francisco would be playing for both the division title and the No. 1 seed.

If the Seahawks win or tie, the 49ers lose, and Rams win​


The 49ers would be eliminated from the NFC West and No. 1 seed race, but could still have reason to play for Wild Card seeding in Week 18. Seattle would need to win against the 49ers to clinch the division and No. 1 seed, while the Rams would need a win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 18 plus a Seahawks loss to capture the division crown.

If the Seahawks win, the 49ers and Bears tie, and the Rams lose or tie​


Seattle wins the NFC West and the No. 1 seed and can therefore rest starters for Week 18 against the 49ers should Mike Macdonald choose to. It’s worth noting that this is the only scenario in which Seattle can win the No. 1 seed in Week 17.

If the Seahawks win and the 49ers and Rams both lose​


Seattle wins the NFC West but not the No. 1 seed. The Chicago Bears can get the No. 1 seed in Week 18 with a win over the Detroit Lions and a Seahawks loss to the 49ers.

If the Seahawks lose and the 49ers and Rams win​


Seattle drops to the No. 6 seed and would need to beat the 49ers in Week 18, plus hope for a Rams loss or tie against the Arizona Cardinals to win the division and the No. 1 seed.

If the Seahawks lose and the 49ers win but Rams lose or tie​


The Seahawks drop to the No. 5 seed but the Rams are eliminated from the NFC West race. Seahawks vs. 49ers is still for the No. 1 seed and the division.

If the Seahawks lose and the 49ers lose but Rams win​


The Seahawks drop to the No. 5 seed and the 49ers are out of the NFC West hunt. Seattle would still need to beat San Francisco and have the Rams fail to beat the Cardinals.

If the Seahawks, 49ers, and Rams all lose​


The Seahawks drop to the No. 2 seed behind the Bears but nothing changes in the NFC West picture. Seahawks vs. 49ers is definitely for the NFC West title but may not be for the No. 1 seed if the Bears defeat the Lions.

If the Seahawks, 49ers, and Rams all tie​


Nothing changes in the standings, but the Rams are still eliminated from the NFC West and Seahawks vs. 49ers is for the division and top seed.



Alright! I hope that clears everything up. Let’s see which path materializes over the next two days.

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...re-outlining-every-nfc-west-top-seed-scenario
 
NFL dishes out more punishment for Seahawks following win over Rams

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The Seattle Seahawks may have gotten the all important win over the Los Angeles Rams back in Week 16, but the defense has had an eventful week in terms of punishment for infractions committed during the game.

Outside linebacker Derick Hall will not play against the Carolina Panthers after he was suspended for stepping on Rams guard Kevin Dotson. As if that wasn’t enough, two Seahawks players were fined; one for a called penalty and another that should’ve been called based on the NFL’s rulebook.

Star linebacker Ernest Jones IV was docked $11,593 for a late hit in the opening quarter. Jones jumped into the pile as Blake Corum’s forward progress was stopped, and the league has been willing to flag or at least fine for leaping into the pile. What Jones did was definitely not after the whistle, though.

Ernest Jones was fined $11,593 for the "jump on the pile" late hit, which is amusing when you hear when the whistle had blown at the time Ernest leapt into the air. pic.twitter.com/J5s0Aj5wwN

— Mookie Alexander (@mookiealexander) December 27, 2025

Meanwhile, safety Ty Okada was fined $5,722 for his fourth quarter helmet shot on Rams tight end Terrance Ferguson. He was flagged for hitting a defenseless receiver, and now he’s picked up the first fine of his career.

Seahawks Week 16 fines:

Ernest Jones IV — $11,593 for unnecessary roughness; late hit

Ty Okada — $5,722 for hit on defenseless player

1st clip here is play that got Ernest (13) fined. Second clip is the Okada play. pic.twitter.com/uWfkrglnZ1

— Dugar, Michael-Shawn (@MikeDugar) December 27, 2025

No Rams players were fined for anything, in case you’re wondering. They still lost the game, which his fine with me.

