NFL playoff picture: What Seahawks win over 49ers means for NFC standings in Week 18

Jan 4, 2026 - 06:00

Game result: The Seahawks beat the 49ers 13-3 on Saturday to clinch the NFC West title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoff bracket. The game was close for the first three quarters, but Seattle converted a 3rd and 17 to eventually take a two-score lead they would not relinquish. They will get to rest next week during the Wild Card round and will find out their Divisional Round opponent by the close of next weekend.

The 49ers will finish in either second or third place in the NFC West, and will be the No. 5 or No. 6 seed in the playoff bracket depending on the Rams’ result on Sunday. If the Rams beat the Cardinals, LA gets the No. 5 seed and SF gets the No. 6 seed. If the Cardinals beat the Rams, the seeding swaps.

The Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers square off on Saturday evening in a Week 18 showdown at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The game kicks off at 8 p.m. ET and is arguably the biggest of the weekend. Both teams are headed to the playoffs, but this matchup will determine who goes as the No. 1 seed and who goes as a wild card team.

The Seahawks-49ers rivalry has grown over the past 20 years, and this is the second regular season matchup with these implications. In 2019, the Seahawks hosted the 49ers with San Francisco winning to take home the No. 1 seed. The Seahawks earned the No. 5 seed with the loss.

The Seahawks are a 1.5-point favorite heading into this game.

NFC West playoff picture

The Seahawks are 13-3 and the 49ers are 12-4. The winner of the matchup wins the NFC West and claims the No. 1 seed. If Seattle wins or the game ends in a tie, they finish with a two-game lead and are the outright winner. If San Francisco wins, they would sweep the season series and win the tiebreaker.

If the Seahawks lose the game, they will be the No. 5 seed. If the 49ers lose, they will be the No. 5 seed if the Rams lose to the Cardinals and the No. 6 seed if the Rams beat the Cardinals.

If the game ends in a tie, the Seahawks would win the division and the 49ers would claim the No. 5 seed.