The Seattle Seahawks unfortunately won’t be playing a meaningful game versus the Los Angeles Rams in Sunday’s Week 18 regular season finale. The Seahawks were officially eliminated from postseason contention after the Washington Commanders defeated the Atlanta Falcons in overtime on Sunday Night Football. That doesn’t mean Seattle doesn’t have something worthwhile playing for, however.
The 9-7 Seahawks haven’t enjoyed a double-digit winning season since going 12-4 in 2020. They followed up that achievement with a lackluster 7-10 campaign in 2021, and then went 9-8 in consecutive campaigns, Pete Carroll’s final seasons in charge. Winning a 10th contest on Sunday would signal legitimate progress for the Seahawks. Furthermore, they’d equal the Rams’ record. It’d be a minor victory, but it’d prove they’re not far off from this year’s NFC West division champion.
The Seahawks appointed Mike Macdonald as head coach because the organization felt they’d reached their ceiling under Carroll. Matching Carroll’s records of 9-8 in 2022 and 2023 wouldn’t necessarily signal the progress Seattle set out to achieve this season, even though a winning campaign should be considered a success for a first-year head coach like Macdonald. But winning that 10th game would deliver tangible progress.
Baby steps, as the Seahawks attempt to resonate with a season that ultimately concluded in disappointment.
