The Seahawks control playoff fate after the win

Going into the 2024 NFL season, most NFL fans assumed that the San Francisco 49ers would continue to be the team to beat in the NFC West. After all, they had just represented the NFC in Super Bowl 58 and were in a position to return a good portion of the roster that got them there.

Instead, the NFC West has become one of the most unpredictable divisions in the NFL.

With most of the NFL action already over in Week 14, the NFC West remains a crowded division. All four teams in the division have between six and eight wins, so the final standings will depend heavily on the final four weeks of the 2024 NFL season.

Here’s what you should know about the NFC West rankings and how they affect the NFC playoff picture.

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NFC West standings

Below is a look at the NFC West pecking order through Week 14 of the 2024 NFL season.

Seattle Seahawks (8-5)
Los Angeles Rams (7-6)
Arizona Cardinals (6-7)
San Francisco 49ers (6-7)

The Seahawks are currently in control of the division and have secured that spot at the top of the division thanks to their 30-18 win over the Cardinals. The win marked the second time Seattle beat Arizona in the last three weeks and gave them an important matchup with the Cardinals.

Still, the Seahawks’ lead is narrow. They are just one game ahead of the Rams, who they beat outright in overtime in Week 9. Therefore, Seattle will have little room for error in the final four weeks of the season as it looks to win the division and secure a top-four spot in the NFC.

Speaking of the Rams, they seem to be coming into form at the right time. Los Angeles earned a decisive victory in a 44-42 shootout against the Buffalo Bills in Week 14, and that allowed the Rams to move past the Cardinals in the division pecking order.

With their win, the Rams also stayed one game ahead of the 49ers in the NFC West standings. San Francisco earned a convincing 38-13 victory over the Chicago Bears in which George Kittle and Jauan Jennings appeared unstoppable while the 49ers defense sacked Caleb Williams a whopping seven times.

The Rams and 49ers will get a chance to stake their claim as the Seahawks’ top challengers at the top of the division in Week 15 when the two meet on “Thursday Night Football.”

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Image of the NFC West playoffs

As mentioned, the Seahawks have the wherewithal to win the NFC West. However, according to Tankathon, they have one of the most difficult remaining schedules of the four teams in the division, which could complicate their path to the top of the division.

Below is an overview of each team’s remaining strength and their league-wide ranking:

49ers: .596 (sixth)
Seahawks: .596 (seventh)
Rams: .442 (22nd)
Cardinals: .365 (29th)

The good news for the Seahawks is that they have the best division record in the group at 3-2. However, the Rams could overtake them in this category with a win over the 49ers in Week 15, so Seattle is far from certain of being trapped in this tiebreaker category.

Below is a look at each team’s record against the division:

Seahawks: 3-2
Rams: 3-1
Cardinals: 2-2
49ers: 1-3

With that in mind, it seems possible that the power dynamic in the NFC West could continue to shift in the coming weeks, just as it has throughout the 2024 NFL season.

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NFC playoff image

The NFC West appeared poised to produce just one playoff team for most of the 2024 NFL season. It’s still likely to happen, but a slip-up by the NFC’s No. 7 seed, the 8-5 Washington Commanders, could open the door to the wild-card race for the Seahawks, Rams, Cardinals or 49ers.

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