Seahawks move up in latest power rankings despite playing in NFL's toughest division

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The Seattle Seahawks had to get a win in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, mainly because it's already clear that they play in the NFL's toughest division.
Through two weeks the NFC West is the only division to have more than one undefeated team ... and it actually sports three of them. While the Seahawks salvaged a 1-1 start with their road victory, they are looking up in the standings at the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals.
MORE: While Sam Darnold flourishes, ex-Seahawks QB Geno Smith flops in Week 2
That said, the Seahawks aren't at the bottom of the division when it comes to the latest Power Rankings released by Sports Illustrated. They rank 14th after their win over the Steelers, behind the Rams (No. 7) and 49ers (No. 8) but ahead of the 2-0 Cardinals (No. 21).
Writes SI of Seattle's bump up in the Top 15:
"The promise of Mike Macdonald is arriving. Are you ready? The Seahawks are the best quarterback pressure team in the NFL—against Brock Purdy and Aaron Rodgers, no less—and have an offense that is en route. Kenneth Walker’s third-and-19 touchdown is a dam breaker for this unit, which did a sneaky great job of using formations to negate Pittsburgh’s pressure packages."
MORE: Jaxon Smith-Njigba named big winner in victory over Steelers
The Seahawks are big-time favorites to beat the winless New Orleans Saints Sunday at Lumen Field and maybe get a sniff of the Top 10 in next week's rankings.

More Seahawks on SI stories
Seahawks studs & duds from wild Week 2 road win over Steelers
Takeaways from the Seahawks’ Week 2 statement win in Pittsburgh
Klint Kubiak, Seahawks keep innovating on the Eagles’ tush push
Seahawks score jaw-dropping special teams touchdown vs. Steelers

Richie Whitt has been a sports media fixture in Dallas-Fort Worth since graduating from UT-Arlington in 1986. His career is highlighted by successful stints in print (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), TV (NBC5) and radio (105.3 The Fan). During his almost 40-year tenure, he's blabbed and blogged on events ranging from Super Bowls to NBA Finals to World Series to Stanley Cups to Olympics to Wimbledons to World Cups. Whitt has been covering the NFL since 1989, and in 1993 authored The 'Boys Are Back, a book chronicling the Dallas Cowboys' run to Super Bowl XXVII.
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