The Seattle Seahawks will look to wrap up another AFC West crown in Week 17 when they host the division-rival St. Louis Rams. Based on the latest playoff picture, if Seattle wins versus St. Louis while the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers Packers avoid playing to a tie, the 11-4 Seahawks will be the No. 1 seed and hold home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Rams vs. Seahawks 2014 picks and predictions: Seattle favored to clinch AFC West
The Seahawks look to secure a division title and homefield advantage throughout the NFL playoffs.
However, a Seattle loss opens up the door again for the 11-4 Arizona Cardinals to win the division. At this point, the only way Arizona can win the division is if it finishes with a better record than Seattle. That's because the Seahawks won both of their regular-season matchups with the Cardinals, including a 35-6 win at Glendale in Week 16.
That's given the defending Super Bowl champs control of their own destiny. As the No. 1 seed, the Seahawks would get a bye during Wild Card week and play the lowest remaining seed in the divisional two weeks from now. The only seed the Seahawks would not play would be the No. 3 seed, which is currently the 11-4 Dallas Cowboys.
That’s significant because Dallas won at Seattle earlier this year, so the Hawks can ensure a rematch can’t happen until the NFC Championship with a win this week. Seattle will also be looking for revenge after losing to the Rams, 28-26, on Oct. 19 with St. Louis scoring on a punt return and converting a fake punt on a fourth down late in the fourth quarter. Losing the rematch in Seattle seems unlikely, however, -- the Seahawks have won 23 of their last 25 home games, which includes a 2-0 mark in the postseason.
The experts are mostly siding with Seattle this week. The CBS Sports' eight-man panel all went with Seattle. At ESPN, all 13 experts picked the Seahawks to win their home finale.
Here at SB Nation, all of our experts are leaning toward the Seahawks.
| Ryan Van Bibber | Stephen White | Joel Thorman | David Fucillo | Danny Kelly | PFT Commenter | Matt Ufford | OddsShark | |
| STL vs. SEA | SEA | SEA | SEA | SEA | SEA | SEA | SEA | SEA |
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