The Seattle Seahawks figured out how to snap a four-game losing streak in style, taking down the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football thanks to a game-winning touchdown pass from backup quarterback Drew Lock to first-round wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
That dramatic win brought Seatte’s record to 7-7, keeping them in the thick of the NFC playoff race. While the San Francisco 49ers have already clinched the NFC West title, the Seahawks still have a shot at a Wild Card berth.
What needs to happen for Seattle in Week 16?
Seahawks Playoff Chances | Week 16 Update
Note that this article was originally published on Dec. 24. The results of this week’s games are below and will continue to be updated throughout the day.
1 p.m. ET Games Update
Falcons (7-8) defeated Colts (8-7)
Seahawks (8-7) defeated Titans (5-10)
Packers (7-8) defeated Panthers (2-13)
Lions (11-4) defeated Vikings (7-8)
4 p.m. ET Games Update
Buccaneers (8-7) defeated Jaguars (8-7)
Bears (6-9) defeated Cardinals (3-12)
Christmas Day Update
Eagles (11-4) defeated Giants (5-10)
Ravens (12-3) defeated 49ers (11-4)
With the team’s win over the Titans, they currently sit in the #7 spot in the NFC, putting them in the final wild card position if the playoffs started today.
Keep reading below to see the playoff scenarios for the Seahawks entering Week 16. And head over to PFN’s free NFL Playoff Predictor to test various scenarios and see how they change the playoff bracket.
What Are the Seattle Seahawks’ Playoff Chances and Scenarios for Week 16?
After defeating the Eagles on MNF, the Seahawks’ playoff chances stood at 57.1%, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI). While those odds took a slight hit when the Los Angeles Rams beat the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night, Seattle is still a coin-flip favorite to make the dance in 2023.
The Seahawks are currently the eighth seed in the NFC, trailing the No. 5 Eagles, No. 6 Rams, and No. 7 Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card standings.
If Seattle wins in Week 16 while Minnesota loses, the Seahawks will slide into the No. 7 slot — but that’s their ceiling for the week.
Seattle has no chance of reaching the fifth seed this year, which will be held by whichever team loses the NFC East.
The sixth seed is still technically in reach, but the 8-7 Rams will be difficult to catch — especially for the Seahawks, who have already lost to Los Angeles twice this season. Because the Rams hold a head-to-head playoff tiebreaker, Seattle has to finish with a better record.
The Seahawks and Vikings have the same record, but Minnesota has a better mark inside the NFC, giving Justin Jefferson’s club the No. 7 seed at the moment.
MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
However, the Vikings have to play the Detroit Lions twice and the Dallas Cowboys once to close the season, so they could lose critical NFC games down the stretch.
While the Rams’ TNF win wasn’t ideal for Seattle, it knocked the New Orleans Saints — another Wild Card hopeful — down a peg. The Saints are now 7-8, while the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons would fall to 6-9 with losses in Week 16.
In Week 16, an ideal scenario for the Seahawks obviously begins with a road win against the Tennessee Titans. That alone would increase Seattle’s playoff chances to roughly 66%.
Pete Carroll’s team can also receive some help from around the league. Specifically, the Seahawks will be rooting for the Vikings to fall to the Lions and for the Carolina Panthers to upset the Packers. If those games go Seattle’s way, its postseason chances will eclipse 80% after this week’s action.
With matchups against the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7) and Arizona Cardinals (3-11) following Sunday’s game in Tennesee, the Seahawks have to feel confident they can finish 3-0 over the rest of the season. If Seattle takes care of business and finishes 10-7, there’s almost no chance the Seahawks won’t make the playoffs.
Want to predict the rest of the 2023 season with our FREE NFL Playoff Predictor? Looking for the most up-to-date NFL standings? What about a breakdown of team depth charts or the NFL schedule? Pro Football Network has you covered with that and more!
