Seattle Seahawks restored to glory in latest NFL power rankings

The Seattle Seahawks have long been one of the best teams in the NFL. However, they had mostly beaten up on bad teams. Heading into Thursday night's contest, they'd beaten the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars as their best wins.

But on Thursday night, they did a lot of things. They took control of the NFC West and the NFC's top seed. Sam Darnold exorcised his Los Angeles Rams demons and performed in a big game and in big spots.

And they rose in the NFL power rankings. They've been ranked number one before, but it feels much more legitimate now after such a big win.

Seahawks restored to number one in NFL power rankings

The game of the year took place on Thursday, and the winner of it was always going to come out looking like the best team in the NFC, perhaps even the entire NFL. As it turns out, the Seahawks do look like the best NFL team now.

"Sam Darnold got his redemption, and the Rashid Shaheed trade continues to pay huge dividends as of late for the Seattle Seahawks," Sportsnaut's Matt Johnson wrote.

"What really matters for this game is that we saw a rare occasion where Seattle’s defense struggled for most of the night; however, facing a two-score deficit, Darnold stepped up and helped lead a comeback," he added.

Johnson concluded, "If Darnold can just be solid in big games, Seattle could run the table to reach the Super Bowl."

The NFC is wide open, and the Seahawks look poised to grab it. Now, they're in line for the NFC's bye week, which is hugely valuable. They'll also have to avoid traveling at all, but especially in the opening weekend.

They might've had to travel to face the feisty Carolina Panthers, whom they will visit this week. Traveling so far and facing a team that has beaten the Rams and Green Bay Packers could've been a bit nerve-wracking.

Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner (88) celebrates with running back Kenneth Walker III (9) after making a catch for a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams in the second half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

That's still a distinct possibility, but the Seahawks now control their destiny. They can win the division and get the top seed, but they can also win the division and miss out on the top seed, which would still see them avoid that first-round road trip.

Seahawks restored to number one in NFL power rankings

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