SEATTLE — The Seahawks defied the odds Monday night with a thrilling win over the Philadelphia Eagles, providing a boost to the team's playoff chances.
Drew Lock's pinpoint-accurate touchdown pass in the final seconds to Jaxon Smith-Njigba salvaged a crucial home win for the Seahawks, who also snapped a four-game losing streak.
Here's where the NFC standings shake out after Week 15:
1. San Francisco 49ers (11-3, clinched)
2. Dallas Cowboys (10-4, clinched)
3. Detroit Lions (10-4)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7)
5. Philadelphia Eagles (10-4, clinched)
6. Minnesota Vikings (7-7)
7. Los Angeles Rams (7-7)
8. Seahawks (7-7)
9. New Orleans Saints (7-7)
10. Atlanta Falcons (6-8)
Despite losing to the Seahawks, the Eagles clinched a playoff spot even though their division lead was ceded to the Dallas Cowboys.
The Seahawks are essentially tied with the other 3 7-7 teams in the current standings, but have a worse conference record (6-5) than the Vikings and lost both games to LA in 2023, giving the Rams the head-to-head tiebreaker for the 7 seed.
Seattle does have a better conference record than the New Orleans Saints, hence why the Seahawks are ahead of them in the standings.
The good news for Seahawks fans is that few teams have a smoother schedule to close out the regular season. Three games remain, all of which will be played against teams that currently are in last place in their respective divisions (Titans, Steelers and Cardinals).
It is the NFL of course, and if Monday night's win proved anything, it is that every team is vulnerable, regardless of what the roster might look like on paper.
Pete Carroll has been in this position more than just about any current NFL head coach, so complacency isn't likely for this Seahawks team as the postseason picture begins to crystallize.
