SEATTLE — The Seahawks will be among the seven teams in the National Football Conference (NFC) playoff field after a win Sunday and an upset by the Detroit Lions over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football.
Detroit's victory over Green Bay gives the Lions the same final regular season record as the Seahawks, but Seattle has the tiebreaker between the teams thanks to the Week 4 victory for the Seahawks.
The Seahawks will be the No. 7 seed, and will travel to their division rival San Francisco 49ers (No. 2 seed) on Super Wild Card Weekend.
San Francisco beat the Seahawks twice in the regular season, and enters the playoffs as the hottest team in the NFL. Brock Purdy is yet to lose as a starting quarterback, and Nick Bosa looks like a likely choice for the Defensive Player of the Year Award.
The Seahawks' playoff game will kickoff at 1:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, Jan. 14 at Levi's Stadium.
It was a Seahawks season that defied just about every person outside of the organization's expectations. The loss of Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner in the offseason forced a number of new faces to step up and become leaders, chief among them quarterback and NFL journeyman Geno Smith.
Smith flourished in his first season as the starting quarterback in Seattle, earning Pro Bowl honors and setting the franchise record for passing yards in a season with 4,282.
Instead of being among the league's worst teams, the Seahawks led the NFC West for a portion of the season and found a way to slide into the postseason field.
Despite the surprise success the Seahawks had, the team will still also have a top-five selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, thanks to the dumpster fire that was Wilson's first season with the Denver Broncos.
Seattle has a lot to look forward to with this roster, especially after general manager John Schneider put together what is among the best rookie classes in the NFL this offseason, if not the best.
Charles Cross (first round) and Abraham Lucas (third round) both started the majority of the Seahawks' games at the left and right tackle spots, respectively.
Kenneth Walker (second round) had more rushing yards than any other rookie, and is among the favorites for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Tariq Woolen (fifth round) finished in a tie for the NFL lead in interceptions with six, and has very good odds to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Coby Bryant (fourth round) is another cornerback who came along throughout the season and had an important sack in the Week 18 victory over the Rams.
The season isn't over yet, and the Seahawks will get a chance to take down a rival next weekend in the Bay Area.