How the Seahawks' stunning comeback vs. Rams changes the math in NFC West

It wasn’t easy, and there was a lot of doubt, but the Seattle Seahawks (12-3) have finally gotten the breakthrough they needed on Thursday Night Football with a 38-37 home win over the Los Angeles Rams. Not only did the Seahawks secure a spot in the playoffs, but they secured their current place on top of the NFC West Division and the NFC’s No. 1 seed for the playoffs.

The Seahawks have replaced the Rams as the top team to take the division and the No. 1 seed. The Seahawks control their own destiny with only two games remaining. There is a catch with the win over the Rams, however.

Seattle and San Francisco now each control their own destinies for the NFC West title and the No. 1 seed. https://t.co/rIHxujQKzq
December 19, 2025
Seattle’s win has also allowed the San Francisco 49ers (10-4) to maintain their course for the same goals. With the Rams taking a step back, the 49ers are the second likely team to take the NFC West Division title and the NFC’s No. 1 seed if they win out.
This makes the Seahawks’ road game against the 49ers in Week 18 an even more important game. This means that the 49ers have to win out with their injured roster against some tough opponents where momentum has been good, but not great for them.
49ers fans were doing the unthinkable and rooting for the Seahawks in order to maintain their hope for the top prize in the entire NFC. San Francisco defeated the Seahawks 17-13 in Week 1 to start the season. They also split the series with the Rams, much like the Seahawks have.
The 49ers have to face the Indianapolis Colts (8-6) on the road, the dangerous Chicago Bears (10-4) at home, and then the Seahawks at home. The 49ers could have their hands full with a desperate Colts team, much like the Seahawks did in Week 15. San Francisco will have to take care of a Bears team that is trying to show their worth among the top teams in the NFC this season after a quick rebuild.
Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) warms up before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
The Seahawks will only have two teams to face for the remainder of the season. Seattle gets a long break before it has to face the inconsistent Carolina Panthers (7-7) on the road, followed by the 49ers on the road. The Panthers haven’t won a back-to-back game since October.
There isn’t much to speculate about as Seattle’s dreams are one step closer to becoming a reality. There is plenty of stuff that the team must fix in order to be a complete team. The running game improved, the offensive line played well in some circumstances, and quarterback Sam Darnold’s curse was broken.

There is still much the Seahawks can improve between now and Week 17 against the Panthers and then the 49ers.

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