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...ishment-for-seahawks-following-win-vs-la-rams
 
Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed out of Panthers game with concussion

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The Seattle Seahawks’ wide receiver room took suffered another blow in their battle to stay atop in the NFC against the Carolina Panthers.

Their special teams star Rashid Shaheed was ruled out with a concussion after leaving the field late in the first quarter. Shaheed was hit out of bounds by former Seahawks cornerback Mike Jackson on a punt return.

After losing Cody White earlier in the game, the Seahawks are down to just Jake Bobo and Dareke Young behind their two starting wideouts, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp. In addition to stepping up in the reciving game, Bobo and Young will have to handle the primary load of special teams snaps, including punt and kick returns.

Shaheed was a revelation for the Seahawk’s special teams and helped ignite Seattle’s comeback against the Los Angles Rams last week. He was beginning to find his way as a reliable No. 2 option in the passing game for quarterback Sam Darnold before the injury.

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...-shaheed-out-of-panthers-game-with-concussion
 
NFL Week 18 odds: Seahawks open as slight underdogs for NFC West title game vs. 49ers

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This one’s for all the marbles.

After a 27-10 romp in Charlotte on Sunday, the Seattle Seahawks sit at 13-3, tying the franchise record for wins in a season through 16 games. Seattle and Carolina were locked in a 3-3 tie at the close of the first half, but the Seahawks took advantage of a pair of costly Panthers turnovers to pull ahead 17-3 in the third quarter. The mighty Seattle defense limited Carolina QB Bryce Young to just 54 yards passing and a 58.3 completion percentage, forcing two sacks and an interception in a rout at Bank of America Stadium. Although the Panthers came within one score with a 10-yard rushing TD by Young, the Seahawks put up 10 more points on their first two drives of the fourth quarter to win the game by 17.

The final game before the playoffs will have Seattle ending the regular season the same way it started: facing the division rival San Francisco 49ers. This time, the two will clash in a primetime contest at Santa Clara’s Levi’s Stadium on Saturday with the NFC West division crown and the conference’s No. 1 seed on the line. Tell me if you’ve heard this one before.

San Francisco enters Week 18 coming off a high-scoring, last possession wins-style shootout victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football. A total of 49 points were scored in just the first half alone, with neither side leading by more than one score at any point. The Niners ultimately prevailed over the Bears after Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams failed to connect with wide receiver Jahdae Walker in the dying seconds of regulation, ending the night with a 42-38 victory. With the win, San Francisco has taken the Bears out of the running to claim the NFC’s first-round bye, setting the stage for the biggest game in the Seahawks-49ers rivalry since the 2022 postseason.

FanDuel Sportsbook has Seattle as 1.5-point underdogs for the time being, an understandable evaluation considering the Seahawks’ loss to San Francisco at Lumen Field in Week 1 and the Niners being at home for the regular season finale. As the betting lines suggest, this game should be a close, high-scoring affair, serving as the cream of the crop of Week 18’s de facto division championship games.

Who climbs to the top of the conference? Who falls to a wild-card spot? Find out this Saturday at 5 p.m. PT on ABC/ESPN!

Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...ht-underdogs-for-nfc-west-title-game-vs-49ers
 
Rams vs. Falcons ‘Monday Night Football’ live discussion: Go Falcons!

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There’s a slight part of me that doesn’t want the Atlanta Falcons to beat the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football. It would mean that the Seattle Seahawks were literally a few yards away from clinching the NFC West title through the Rams and San Francisco 49ers losing, but the Chicago Bears couldn’t seal the deal.

The plus side of a Rams loss is that it locks them into the No. 6 seed and guarantees the loser of Seahawks vs. 49ers will play the NFC South winner, which is not the worst “consolation prize” possible. It also worsens the first-round pick handed to them by the Falcons, and creates a bizarre scenario where Atlanta can still help the Carolina Panthers win the division even if Carolina loses to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday.

Also, we probably want Puka Nacua to have a quiet night so he stays off the trail of the receiving yards lead, which is held by Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

Enjoy the game! Kickoff is at 5:15 pm PT on ABC and ESPN.

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Source: https://www.fieldgulls.com/seattle-...falcons-monday-night-football-live-discussion
 
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