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Five Ways The Seattle Seahawks Can Clinch a Playoff Spot in Week 15

The Seahawks can clinch a playoff spot this Sunday with a win or tie against the Cleveland Browns coupled with a little bit of help from teams around the rest of the League.

The Seahawks, winners of four straight and six of their last seven, moved into the No. 5 spot in the NFC playoff picture with a win over the Baltimore Ravens last week.

Up next on Seattle's schedule is a home game against the Cleveland Browns, and the Seahawks can actually clinch a spot in the postseason this Sunday depending on the outcome of that game and others around the rest of the League.

According to a bevy of Week 15 playoff scenarios released by the NFL office this past week, there are five ways in which the Seahawks can clinch a playoff spot this weekend.

Here are those five ways:

  1. A Seattle win against Cleveland, plus a New York Giants loss or tie against the Carolina Panthers, OR
  1. A Seattle win against Cleveland, plus a Washington Redskins loss or tie against the Buffalo Bills, OR
  1. A Seattle win against Cleveland, plus an Atlanta Falcons loss or tie against the Jacksonville Jaguars plus a Minnesota Vikings loss to the Chicago Bears plus a Green Bay Packers win or tie against the Oakland Raiders, OR
  1. A Seattle tie, plus an Atlanta loss or tie plus a New York Giants loss, OR
  1. A Seattle tie, plus an Atlanta loss or tie plus a Washington loss plus a Philadelphia Eagles loss or tie against the Arizona Cardinals

The Seahawks' playoff picture could also come into clearer focus based on how the Cardinals (11-2) perform this week.

There are three scenarios in which the Cardinals, who currently hold a three-game lead over the Seahawks with three games to play, could clinch the NFC West in Week 15, scenarios that would ensure the best the Seahawks could do is earn a wild-card spot in the postseason.

Arizona has already clinched a playoff spot, but here's how it can win the NFC West this week:

  1. An Arizona win or tie against Philadelphia, OR
  1. A Seattle loss or tie, OR
  1. Arizona clinches strength of victory tiebreaker over Seattle, which would happen if the Bengals and New Orleans Saints win and the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers lose. 

The Cardinals also have a chance to clinch a first-round bye if they win and the Packers lose or tie, or if the Cardinals tie and the Packers lose.

Finally, here's a look at the Week 15 playoff scenarios for the rest of the NFC:

CAROLINA PANTHERS (at New York Giants, Sunday)

Carolina clinches home-field advantage throughout NFC playoffs with:

1)    CAR win + ARI loss or tie OR

2)    CAR tie + ARI loss

GREEN BAY PACKERS (at Oakland, Sunday)

Green Bay clinches a playoff spot with:

1)    GB win or tie OR

2)    WAS loss or tie OR

3)    NYG loss or tie

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (vs. Chicago, Sunday)

Minnesota clinches a playoff spot with:

1)    MIN win + WAS loss or tie + ATL loss or tie OR

2)    MIN win + WAS loss or tie + SEA loss or tie OR

3)    MIN win + NYG loss or tie + ATL loss or tie OR

4)    MIN win + NYG loss or tie + SEA loss or tie OR

5)    MIN tie + ATL loss or tie + PHI loss or tie + WAS loss OR

6)    MIN tie + ATL loss or tie + PHI loss or tie + NYG loss OR

7)    MIN tie + ATL loss or tie + WAS loss or tie + NYG loss or tie (as long as WAS and NYG both don't tie)

Week 14 proved to be another successful business trip for the Seahawks and team photographer Rod Mar shares some of his favorite moments from the weekend, including Coach Carroll's viral photo atop of the team lockers postgame. 

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