Tag: first round bye

NFC playoff scenarios: How Seahawks can clinch 1st-round bye Week 17

A look at what the Seattle Seahawks will have to do to clinch a first-round bye in the playoffs following their win of the NFC West in 2020.

The Seattle Seahawks won the NFC West division title on Sunday with a victory over the Rams at Lumen Field. Despite the change to the playoff structure this season, Seattle still has a slim chance at a first-round bye.

To secure the first-round bye, the Seahawks would need a win against the 49ers in Week 17 AND a loss from the Packers AND a loss or tie by the Saints.

Here’s a look at the rest of the playoff scenarios in the NFC this week.

ARIZONA CARDINALS at L.A. Rams

Arizona clinches playoff berth with:

  1. ARI win OR
  2. ARI tie + CHI loss

CHICAGO BEARS vs. Green Bay

Chicago clinches playoff berth with:

  1. CHI win OR
  2. ARI loss OR
  3. CHI tie + ARI tie

DALLAS COWBOYS at N.Y. Giants

Dallas clinches NFC East division title with:

  1. DAL win + WAS loss or tie OR
  2. DAL tie + WAS loss

GREEN BAY PACKERS at Chicago

Green Bay clinches the first-round bye with:

  1. GB win or tie OR
  2. SEA loss or tie

LOS ANGELES RAMS vs. Arizona

Los Angeles clinches playoff berth with:

  1. LAR win or tie OR
  2. CHI loss or tie

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS at Carolina

New Orleans clinches the first-round bye with:

  1. NO win + GB loss + SEA win

NEW YORK GIANTS vs. Dallas

New York clinches NFC East division title with:

  1. NYG win + WAS loss

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS at San Francisco

Seattle clinches the first-round bye with:

  1. SEA win + GB loss + NO loss or tie

WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM at Philadelphia

Washington clinches NFC East division title with:

  1. WAS win OR
  2. WAS tie + DAL loss or tie

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Seahawks know what awaits them following Week 17 win or loss

The Seattle Seahawks will either be the number three seed or the number five seed in the NFC, depending on how they do against the 49ers.

The Seattle Seahawks know exactly what seed they will get in the playoffs, depending on how they do on Sunday night against the San Francisco 49ers.

That’s the benefit of having their game flexed into Sunday Night Football, making it the final regular season game of the year.

Seattle was relying on losses by New Orleans and/or Green Bay to potentially still earn a bye in the NFC playoffs, but unfortunately those two teams took care of business against Carolina and Detroit, respectively, meaning Seattle will get a three seed if they defeat San Francisco.

That three seed will come with a home date against the Vikings of Minnesota, a team Seattle defeated earlier this season.

If Seattle is unable to complete the season sweep against the 49ers, they will finish as the fifth seed and will play Philadelphia on the road – another team they defeated during the regular season.

While the Eagles have an inferior record to Seattle, the Seahawks are only 3-12 in road playoff games in franchise history, and they’d certainly prefer to host in the first round if they can take care of business on Sunday.

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Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers: Week 17 keys to victory

The keys to victory for both the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers as the two teams square off Sunday night for the NFC West crown.

The Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers will meet Week 17 for the final game of the regular season to determine who heads to the playoffs as the winner of the NFC West. Here are the keys to victory for both teams.

49ers’ keys to victory: The 49ers stamped an impressive win over the Rams in Week 16 to knock Los Angeles out of the playoffs and remain atop of the NFC West. With a victory in Seattle on Sunday, San Francisco could ensure a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

However, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and Co. have to get by the Seahawks in the very unfriendly confines of CenturyLink Field first. To do so, the 49ers must exploit Seattle’s depleted defense, who will be doing everything in its power to get to the quarterback. 

The 49ers will also now have to account for the additions of running backs Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin, who Seattle signed to boost the run game.

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A look at the Seahawks playoff picture heading into Week 17

The Seattle Seahawks can still finish with the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC depending how Green Bay and New Orleans do in Week 17.

The Seattle Seahawks game against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 17 will not only determine the winner of the NFC West, it will have ramifications for multiple NFC teams and their seeding in the playoffs.

Fortunately for Seattle (and San Francisco) they will know exactly what they are playing for before their game, win or loss, by virtue of playing the final game of the regular season on Sunday night at 5:20 p.m. PT.

As of now, Seattle could still be as high as the No. 1 overall seed and as low as the No. 5 seed, depending on how the rest of their competition does next week.

Here is a look at how things will look in each potential playoff scenario for Seattle:

Seahawks get a one seed (and a first round bye): win vs. San Francisco + Green Bay loses to Detroit and New Orleans loses to Carolina.

Seahawks get a two seed (and a first round bye): win vs. San Francisco + Green Bay loses to Detroit and New Orleans beats Carolina.

Seahawks get a three seed: win vs. San Francisco + Green Bay wins (doesn’t matter what New Orleans does).

Seahawks get a five seed: lose to San Francisco (nothing else matters).

Seattle still has two opportunities to earn a first round bye, but they are both dependent on the 12-3 Packers losing on the road to the 3-11-1 Lions.

Otherwise, they’ll either end up with the three seed and a home date with the Vikings, (if they win) or on the road at either Philadelphia or Dallas if they lose.

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A look at the Seahawks playoff odds after losing Week 14

The Seattle Seahawks may have fallen to fifth place in the NFC playoff standings, but they still control their own destiny after Week 14.

The Seattle Seahawks took a hit to their playoff chances on Sunday night, falling 28-12 to the Los Angeles Rams.

Seattle is now 10-3 on the season and while the Seahawks’ odds of earning a playoff spot are still very high (over 98% according to FiveThirtyEight) their odds of winning the NFC West (and earning a first-round bye) have dropped below 50%

However, Seattle is still in control of its destiny in the NFC this season.

With three games to go, at Carolina and at home against the Cardinals and of course the 49ers, the Seahawks will likely need to win all three in order to secure the NFC West. A win against the 49ers, assuming San Francisco wins its other remaining games, would give each team a 13-3 record – but Seattle would hold the tiebreaker.

In fact, the Seahawks could still finish with the number one overall seed in the NFC, although that would not only require a loss by New Orleans (who holds a tiebreaker over Seattle) but it would also come down to Green Bay’s final few games. The Packers are also 10-3, and if they finish with an identical record as Seattle, the top seed will be determined by a series of other tiebreakers.

There’s little doubt that tonight’s loss was a blow for the Seahawks, who certainly wanted to leave California with a guaranteed playoff spot.

However, they still have the power to get a top seed and a bye week if they take care of business the rest of the month, starting with their final road game of the season at Carolina on Sunday, Dec. 15 at 10:00 a.m. PT.

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