With the Seahawks’ win over the Rams last Sunday, as well as the Lions’ win over the Packers on Sunday night, they have clinched the seven seed in the NFL playoffs. That’s correct. The 2022 Seattle Seahawks are a playoff team. Not many experts and analysts had that prediction going into the season. With all the drama surrounding the team after trading franchise QB Russell Wilson and the release of All-Pro LB Bobby Wagner over the offseason, the Seahawks found a way to get in. Many would argue that the team lost its two best players in Wagner and Wilson following the 2021 season, and a rebuild was all but likely. However General Manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll preached all summer how the Seahawks were not in a rebuild, and that the team is always expected to win and compete for a championship every season. They backed that up, with a winning record and the opportunity to play in the playoffs where anything can happen. Yes, they have probably the most challenging road to get to the Super Bowl, with their first opponent being the 49ers, who have already beaten them twice this year. However there are upsets every year in the NFL playoffs, and who is to say the Seahawks won’t be that team that shocks the world. They finished their regular season with two hard-fought wins over the Jets and Rams, and momentum is everything when it comes to playoff football. Not only do the Seahawks get to play in the playoffs, but due to the bad season that the Broncos had, they own the #5 picks in this year’s draft. No team has played in the playoffs and held a top 5 pick since 2003 (Jets).
Their chances are slim, but the Seahawks have earned much respect around the league for their accomplishments. Geno Smith has come back with a vengeance, after being a backup quarterback for almost half a decade. Rookies Kenneth Walker III and Tariq Woolen have emerged as star players in just their first year in the league. It’ll be exciting to see a team that had so many doubters before the year started to compete for a chance to win it all. The future is immensely bright in Seattle, and the chance to create a Cinderella story begins this Saturday.
Northwest Sports Desk 