Pete Carroll, Seattle Seahawks. (Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports)
The Seattle Seahawks could have a better postseason over the division rival Los Angeles Rams.
We should trust the Seattle Seahawks more in the NFC playoffs than the Los Angeles Rams.
Even though the Rams are favored to win the NFC West over the Seahawks, there are several reasons to get on the Seattle bandwagon while the team’s stock is relatively down. Yes, the Rams looked great on Thursday Night Football vs. the New England Patriots, but Cam Newton is shot and everybody knows it. Here is why Seattle will have a better postseason run over Los Angeles.
3. The relative underdog mentality will fuel this team’s fire
This is not to say the Rams are not a quality team in the NFC because they are, but few people outside of the West Coast think they are in the same class in the conference as the presumptive favorite in the New Orleans Saints or their most formidable challenger in the Green Bay Packers. In short, the Rams are arguably the third-best team in the NFC and nothing more, but that is fine.
As for Seattle, this team thought it was the creme de la creme out on the West Coast in the early part of the season. Too bad not a damn thing matters in the early part of the season. Seattle has fallen back to earth at 8-4, good enough to make the seven-team playoff field, but probably not quite good enough to take the division crown away from the NFC West favorite Rams.
However, the hunter has a greater sense of urgency over the hunted. While the Rams may not view themselves as the hunted because they are still chasing the Packers and the Saints, the Seahawks are not far away from them in second place in the NFC West. It is a two-team race with the Arizona Cardinals fading and the San Francisco 49ers still hungover from the Super Bowl.
As long as the Seahawks get into the playoffs, head coach Pete Carroll will used the tired “nobody believes in us” cliche on his perennial playoff team. And guess what? It will work because the players will buy into bucking the narrative of Seattle being seen one-and-done in the playoffs and nothing more. Do not be shocked if Seattle ends up playing for the right to go to the Super Bowl.