Monday, March 2, 2026

NFL playoff image: What Seahawks win over Panthers means for NFC standings in Week 17


SNF replace: The 49ers beat the Bears in a wild 42-38 shootout. This implies the Week 18 Seahawks-49ers sport at Levi’s Stadium will probably be for the NFC West title and the No. 1 seed within the NFC. The loser will probably be a wild card crew within the 2026 NFL Playoffs. The sport is scheduled for Saturday night.

Sport consequence: The Seahawks pulled away within the third quarter to beat the Panthers 27-10 in Week 17. The Seahawks can clinch the NFC West if the 49ers lose or tie in opposition to the Bears on Sunday Night time Soccer and the Rams lose or tie in opposition to the Falcons on Monday Night time Soccer. Seattle may additionally clinch the No. 1 seed, however would want a Rams loss or tie and a 49ers tie. If the 49ers lose to the Bears, Chicago would stay in rivalry for the No. 1 seed.

The Panthers managed to retain their one-game lead on the Buccaneers regardless of the loss. The Bucs misplaced on the highway to the Dolphins. Which means the Week 18 matchup between the Panthers and Bucs in Tampa will probably be for the AFC South title and the division’s lone playoff berth.

One of many largest sport on the docket in Week 17 of the 2025 NFL season?

Sunday’s assembly between the Seattle Seahawks and the Carolina Panthers at Financial institution of America Stadium.

Each groups can wrap up their respective division titles with a win, whereas the Seahawks have a really slender path to the No. 1 seed within the NFC this weekend.

Listed here are the implications for each groups on this sport.

Seattle Seahawks playoff image

The Seahawks have already clinched a playoff spot, and presently sit atop each the NFC and the NFC West with a 12-3 document. Seattle can clinch each the NFC West title and the No. 1 seed within the NFC this weekend.

Let’s begin with the division. Once more, Seattle leads the division with a 12-3 document. The San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams are tied with matching 11-4 information, however San Francisco’s higher division document (the 49ers are 4-1 in NFC West video games whereas the Rams are 3-2) has the 49ers in second, and the Rams in third.

The Seahawks can clinch the NFC West crown this weekend with a win over the Panthers, after which some assist from their division rivals. A win over Carolina plus a 49ers loss or tie in opposition to the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night time Soccer, and a Rams loss or tie in opposition to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night time Soccer, clinches the division for Seattle.

Each the Rams and the 49ers are favored in these video games, with Los Angeles anticipated to win by a landing or extra.

The opposite manner Seattle can clinch the division is with a tie in opposition to the Panthers, offered the 49ers and Rams each lose their video games.

As for the No. 1 seed within the NFC, the Seahawks have a good narrower path to clinching that spot this weekend. They would want to beat the Panthers, see the Rams lose to the Falcons, after which the 49ers would want to tie the Bears on Sunday night time.

Why would the 49ers must tie the Seahawks to make this path doable?

As a result of San Francisco is taking part in Chicago this weekend, one other crew that may catch the 49ers for the No. 1 seed. If the 49ers lose to the Bears, it can open the door for Chicago to take the No. 1 seed. A tie, nonetheless, blocks each Chicago and San Francisco from catching Seattle.

Carolina Panthers playoff image

On the opposite aspect of the sphere, the Panthers presently lead the NFC South with an 8-7 document, one sport forward of the 7-8 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Whereas these two groups meet once more in Week 18 (Carolina gained the primary assembly between the 2 groups), the Panthers can clinch the division this weekend.

First, Carolina would want to win their sport in opposition to the Seahawks, then they would want the Buccaneers to lose or tie in opposition to the Miami Dolphins.

Or, if the Panthers tie in opposition to the Seahawks, they would want a Buccaneers loss to the Dolphins to clinch the division.

In any other case, this division battle goes into Week 18, and may be the Sunday Night time Soccer sport to shut out the common season.

Given the place these two groups are within the standings, there aren’t any tiebreaker implications between them.

Listed here are the NFC standings forward of Sunday’s video games:

  1. Seattle Seahawks (12-3) – x
  2. Chicago Bears (11-4) – x
  3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-5) – xy
  4. Carolina Panthers (8-7)
  5. San Francisco 49ers (11-4) – x
  6. Los Angeles Rams (11-4) – x
  7. Inexperienced Bay Packers (9-5-1) – x
  8. Minnesota Vikings (8-8) – e
  9. Detroit Lions (8-8) – e
  10. Dallas Cowboys (7-8-1) – e
  11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8)
  12. Atlanta Falcons (6-9) – e
  13. New Orleans Saints (5-10) – e
  14. Washington Commanders (4-12) – e
  15. Arizona Cardinals (3-12) – e
  16. New York Giants (2-13) – e

x – Crew has clinched a playoff spot
y – Crew has clinched their division title
e – Crew has been eradicated from playoff rivalry

Listed here are the complete NFC South standings:

  1. Carolina Panthers (8-7)
  2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8)
  3. Atlanta Falcons (6-9) – e
  4. New Orleans Saints (5-10) – e

Listed here are the NFC West standings getting into Week 17:

  1. Seattle Seahawks (12-3) – x
  2. San Francisco 49ers (11-4) – x
  3. Los Angeles Rams (11-4) – x
  4. Arizona Cardinals (3-12) – e

As famous above, the 49ers presently maintain a tiebreaker benefit over the Rams due to a greater document in NFC West video games. San Francisco is 4-1 in these video games (with Seattle on their schedule in Week 18) whereas the Rams are 3-2, with the Cardinals left to play in Week 18. These groups have cut up the season collection.

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