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Seahawks Clinch Playoff Berth But Eying Bigger Prize: 'We've Got More Work To Do'

The Seahawks clinched a playoff berth with Thursday night’s win over the Rams, but still have bigger goals in front of them.

Dec 18, 2025 at 11:25 PM

John Boyle

Seahawks.com Senior Reporter

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The Seahawks are playoff bound thanks to Thursday night's thrilling overtime win over the Rams.

And while the team's first playoff berth under head coach Mike Macdonald is definitely something to celebrate, the Seahawks came out of Thursday night's 38-37 win knowing that there are bigger things still out there for them.

"It's good, but we've got more work to do," veteran defensive tackle Jarran Reed said.

With the win, the Seahawks improved to 12-3, marking the sixth time in franchise history they've won at least 12 games along with 13-win seasons in 2013 and 2005, and 12-win campaigns in 2020, 2014 and 1984.

And more importantly for the current team, that 12-3 record means they moved one game ahead of the Rams, who fell to 11-4 with the loss and a game-and-a-half in front of the 49ers, who are 10-4 heading into the weekend.

That means if the Seahawks can win their final two games at Carolina and at San Francisco, they would not only secure an NFC West title, but also the NFC's top seed and the first-round bye that comes with it. The Seahawks have been the NFC's top seed three times in franchise history, doing so in 2005, 2013 and 2014 on their way to the only three Super Bowl appearances in team history.

"Up to this point our mission has been to win the next game, and then our next goal was to make the playoffs, so we've kind of achieved our next goal," said Macdonald, who is now 22-10 as a head coach. "So we'll learn that on Monday, and then our next goal is to win the division. Now, you can't do that unless you win the next one, so it's the same message. Obviously really excited to be in the dance. Anything can happen once you get in, but we got a division title on the line that we need to go capture and that starts by winning in Carolina."

With the Rams only one game back and the 49ers lurking as well—they would win a tiebreaker if they win out and if there's a two or three-way tie at 13-4—the Seahawks know they can't let their foot off the gas despite such a significant win over the Rams on Thursday.

"We'll celebrate it today and tomorrow, and I'm pretty sure most guys, once Sunday rolls around, there's a new schedule of football, it's over with," said linebacker Ernest Jones IV. "We're ready to go play the Panthers."

Added tight end AJ Barner, "It feels good, and we've just got to keep it going. When that time comes, we'll be ready for it, but we've got two regular-season games left."

For a lot of players on Seattle's roster, which is one of the youngest in the league, this will be the first playoff appearance, something that's not lost on those players even as they focus on what's still to come.

"It's huge," Jaxon Smith-Njigba said. "For me, it's honestly bigger than any award that I've gotten yet so far. I'm excited for this postseason. I'm ready to give it all and leave it all out there on the field."