Seattle Seahawks still in control of NFL playoff power rankings as Wild Cards wind down

Wild-Card weekend certainly lived up to its name. The first round of the NFL playoffs has been one of the most-compelling of all time, with practically every game coming right down to the wire.

To recap, the Rams just barely avoided another humiliating upset by the Panthers, the Packers blew a huge lead against the Bears and the reigning champion Eagles were unseated by the 49ers after a fourth-quarter rally. The Patriots' blowout of the Chargers was the only contest that didn't feature a close finish.

There's still one more game to go in the Wild Card round, as the Pittsburgh Steelers will host the Houston Texans this evening for a playoff edition of Monday Night Football.

By now we know where the power in this tournament lies: squarely in the NFC West, which will feature three of the final eight teams. At the very top of it all are the Seattle Seahawks, who got to watch from home thanks to their first-round bye. Seattle remains at No. 1 in Sportsnaut's latest NFL power rankings.

Seahawks still ranked No. 1

"With the way the NFC teams performed in the Wild Card Round, the Seattle Seahawks should be feeling even better about their chances at home in the Divisional Round. Seattle gets a rematch against the 49ers, with its rival this time without George Kittle and starting multiple backups at linebacker. There is still a very real path to San Francisco getting revenge, but the Seahawks look like the best team in the NFC right now."

The Niners losing Kittle leaves them with just one consistent skill player to lean on. So, if Seattle's top-ranked scoring defense can keep Christian McCaffrey in check, there won't be anybody who can generate big plays against them on paper.

Then again, the 49ers have managed to come this far despite losing practically every single one of their blue chip players. The piece that really matters for the success is on the sidelines in any case, and Kyle Shanahan's continued success begs the question why they bother really paying anybody.

Jan 3, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks tight end Eric Saubert (81) makes a catch against San Francisco 49ers cornerback Upton Stout (20) during the second half at Levi's Stadium. | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Stars aligning for Seahawks

Still, the Seahawks are considered heavy favorites for next weekend's matchup for good reason. The Week 18 contest between these teams wasn't remotely as close as the 10-point difference might suggest. With Kittle out, Seattle is far more talented in all three phases of the game. Advancing to the divisional round is not guaranteed, but it's not far off, either.

Even better, the team that the Seahawks really have to worry about are not looking so hot themselves, either. The plucky Panthers were one big play away from sending the Rams home early, and Matt Stafford's throwing hand was clearly nowhere near 100% after his injury.

Even with one arm, the Rams should be able to take care of business against the Bears and advance to the NFC Championship, where we should see round 3 between these two super heavyweights.

There's no doubting those Rams are the second-best team in the tournament and will test Seattle - but they're also trending the wrong direction.

While the Seahawks have won seven games in a row since their first meeting with the Rams, LA lost three of its last six regular season matchups and were legitimately lucky to escape Carolina with a win.

Throw in a relatively weak field on the AFC side of the tournament and you can see a clear path to victory in Santa Clara emerging for this team.

A lot can happen between now and Super Bowl Sunday, but the way things are shaping up there's a distinct possibility the Seahawks will be celebrating a championship on their most-bitter rivals' home field a month from now...

Lombardi trophy — Feb 27, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; A Super Bowl Vince Lombardi Trophy at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine Experience at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Seahawks still ranked No. 1

Stars aligning for Seahawks

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