Thread: Seahawks or 49ers: Who is more likely to miss the NFL playoffs?

The San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks faced off in an epic NFC Championship Game last January, with the 'Hawks prevailing and proceeding to demolish the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII.

Predictably, both NFC West powers entered this season with great expectations. Seven weeks in, though, things aren't going as planned for either squad. The Seahawks just lost their second consecutive game (to lowly St. Louis, no less), dropping the defending champions to 3-3. Meanwhile, San Francisco was blown off the field in Denver, leaving the 4-3 49ers 1.5 games off the Arizona Cardinals' first-place pace. If the season ended today, neither the 'Hawks nor the Niners would make the postseason. This begs a simple question ...

Which purported NFC West juggernaut is more likely to miss the playoffs: Seattle or San Francisco?

rest - http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...e-nfl-playoffs

Arizona.

It seems crazy that one of those teams might miss the playoffs, but the NFL turnover from year to year is real. If I had to put money on it, I'd say Seattle misses out. SF has some guys coming back such as Aldon Smith, Bowman, and Willis. Seattle is pretty healthy and they are still struggling. They are an OT coin flip away from being 2-4.

SheCawks.

Originally Posted by BroncoWave

It seems crazy that one of those teams might miss the playoffs, but the NFL turnover from year to year is real. If I had to put money on it, I'd say Seattle misses out. SF has some guys coming back such as Aldon Smith, Bowman, and Willis. Seattle is pretty healthy and they are still struggling. They are an OT coin flip away from being 2-4.

Agreed, in addition to the good points you make, Seattles remaining schedule looks tougher. The '9ers have a bye to get healthy, then it's

St. Louis
@NO
@NYG
Washington
Seattle
@Oakland
@Seattle
SD
Arizona

Those last two may be big, but the only other tough games are the Seattle round robin (at least as tough for them) and MAYBE @NO. For Seattle it's

@Carolina
NYG
@KC
Arizona
@SF
@Philly
SF
@Arizona
St. Louis

That's more road games against better teams, because SF already beat Philly and played Arizona once. Seattle could easily lose those 3 games and either of the SF games (I can't remember the last time Seattle won @SF; the SB team couldn't do it, and they've regressed more than SF.) Right now, they look like even money @Carolina. If it comes down to tiebreaks, SF is also 1-1 in their division, but Seattle's 0-1 after losing to the Rams. I wouldn't bet on them to make the playoffs; they're likely to finish third in the NFCW.

Third place couldn't cut it for Arizona last year and won't for Seattle/SF this year. If the Cowboys and Eagles keep playing like they have one will get a wildcard, and the same applies to Detroit and GB. It's just possible Seattle AND SF miss the playoffs.

I think Seattle still makes it, the Niners just look lost and we utterly destroyed them while still losing to what i think is a much better Hawks team.

Originally Posted by Northman

I think Seattle still makes it, the Niners just look lost and we utterly destroyed them while still losing to what i think is a much better Hawks team.

They both have far more injuries than when we played Seattle, but I don't know enough specifics to know which players will be back when. The only certainties are that every team will have more injuries of varying degrees, and which teams everyones schedule has left. I'd rather play SFs remaining schedule than Seattles (I bet Arrowhead's LOUD for Seattle) but it'll likely come down to the two head-to-heads.

I still say it's Arizona that misses out and here's their remaining schedule:

Philly
@ Dallas
St. Louis
Detroit
@ Seattle
@ Atlanta
KC
@ St. Louis (Thu)
Seattle
@ San Fran

Other than Atlanta, I don't see any cupcakes. Plus, they can't keep their QBs healthy and are banged up defensively as much as the other two. Yes, they beat the Chargers and Niners at home but otherwise they made it to 5-1 on the cupcake side of their schedule.

Originally Posted by OrangeHoof

I still say it's Arizona that misses out and here's their remaining schedule:

Philly
@ Dallas
St. Louis
Detroit
@ Seattle
@ Atlanta
KC
@ St. Louis (Thu)
Seattle
@ San Fran

Other than Atlanta, I don't see any cupcakes. Plus, they can't keep their QBs healthy and are banged up defensively as much as the other two. Yes, they beat the Chargers and Niners at home but otherwise they made it to 5-1 on the cupcake side of their schedule.

