NFL playoff picture: How the Seahawks can clinch a playoff berth in Week 18

The Seattle Seahawks are still in the hunt for a playoff spot in the final week of the regular season. This isn't where most people saw them after they traded away Russell Wilson last off season, but head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith have put together an unexpectedly strong season to be sure.

Seattle will take on the Los Angeles Rams in a late afternoon game and will need to take care of business and then hope the Detroit Lions can beat the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football despite not having anything to play for, as a Seahawks win would knock the Lions out of contention.

Seattle is currently a 5.5-point favorite over the Rams who have nothing to play for and Baker Mayfield at the helm to finish the season. On paper, the Seahawks should win this game, as they also beat the Rams just a month ago in Los Angeles and now they get them at home in a must win game.

The bad news comes from the NFL schedule makers, as they went against precedent and scheduled a game that has huge implications for the Seahawks at a later time. If the Packers-Lions game was played at the same time as the Seahawks-Rams game, all three teams in the race for a playoff spot wouldn't know the outcome beforehand. But, they didn't and the Lions will be out of the playoffs if the Seahawks win. The good news is that the Lions head coach, Dan Campbell, seems to be a pretty good motivator and should have the Lions playing at full force even if they don't have a shot at the playoffs.

Seahawks playoff clinching scenarios

1) SEA win + GB loss/tie

OR 2) SEA tie + DET tie +WAS loss/tie

  
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