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Seattle Seahawks Have One More NFC West Hurdle to Overcome

The Seahawks faces an NFC West rival for the third consecutive game on Sunday. A victory over the Rams would be pretty super in numerous ways for the Seahawks.
Russell Baxter|
Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks tight end Eric Saubert (81) celebrates after making a catch for a game-winning two-point conversion against the Los Angeles Rams in overtime at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images
Dec 18, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks tight end Eric Saubert (81) celebrates after making a catch for a game-winning two-point conversion against the Los Angeles Rams in overtime at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

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Seattle Seahawks

It’s probably no surprise that the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams are vying for the NFC championship. The NFC West certainly flexed its muscles in 2025. The top three clubs combined for 38-13 record this season, with Seattle (14), Los Angeles (12) and San Francisco (12) all winning at least a dozen regular-season games and reaching the postseason in 2025.

Let’s go back to 2017. The Rams hired Sean McVay and the Niners brought in Kyle Shanahan. Pete Carroll was already a Super Bowl champion (XLVIII) with the Seattle Seahawks, and Bruce Arians was in what would be his final season with the Arizona Cardinals.

Dating back to ’17, there are just 13 teams that have won at least 80 regular-season games. The Rams (92-57), Seahawks (91-58), and 49ers (82-67) are in that group, making the NFC West the only division with three teams in that mix.

A little more perspective when it comes to how formidable this division and especially this trio has been. Dating back to 2018, there have now been eight matchups in the NFC title game. Eight of those 16 teams have been from the NFC West. In fact, Sunday’s Rams/Seahawks’ clash at Lumen Field marks the second time in five years that two NFC West teams (49ers and Rams in 2021) will battle for a trip to the Super Bowl.

Kenneth Walker III
Jan 17, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) reacts after scoring a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half in an NFC Divisional Round game at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Back to the current division champions. Mike Macdonald’s club opened the season with a 17-13 home loss to the Niners, and their last setback was a 21-19 to McVay’s club at SoFi Stadium in Week 11. What’s been impressive is that the Seahawks’ current eight-game overall winning streak includes an overtime conquest of the Rams (38-37) and two wins over the 49ers—13-3 at Levi’s Stadium in Week 18, and 41-6 at Seattle in the divisional playoffs.

Hence a victory on Sunday gives Macdonald a pair of wins over both Shanahan and McVay in the same season. And if the team does prevail, there’s no escaping the NFC West ties as Super Bowl LX will be played at Levi’s Stadium—the 49ers’ homefield.

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Russell Baxter
RUSSELL BAXTER

Russell S. Baxter has been writing and researching the game of football for more than 40 years, and on numerous platforms. That includes television, as he spent more than two decades at ESPN, and was part of shows that garnered five Emmy Awards. He also spent the 2015 NFL season with Thursday Night Football on CBS/NFLN.