Those are still two pretty impressive wins. And their one loss was against us and they were in that game until their QB went down. I think they are a legit team.

A part of me wants the Seahawks to miss out, and a bit of me wants them to meet us in the Superbowl again. I think I'd rather them miss the playoffs. They seem to be our kryptonite. I could see the 49ers and Seahawks beating themselves over those two matches they play, and Arizona coming out ontop. If I had to pick, I'd say 49ers miss out, and Seahawks make the wild card spot only to lose 1st round.

Originally Posted by OrangeHoof

I still say it's Arizona that misses out and here's their remaining schedule:

Philly
@ Dallas
St. Louis
Detroit
@ Seattle
@ Atlanta
KC
@ St. Louis (Thu)
Seattle
@ San Fran

Other than Atlanta, I don't see any cupcakes. Plus, they can't keep their QBs healthy and are banged up defensively as much as the other two. Yes, they beat the Chargers and Niners at home but otherwise they made it to 5-1 on the cupcake side of their schedule.

That's not a bad argument; it's certainly significant SF has already played (and beaten) both Dallas and Philly, and Seattle has already played Dallas (sure they lost, but at least it's not a potential future loss.)

I think Arizona will roll Detroit at home though; the Lions record looks good, but the only decent team they've beaten was GB, and that was a division rival at home. They nearly lost to NO, and that team's falling apart this year. If they're more or less healthy by then, Arizona should beat KC at home also, and is likely to sweep the Lambs; that's 9 wins right there, so they only need to break even against Seattle, Dallas and Philly to reach 11, which would all but assure them SOME playoff berth even if they lose @SF.

It's a tough call, because we're only now starting to get enough games logged for a half-educated guess who's for real and who's a statistical anomaly. A few weeks ago, Cincy looked unstoppable and NE hopeless, but just look how much has changed in a month. Even now, the Lions and Ravens look good on paper at 5-2, but look at whom they beat:

Baltimore
Pitt, @Cleveland, Carolina, Atlanta and @Tampa

Detroit
NYG, GB, @NYJ, @Minnesota, NO

With the exception of Detroit hosting GB (and Detroit LOST hosting the mediocre Bills) those are teams any playoff team SHOULD beat, and both got 60% of their wins at home.

I'd wait till Week 9 before any firm predictions; with just 16 games, there can be misleading anomalies even at seasons end (which explains many one-and-done playoff teams) but most are gone by midseason, and there are few enough games left to start calculating magic numbers. Whether they got there on a soft schedule, injured opponents or some other stroke of luck, a team 4 games up with 8 games CAN ice it by just breaking even unless the team behind them wins their last 8 (and even then it would come down to tiebreaks.)

Originally Posted by tripp

A part of me wants the Seahawks to miss out, and a bit of me wants them to meet us in the Superbowl again. I think I'd rather them miss the playoffs. They seem to be our kryptonite. I could see the 49ers and Seahawks beating themselves over those two matches they play, and Arizona coming out ontop. If I had to pick, I'd say 49ers miss out, and Seahawks make the wild card spot only to lose 1st round.

San Francisco was the epitome of graceless winners until Seattle literally and figuratively beat them for the title. I want them circling the drain just so I can laugh at their erstwhile bandwagon "fans." Even though I'll have to remind them they have a team first.

Lol. That's rich. Bandwagon fans. Lol.

Originally Posted by Joel

San Francisco was the epitome of graceless winners until Seattle literally and figuratively beat them for the title. I want them circling the drain just so I can laugh at their erstwhile bandwagon "fans." Even though I'll have to remind them they have a team first.

The team reflects their coach.

Originally Posted by tripp

The team reflects their coach.

I think it reflects its OWNER. Back when they won their first SB, DeBartolo commented on camera that "I bought me a good team," a statement so true the NFL had to impose the cap within a decade to end to his annual bidding war with Jerry Jones over whose hired guns would beat the others in the NFCCG before romping over whatever ill-fated AFC Champ met them in the Super Bowl.