The Seattle Seahawks got off to an extremely promising 3-0 start under first-year coach Mike Macdonald. But after defeating the 49ers in Week 11 following a stretch of five losses in six games, what are the Seahawks’ chances of making the postseason?
Using Pro Football Network’s Playoff Predictor, let’s take a look at the latest odds for the Seahawks to reach the playoffs.
Can the Seattle Seahawks Make the Playoffs?
After all the action in Week 11, the Seattle Seahawks are 5-5 and now have a 15.2% chance to make the playoffs.
They have a 0.1% chance for the 1 seed, a 1.1% chance for the second seed, a 5.6% chance for the third seed, a 1.1% chance for the fourth seed, a 0.3% chance for the fifth seed, a 1.7% chance for the sixth seed, and a 5.4% chance for the seventh seed.
Can the Seahawks Win the NFC West?
Here’s what the NFC West race looks like after all the Sunday action in Week 11:
- The Arizona Cardinals have a 67.5% chance to win the NFC West.
- The Los Angeles Rams have a 9.5% chance to win the NFC West.
- The San Francisco 49ers have a 15.1% chance to win the NFC West.
- The Seattle Seahawks have a 7.9% chance to win the NFC West.
Current NFC West Standings
- Arizona Cardinals (6-4)
- Los Angeles Rams (5-5)
- Seattle Seahawks (5-5)
- San Francisco 49ers (5-5)
Seahawks’ Super Bowl Chances After Week 11
Can the Seahawks win the Super Bowl? The PFN Playoff Predictor projects that Seattle has a 0.7% chance to win it all.
Seahawks’ Remaining Schedule
- Week 12: vs. Arizona Cardinals
- Week 13: at New York Jets
- Week 14: at Arizona Cardinals
- Week 15: vs. Green Bay Packers
- Week 16: vs. Minnesota Vikings
- Week 17: at Chicago Bears
- Week 18: at Los Angeles Rams
What PFN Projected for the Seahawks vs. 49ers Matchup
The Seahawks have a golden opportunity on Sunday to draw closer to a division rival and one of their top competitors for a Wild Card spot. However, they’ll have to snap some dubious history to do so.
The 49ers have beat Seattle six straight times (including playoffs). Most of those haven’t been close, with five of them coming by double-digits and an average margin of victory of 14.7 PPG. That includes the Week 6 matchup between these teams in Seattle, a 36-24 Niners victory.
Seahawks WR D.K. Metcalf on his matchup with the 49ers this Sunday:
“We’ve lost like 6 straight to them? We’re gonna be playing pissed off on Sunday. I saw they gave that kid in the secondary an extension; they’ll rethink that decision after what I do to him this week.”
OMG👀 pic.twitter.com/8u3t57Tu5W
— JAY® (@JayLGK) November 13, 2024
Now Christian McCaffrey is back, giving the Seahawks’ embattled defense another headache to confront. Since Week 4, Seattle ranks 30th in defensive EPA per play, ahead of only the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Seahawks have departed with both of their opening-day starting linebackers, with Jerome Baker traded to the Tennessee Titans and Tyrel Dodson released earlier this week.
The news is brighter on offense. Wide receiver DK Metcalf is expected back after a two-game absence due to a sprained MCL. Metcalf is averaging 81.1 receiving yards per game, his highest since 2020, but has had a difficult history versus the 49ers. Metcalf has been held below 60 receiving yards in half of his 12 career games against San Francisco, including just three catches on 11 targets in Week 6.
Metcalf’s return won’t make a huge difference if Seattle doesn’t protect quarterback Geno Smith better, though. Smith has seen the fifth-highest pressure rate this season (39.8%), and the third-highest since Week 6 (41.5%). The good news is that starting right tackle Abe Lucas was activated off PUP and could finally make his season debut after offseason knee surgery.
With a pair of games coming up against the division-leading Arizona Cardinals over the next three weeks, the fate of the Seahawks season will be known within the next month. Snapping their Niners’ losing streak is a critical first step to keeping Seattle’s playoff hopes alive.
PFN Prediction: 49ers 33, Seahawks 27