Will the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks win the NFC West in 2026?
The San Francisco 49ers are off to a hot start to the year as one of the few remaining undefeated teams left in the NFL at 3-0. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Rams are off to a surprisingly slow start to the year at 1-2 despite forming a juggernaut in the previous offseason. In all though, the NFC West division race is one of the most difficult races that will take shape across the league this season. All three teams are looked at as Super Bowl contenders, and the road to the NFC West title will be a challenge for the 2-1 Seahawks to come out on top in.
ESPN’s Seth Walder projected the Seahawks to finish tied for No. 2 in the NFC West in 2026 with a 12-5 record.
That
prediction put Seattle behind the San Francisco 49ers (13-4) and tied with the Los Angeles Rams.
A 12-5 finish will give the Seahawks another strong regular season and keep them firmly in the playoff picture if achieved. Seattle will face plenty more elite competition on their schedule moving forward from here, with the Week 4 slate of games coming up, making each matchup important as the teams battle for postseason positioning.
While the 49ers are projected to finish ahead of the Seahawks and take the NFC West crown, Seattle’s projected record shows that the team is expected to be a serious contender.
With the Seahawks, 49ers and Rams all expected to finish with impressive records, the NFC West will likely rival the NFC North and AFC West for the closest finish in the NFL. For Seattle, the goal will be turning that projection into another Super Bowl win at the end of the season.
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Seahawks to fall short of winning NFC West title in ESPN projection
