NFL

The Field Gulls predict the Seattle Seahawks’ 2026 NFL playoff berth

ballervisions 2026年1月17日

The Seattle Seahawks have won twice to reach Super Bowl 60 in Santa Clara. One of the teams on the way is the San Francisco 49ers, whose home field could be where the Seahawks play on Feb. 8 if Seattle takes care of business over the next two weeks.

All season long, the Field Gulls staff has been focused on Seattle’s chances of making the playoffs and winning the NFC West. Well, they did both and got the top seed. Now, what awaits Seattle in the postseason? Here’s what the Field Gulls staff think.

Mokie Alexander: I think I’m going to be the bad guy here. I expect the Seahawks to beat the San Francisco 49ers, though not in a blowout way as if to suggest we’ll see Week 18 again but as the Seahawks end their drive with 7s and not 3s or 0. The NFC Championship Game depends on who they play. I believe they would have beaten the Chicago Bears if the Bears had upset the Rams, and then won the Super Bowl against the AFC champion. Unfortunately, I believe that Chicago’s Cinderella run will end soon. If the Seahawks looked like the better team in the two games against the 49ers, I think the Rams were the better team in the two meetings in Seattle. Going by what I believe will happen, the Seahawks will make sure those 49ers fans stay quiet for another season, while lost the NFC Championship to the Rams, who then lost to the AFC champion in the Super Bowl in a huge upset. It’s the most exciting outcome if the Seahawks don’t win the Super Bowl. I think some of Seattle’s bad habits in rotation will cost them, and the lack of top pass rusher protection is holding it back against Matthew Stafford. It will still go down as a great year, just not 2013-esque.

Ted Zahn: In both of our 2025 prediction articles, I wrote that the Seahawks would make the playoffs as a wild card and win two playoff games, falling on the road in the NFC Championship. Not all of that can be true, but do I want two more wins in the playoffs or an NFC Championship loss to say I was right? No, I don’t think I want to. Seattle’s defense continues to blow up opponents in the playoffs, and they benefit from the Bears’ surprise win to avoid the Rams. The Seahawks beat the Texans in Santa Clara 13-10 on a Nick Emmanwori pick-six in a defensive battle that everyone but Seahawks fans hate.

Tyler Alsin: My favorite quote from Mike Macdonald this year was the moment on Monday’s Seattle Sports show when he said he’s the kind of guy who would like to be told what the rules are, and then try to be the best player he can be at playing by those rules. Contrast that with Kyle Shanahan, who publicly wishes for an extra day off. Macdonald has prepared this team the best in every situation I think I’ve ever seen, and in my opinion the NFCCG will be more competitive than the Super Bowl. I don’t fear anything on the AFC side other than Josh Allen, and it will be Seattle over his bills or the Broncos for a second Super Bowl title.

John Tapia: The Rams are a formidable team in the NFC, yet they have to play a cold weather game in Chicago (Stafford didn’t fare well in these.) Because of this, after defeating the 49ers in Seattle, the Seahawks will avoid the Rams and will go on to defeat the Bears in the NFC Championship game before taking it again defeating the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl 60. I’m a superstitious person (especially with the Seahawks), so I’ll have myself to blame if this doesn’t happen.

Jack Freeman: Despite earning the NFC’s No. 1 seed, there is still a lot about the Seahawks offense that concerns me. The latter part of the year saw their efficiency decline and they depended on defensive perfection to win games. It’s a touching, yet common, trend for teams in this year’s playoffs, which is why I have the Seahawks reaching the Super Bowl after getting past the 49ers and hopefully the Bears. Although I fear that this is the end of their run, set up by a hungry Josh Allen to pass Sam Darnold for his first ring with the Bills.

John Gilbert: No need to overthink things. The Seahawks have held the top seed in the conference and home field in the postseason three times in franchise history, and there’s no reason to believe that won’t make it four in the postseason in terms of a trip to the Super Bowl. However, their record in the Super Bowl is not that good here’s to hoping the slump gets them back to .500 when the world championship is on the line.

Patrick Hood: I think another wild card bye will help the Seahawks more than it will hurt them, so I like the team’s chances against the 49ers in the Divisional Round. Seattle also had a great run to win the NFC championship, having not lost a conference championship since 1983 (back when it was in the AFC). I feel like the Seahawks will make it to Super Bowl LX, and depending on who they face, I think they will win, too.

Terrance Robinson: I would like to save my preseason prediction that we will lose in the NFC Championship game and I have withdrawn all night, weighing the problem. But to be honest, I should stick to my more refined thoughts that an elite defense can win championships, and rather handily. Our Seattle Seahawks have shown mistakes like offense, and a turnover or two can change our team’s fortunes. But really, with the level the ‘Hawks D is playing right now, it’s hard not to support them wholeheartedly and optimistically. My pre-season prediction was rare, but now I am with my team: our team wins the chip and eat well!! The SEAHAWKS beat the Bills in Super Bowl LX.

Frank T. Raines: I had the motivation for the Hawks going into the season and I’m a lot better now. Seattle’s offense has been hot and cold this year, but the defense and special teams are among the best in the league, as long as the offense doesn’t shoot itself in the foot with a bazooka, I think the Seahawks will extend their streak to the Super Bowl each time they are the number 1 seed. Seattle will beat the Whiners in the divisional round, 38-13, and beat the Rams in the conference championship, 28-21, then easily send whoever represents the AFC to Santa Clara on February 8. Go Hawks!

Jerrel Coleman: My predictions and outlook for this team became cautiously optimistic as the season progressed. As we saw: injuries, loss of close feelings and trap games that did not match Mike Macdonald’s team in 2025. The coach has won the most games in a single season in franchise history, and I’m throwing my caution to the wind… I’m a believer! The W/L record, improved stats and pure underdog swagger are enough to feel the oddity. The Seahawks will advance to Super Bowl LX and defeat the New England Patriots with a cathartic release for 12 around the world.

I think I’m the only Seahawks that make the Super Bowl. Maybe I just don’t want to set myself up for disappointment. Another way to look at this is that none of us believe that the Seahawks will lose on Saturday to the 49ers.

Make your predictions in the comments!