Getty Russell Wilson and the Seahawks are headed to the playoffs.
The Seattle Seahawks will go on the road to take on the Philadelphia Eagles in their first playoff game. The Seahawks and Eagles will kickoff on Sunday, January 5th at 4:40 p.m. Eastern on NBC. Seattle will play on Wild Card Weekend as the Seahawks were eliminated from contention for either of the top two NFC seeds after the Packers and Saints won their final games.
Heading into their matchup with the Niners, the Seahawks were either going to be the No. 3 seed or No. 5 seed in the postseason. If the Seahawks won the NFC West, they would host the No. 6 Vikings as the No. 3 seed. A Seattle loss would send the Seahawks on the road to Philadelphia to take on the No. 4 Eagles.
The Seahawks came up inches short of a thrilling comeback victory against the 49ers. The loss means the Seahawks will likely play all of their postseason games on the road. Philadelphia gets to host the matchup since they won the NFC East even though the Seahawks finished with a better record. Prior to the Seahawks season finale, Pete Carroll described his team as “poised” heading into the postseason.
“I think we’re a poised team,” Carroll said, per ESPN. “I think it comes right from Russell and Bobby. I think those guys on the field make other guys stay within themselves and not get scattered and continue to help us execute. … The leadership that those guys offer, I would go right to that. We’re never out of anything. We don’t ever feel like that. To be like that and extend that message, you have to come across with poise or guys aren’t going to listen to you and it’s not going to have the effect.”
The Seahawks came away with a 17-9 victory in Philadelphia earlier this season as well. Seattle’s pass rush was able to create havoc throughout the game pressuring Carson Wentz early and often.
The Seahawks Signed Marshawn Lynch for Their Postseason Run
The Seahawks lost running backs Chris Carson and C.J. Prosise with injuries sustained in Week 16. Seattle turned to a familiar face for help in the backfield as the Seahawks signed Marshawn Lynch prior to Week 17. Pete Carroll noted that Lynch is anxious to prove he has something left in the tank.
“He wants to do everything he could possibly do, and he wasn’t done,” Carroll noted, per Seahawks.com. “He got in the situation where he was injured and had a rehab and all that, and it just didn’t fit together right away, but he’s not done playing, he wants to go, so this is his entree, and he’s going to go for it. He won’t hold back, he won’t hold back one bit. I’m looking forward to see what happens.”