Playoff chances just increased to 25%

[hawknation2017]

It's my understanding the Falcons/Panthers game is 10am PST and will not be flexed to SNF. So all of us fans and the Seahawks themselves will know if they still have a shot - or not - at the playoffs by the 1:25pm PST kickoff.

There's going to be a lot of scoreboard watching from Seahawks Nation for that game Sunday morning.

The NFL has announced the schedule for next week, and there is no SNF game.

The Panthers/Atlanta, Saints/Bucs, Hawks/Az, Rams/Niners games plus 5 other games are all now at the same time - 1:25pm PST.

There are 7 early games at 10am and 9 late games at 1:25pm. Updated schedule -

http://www.nfl.com/schedules/2017/REG17

Hey Alice, do you think the Rams care about winning this next game? 3rd vs 4th seed doesn't seem to matter much.

 

[RedAlice]

I think even the fans don't agree, so not sure. Some want to beat the Niners no matter what, others like me only care about the playoffs now.

The only benefit to seed 3 is a potential to host the NFC championship game. If seed 3 wins wild card game, then beats Minny, and Philly loses their division game - then Seed 3 will host it.

Otherwise, if they win the wild card game - seed 3 goes to Minny and seed 4 goes to Philly. Philly seems the easier game possibly.

ETA: all that is based on Philly and Minny staying as they are. That could also still change.


As to McVay, I don't think he will risk injury to win it. But, I'm sure he's planning to win it. I could see Goff and Gurley being pulled early regardless.

 

[hawknation2017]

I think even the fans don't agree, so not sure. Some want to beat the Niners no matter what, others like me only care about the playoffs now.

The only benefit to seed 3 is a potential to host the NFC championship game. If seed 3 wins wild card game, then beats Minny, and Philly loses their division game - then Seed 3 will host it.

Otherwise, if they win the wild card game - seed 3 goes to Minny and seed 4 goes to Philly. Philly seems the easier game possibly.


As to McVay, I don't think he will risk injury to win it. But, I'm sure he's planning to win it. I could see Goff and Gurley being pulled early regardless.

I'm with you; I would much rather face Philadelphia than Minnesota. Goff, Gurley, Saffold, etc. should probably be rested.

But that makes sense to consider the NFC Championship game possibility. Saints and Rams look like the two best teams in the NFC. I think Philadelphia & Minnesota could both be upset in the divisional round.

 

[adeltaY]

I have a bad feeling about this AZ game. Only last year we had to best them to clinic the 2nd seed and we couldn't. No Palmer or DJ helps but this will be the Cards superbowl and their defense knows us very well.

 

[Shanegotyou11]

I think hawks handle az. I think the chance of playoffs and crowd will fire the team up. I'm concerned that Carolina will hear saints are clobbering the bucs and quit trying.

 

[olyfan63]

Not hoping for a loss, but with our offense production the Seahawks have no business in the playoffs.

Yeah, 10-6 teams stink up the playoffs.
Especially ones with a bad offense.

The Trent-Dilfer-led Baltimore Ravens of 2000, they were an embarrassment. They CUT Dilfer in training camp the next year.

The 2011 NY Giants were 9-7 in the regular season, Eli just playing inconsistent.

The 2010 Packers were 8-6 late in the season and finished 10-6.

All these laughable 10-6 and 9-7 teams. Yes, the 10-6 Seahawks have no shot.

Dilfer, E. Manning, and Rodgers would agree, it's a waste for 9-7 and 10-6 teams to get into the playoff.

Oh yes, to you, that would be SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS Trent Dilfer, Eli Manning, and Aaron Rodgers, from each of those years.

Seahawks have a passable shot just like those teams. They do need to start clicking.

 

[ball4life34]

We will beat Arizona next week.

I think the Falcons most likely beat the Panthers. I've said it for a while now, but I don't think Atlanta is a very average team, Matt Ryan is having a pretty awful season. Unfortunately, this game is in Atlanta and means a lot more for them than the Panthers. I don't like that Atlanta opened as a 3.5 point favorite, I think that's kind of telling.

