How the Seattle Seahawks can clinch a playoff spot before the Rams rematch

The Seattle Seahawks are in strong position to make the playoffs. At 9-3 and tied for the best record in the NFC, it’d take one heck of a collapse over the final five weeks for Seattle to not return to the postseason for the first time since 2022. While the main focus is on winning the NFC West and the No. 1 seed, the sooner Seattle can get a playoff berth clinched the better.

One of the favorable results for the Seahawks last week was the Detroit Lions losing to the Green Bay Packers. This leaves the Lions on the outside looking in as the No. 8 team in the NFC, two games behind the Seahawks with five to go.

NFC standings after Week 13

1. Chicago Bears (9-3)2. Los Angeles Rams (9-3)3. Philadelphia Eagles (8-4)4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5)5. Seattle Seahawks (9-3)6. Green Bay Packers (8-3-1)7. San Francisco 49ers (9-4)

8. Detroit Lions (7-5)9. Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1)10. Carolina Panthers (7-6)11. Atlanta Falcons (4-8)12. Minnesota Vikings (4-8)13. Arizona Cardinals (3-9) – e14. Washington Commanders (3-9)15. New Orleans Saints (2-10) – e16. New York Giants (2-11) – e

It would’ve been a bonus if the Cowboys had lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, which we’ll explain in just a second.

How soon the Seattle Seahawks can clinch a playoff berth in Week 15

That’s right, the Seahawks may already have a playoff spot locked up by Week 16 and that highly anticipated rematch with the Los Angeles Rams. It’s not incredibly realistic but it’s not impossible.

• The Seahawks win against the Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts AND;

• The Detroit Lions lose to the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Rams AND;

• The Cowboys lose in Week 14 to the Minnesota Vikings

That’s it. Seattle would be 11-3, the Lions would be 7-7, and the Cowboys would be 7-6-1 with three games to play. While the Carolina Panthers could theoretically finish with the same record as the Seahawks at 11-6, an 11-6 record would automatically win them the NFC South over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As long as the Seahawks have four more wins than Detroit and Dallas by Week 16, it’s a wrap.

Seattle winning its next two games is very possible, and based on the way the Lions look right now I’d say the Lions losing their way to a 7-7 record through Week 15 is also possible. It’s that part where the Vikings beat the Cowboys in Dallas that I’m not really convinced is going to be a thing whether they start Max Brosmer, J.J. McCarthy, or bring back Gus Frerotte at quarterback. Had the Cowboys lost to the Chiefs, two Lions losses plus two Seahawks wins would’ve been enough to send Seattle to the postseason.

There is, of course, a great preference for the Lions to beat the Los Angeles Rams, but there is a positive in this scenario in which the Rams winning helps the Seahawks get to the playoffs.

Seattle ultimately controls its path to the division title, although it’ll need a loss from the Chicago Bears in order to have the inside track on the No. 1 seed. First thing’s first is to just punch a ticket to the playoffs, which is inching closer to becoming reality.