The Seattle Seahawks secured the No. 1 seed in the NFC, giving them a bye week with no Wild Card Round game. The team will watch the action unfold as they wait to see who they will face in the divisional round.
Regardless of who Seattle faces, former Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman believes this team can come out of the NFC, citing its defense, which is playing at an impressive level heading into the playoffs.
“I think that’s one team they don’t want to see in a divisional is the Rams,” Sherman said on the Jan. 8 edition of “The Rich Eisen Show.” “They’d hope to see them a little later on down the line, so they’re hoping San Francisco can go to Philadelphia and get a win.
“But this team has everything that they need. I mean, this defense is the real deal. They’re phenomenal. They’re sound, they’re fast, they’re aggressive. I mean, in that San Francisco 49ers game, you could just feel it through the TV.
“They’re running and hitting, taking advantage of every opportunity. That interception, where Christian [McCaffrey] bobbled it back to the defender. I mean, that only happens when you’re hustling and running to the ball. And I think that just rewarded all the hard work they had put in that day.”
Seahawks QB Sam Darnold Earning Belief
Nonetheless, Sherman noted that the one significant question mark for the Seahawks is quarterback Sam Darnold. Still, the former player notes that the QB is showing positive signs in these high-pressure situations.
The only question mark is the question mark that has been all season: Can Sam do it at a high level?“ Sherman added. “Can he get that monkey off his back that’s been haunting him the last few years? If he can, that would be phenomenal. This team is honestly the favorite to win the Super Bowl.
“If he can play like he did that last drive, I think that last drive of the Rams game did a lot to give him, the Seahawks, and the fans confidence that, hey, when the game is on the line, they can depend on Sam to get the job done and go down and win the football game.”
Seahawks Are Favorites to Win the NFC
The Seahawks could take a page from their Week 18 win over the San Francisco 49ers and use it in the playoffs: Rely on Darnold to deliver key throws, ride the run game, and let their defense keep controlling opponents.
With a potential Super Bowl path that runs through Lumen Field, former NFL coach Bruce Arians explained why he sees Darnold’s play as the key to Seattle reaching the championship.
“I think right now [Sam Darnold has] figured it out,“ Arians said on the Jan. 6 edition of the “Pat McAfee Show.“ “He’s put on the Superman cape. They got that running game rolling, showed up big last week against San Francisco. This may be the facilitator, get the ball out to the right guys, make some big plays with his legs.
“He and [Jaxon Smith-Njigba], man, that’s a dangerous combination. But when they got that running game going, with the defense they’re playing right now, and then the 12 up there in Seattle, watch out. It’s going to be tough.”
Richard Sherman Doesn’t Hold Back on Seahawks Before Playoffs