The Seattle Seahawks<\/strong> secure the NFC’s No. 1 seed with a pivotal win over San Francisco, locking up the NFC West and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, per multiple reports including Adam Schefter and Tom Pelissero. It caps a surprising turnaround season led by Sam Darnold<\/strong>, who continues to defy expectations as Seattle\u2019s starting quarterback. According to Nate Tice, the Seahawks have also executed all four designed runs that converted 3rd-and-15+ situations league-wide this season, highlighting innovative offensive playcalling.<\/p>\n For Darnold, the win also carries financial implications. As reported by Adam Schefter, he had $1.5 million in incentives on the line, including bonuses for touchdown totals, yardage, and passer rating benchmarks. His achievement of leading the team to the top playoff spot marks a strong finish and possibly a career-best season.<\/p>\n The NFC South remains unsettled heading into Sunday, with a three-way race marked by chaos and controversy. Per Tom Pelissero, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers<\/strong> defeated the Panthers, opening multiple paths to the division title. The Bucs clinch if the New Orleans Saints<\/strong> beat or tie the Atlanta Falcons<\/strong>. If the Falcons win, the Carolina Panthers<\/strong> would clinch via a three-way tiebreaker despite today’s loss \u2014 illustrating one of the rarest playoff entry assortments in modern NFL history.<\/p>\n Gregg Rosenthal highlights that this weekend\u2019s Falcons-Saints matchup will culminate a 49-year rivalry in a game that decides a division neither team may actually win. Meanwhile, as noted by Lindsay Jones, the division is guaranteed to send a team with a losing record (8-9) to the postseason, marking only the fifth time this has happened in a non-strike season. It will also be the first time a franchise makes the playoffs twice with sub-.500 records, following the 2014 Panthers and 2022 Buccaneers.<\/p>\n Controversy hovers over this race as well. Ryan Clark<\/strong> publicly criticized officiating in the Bucs-Panthers game, stating that Carolina was \u201cgetting jobbed\u201d by egregiously poor calls, further fueling postgame debates about league consistency and referee impact in critical matchups.<\/p>\n Pete Carroll\u2019s<\/strong> tenure as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders<\/strong> appears likely to be short-lived. According to Jordan Schultz, sources expect Carroll to be one-and-done in Vegas, pending either a firing or possible retirement. The Raiders are reportedly preparing for an expansive coaching search, with Tom Brady<\/strong> said to be involved in the process. Carroll, a longtime Seahawks coach, joined the Raiders this year, but disappointing results have created uncertainty around the team\u2019s leadership moving forward.<\/p>\n Zach Charbonnet<\/strong> finishes the 2025 season having completed a third straight year without a fumble. The Seattle running back now has 522 career touches without a turnover, highlighting his consistency and ball security as part of the Seahawks’ backfield.<\/p>\nNFC South Playoff Scenarios<\/h2>\n
Coaching News<\/h2>\n
Player Notes<\/h2>\n