I did check a Panthers forum quickly and saw a discussion about whether they should rest starters or not next week. Most of them said no. Most fans think that since the Panthers played so poorly today, that Rivera won't want two weak performances right before the playoffs. I think that as long as New Orleans isn't up by 2 or 3 TD's by the third quarter, the Panthers will play to win the game.

According the PFF they rate Matt Ryan the #2 QB in the league behind Brady. He hasn’t been bad at all and certainly not awful. Not as good as last year but last year was historical.

 

[Termite]

Won't be any resting. All the games are at the same time.

 

[jlwaters1]

Someone raised a valid point.

Falcons game is MNF.

We NEED a Saints loss in the earlier game or they'll likely rest starters.

Someone gave you false information. Their game is a 1 PM EST start. There are never MNF games on week 17.

There is an SNF game though, which hasn't been announced yet. Hopefully they pick a different game.

There is NOT a Sunday night game this week. All the game will be played at 1pm EST or 4:24 EST... All the games that the Seahawks care about are all at the same time.

 

[Seymour]

Playoff odds may have gone up, but SB winning odds are still 25/1 (4%) and that is what personally interests me the most.

 

[Rat]

Someone raised a valid point.

Falcons game is MNF.

We NEED a Saints loss in the earlier game or they'll likely rest starters.

Someone gave you false information. Their game is a 1 PM EST start. There are never MNF games on week 17.

There is an SNF game though, which hasn't been announced yet. Hopefully they pick a different game.

There is NOT a Sunday night game this week. All the game will be played at 1pm EST or 4:24 EST... All the games that the Seahawks care about are all at the same time.

I'm glad they made that decision. I'm not used to the NFL front office being cool.

 

[SeahawksCanuck]

I'm glad they made that decision. I'm not used to the NFL front office being cool.

The NFL usually does a good job on week 17 keeping all games interesting and fair. That's why there's never TNF/MNF, SNF is always Flexed in the last week (no specific game scheduled), and the only games scheduled in the late afternoon slot are west coast games that can't be played in the early slot.

This year there seems to be a lot of games whose importance depends on the outcome of other games which is why there was no obvious candidate for SNF (plus being New Years Eve likely made cancelling it even more of a reasonable choice) and why they flexed so many games to the late afternoon slot. Eg. Seahawks game has to be late afternoon, which meant Falcons needed to play late afternoon, which in turn (since they are playing Panthers) meant Saint also had to play late afternoon

FiveThirtyEight gives Seattle a 29% chance to the make the playoffs.

They give Seattle a 75% chance to beat Arizona. Carolina is given only 39% odds at Atlanta.

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/20 ... edictions/

I think the odds are about correct, but not how they got there. 75% seems too high for Seattle, while I'd give Carolina better than 39% (Falcons are good but inconsistent, and Carolina still has a lot to play for: the chance to host at least one home game and an outside shot at a first round bye if Saints and Minny both lose)

 

[SeahawksCanuck]

FiveThirtyEight gives Seattle a 29% chance to the make the playoffs.

They give Seattle a 75% chance to beat Arizona. Carolina is given only 39% odds at Atlanta.

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/20 ... edictions/

I think the odds are about correct, but not how they got there. 75% seems too high for Seattle, while I'd give Carolina better than 39% (Falcons are good but inconsistent, and Carolina still has a lot to play for: the chance to host at least one home game and an outside shot at a first round bye if Saints and Minny both lose)

Although the Vikings are still playing the early game, so the shot at a first round bye could be gone by the time Carolina plays. Still, potential division winner vs wildcard should be enough for them to go all out.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Gotta' love the move to have all those games at 1:25 PT, very smart. Make the teams play for something, instead of some early game knocking out a team and seeing them throw a bunch of backups in there.