Tag: seahawks

2026 NFC Conference Championship Playoff Pick

jminx94Leave a comment

Three games remain. Four teams with two in each conference. The remaining two in the NFC are the west wildcard Los Angeles Rams and the west division winning and conference leading Seattle Seahawks. Both teams have potent offenses, solid quarterbacks, hard-hitting defenses, and intelligent coaches. It is time to determine who will advance to the Super Bowl.

#5 Los Angeles Rams v. #1 Seattle Seahawks

Another division rivalry in the conference finals will make this one of the best and most memorable games of the 2025-26 season.

Conference championship games featuring division rivalries are some of the best and most memorable playoff games in NFL history. Casual viewers can remember which year a team won a Super Bowl because of a rare, divisional matchup in this round. It’s also more fun if the teams split their regular season series.

Los Angeles hasn’t played well throughout the playoffs. Chicago struggled to get pressure and sack opposing quarterbacks during the regular season, but had success against the Rams. Los Angeles’ defense has faltered since Thanksgiving weekend, giving up 20+ points in five of their last seven games. Poor defensive performances put a lot of pressure on the offense to win a lot of shootouts. That’s not a winning formula.

Coincidentally, Seattle has solidified their claim as the NFL’s best team. Head coach Mike Macdonald is undefeated when his team faces an opponent they have already played that season. The Seahawks depth on the defensive line and secondary will keep this a lower scoring game than the last matchup in Lumen Field. An almost fully healthy offensive line and the return of running back George Holani off injured reserve makes Seattle’s offense more dangerous and adds more pressure on defensive coordinator Chris Shula’s predictable defense.

Better play from quarterback Sam Darnold (14) and runningback Kenneth Walker III (9) has Seattle one win away from the Super Bowl.

The Seahawks have more advantages than the Rams. Los Angeles will again play in a colder, outdoor climate. Seattle’s offense has taken better care of the football, posting an NFL best plus seven turnover ratio since their first game against the Rams in week eleven. More importantly, the Seahawks are more fresh and rested compared to a battle-weary Los Angeles roster. This will stand out in the second half, especially if the game is close. Seattle has also played a division rival their last two games. That means the Seahawks are dialed in to play physical and nasty on every side of the ball. Los Angeles hasn’t played a mean opponent in a month. A fresher, nastier and more physical team on every side of the ball may be too much for the Rams to handle.

Finally, this conference finals game will be in Seattle. One could argue that while the Seahawks are undefeated in conference finals games played at home, Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay is also undefeated in conference championship matchups. However, McVay has never had to coach the Rams in a sold out Lumen Field in the postseason. This is also the ninth game since 1970 in the conference championship or later to feature the NFL’s top offense versus the NFL’s top defense. The top defensive team is 7-1 in the first eight matchups. Both Seattle and quarterback Sam Darnold have been plagued by Los Angeles getting the last laugh too many times. This is the weekend head coach Mike Macdonald flips the narrative, reclaims the Seahawks dominance of the West and wins the NFC George Halas trophy.

Prediction: Seahawks win the NFC championship 30-24 and advance to Super Bowl LX

NFC divisional round playoff picks record: 1-1

2026 NFC playoff picks record: 2-3

2026 NFC Divisional Round Playoff Picks

jminx94Leave a comment

The NFC wildcard weekend had everything audiences wanted. History was made when San Francisco won their 40th playoff game, the most in NFL history. Chicago won their first playoff game in 15 years, and their first against a team with a winning record since their Super Bowl 41 run. Los Angeles eked out a close win in Carolina. The remaining four (the Seattle Seahawks had a week off) teams have a great shot at getting to both the conference championship and the Super Bowl. Even with the injury plagued 49ers remaining, no team is an easy out. It’s time to analyze which two teams have the best chance at making the next round.

#6 San Francisco 49ers v. #1 Seattle Seahawks

Elijah Arroyo’s return from injured reserve means fellow tight-end A.J. Barner (88) will be a bigger threat than he was in week 18.

If there was any game that could be a decisive blowout, this would be it. San Francisco lost star tight-end and team co-captain George Kittle to a torn achilles the rest of the year. That means the 49ers have to rely on runningback Christian McCaffrey and receivers Ricky Pearsall (who still has an injured knee), Jauan Jennings and Kendrick Bourne to consistently beat Seattle’s deep secondary. That won’t happen.

The Seahawks are ecstatic to face a battered and depleted 49ers team they whooped in Santa Clara, CA. week 18. Both teams get their starting left tackles back, but only one offense has the fire power to score consistently. Quarterback Brock Purdy has never played in Seattle when it’s either a playoff game or near full capacity for the hometown fans. He will learn why nobody in the NFL wants to travel to the pacific northwest during the postseason.

Prediction: Seahawks win 37-7

#5 Los Angeles Rams v. #2 Chicago Bears

A Bears win depends on how well quarterback Caleb Williams (18) plays all four quarters.

This could be the best game in either conference. Every NFC team this round is in the western division except for Chicago. Head coach Ben Johnson is very familiar with Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay. Anyone thinking this will be a blowout is mistaken.

The Bears have multiple advantages against the Rams. Johnson has consistently beaten McVay with a dual threat running game and an offensive line that leads from the interior. Runningbacks coach Eric Bienemy remains one of the NFL’s best offensive minds. Left guard Joe Thuney has won Super Bowls with multiple teams. A younger, less experienced Los Angeles defensive line will be on their heels most of this game having to deal with Chicago’s offensive line and the runningback duo of D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai.

A major factor many have forgotten since the Rams won last Saturday was the hand injury veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford suffered in Carolina. That will be tested early and often against a Bears defense that is the NFL’s best in forcing turnovers. Since this will be a Sunday night game, temperatures are predicted to be at four degrees (fahrenheit). Stafford has not played in many frozen temperature games over the last five years. The Rams are also 2-7 in games that are under 50 degrees since Stafford arrived in 2021. Los Angeles is in for a long game despite having an almost fully healthy roster.

Upset prediction of the round: Bears win 30-21

NFC wildcard weekend predictions record: 1-2