NFL playoff picture: What does Rams-Seahawks mean for NFC standings

The Rams face the Seahawks in Seattle on Sunday. We break down what the game means for the NFL playoff picture.

Updated Jan 6, 2025, 4:37 AM UTC

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) congratulates Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) after a Rams victory during an NFL regular season game on November 19, 2023, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA.

Photo by Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Game update (Sunday night): The Vikings lost to the Lions, so the Rams will host Minnesota on Monday night to close out Super Wild Card Weekend.

Game update: With their loss to the Seattle Seahawks — and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers winning earlier in the day — the Los Angeles Rams are locked in as the No. 4 seed in the NFC.

They will host the loser of Sunday night’s game between the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings.

The 2025 NFL Playoffs get underway next weekend and much of the playoff field is set. Six of the seven teams in the NFC field are settled, with only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons doing battle for the NFC South title and the final playoff berth. However, final seeding is not yet settled for most of the bracket.

The Philadelphia Eagles are the only team with a locked in spot, sitting in the No. 2 seed. The Los Angeles Rams will host the Seattle Seahawks at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, and while LA has clinched the NFC West title, they likely will look to win to avoid facing a 14-2 team in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

Rams playoff picture

The Rams are 10-6 and currently sitting in the No. 3 spot in the conference. If they beat the Seahawks on Sunday, they will secure the No. 3 seed. They would face the No. 6 seed in that case. The Washington Commanders and Green Bay Packers are currently each 11-5 and tied for the final two wild card spots. The Commanders hold the conference record tiebreaker. If LA wins and either Washington wins or Green Bay loses in Week 18, the Rams will face the Commanders in the Wild Card round.

If the Rams lose to the Seahawks on Sunday, they would drop to the No. 4 seed if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the New Orleans Saints. If the Bucs lose, regardless of the Atlanta Falcons result — which would impact the NFC South race — the Rams would secure the No. 3 seed. If the Rams slipped to the No. 4 seed, they would face the loser of this week’s Sunday Night Football matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions. Both teams are 14-2 and the winner clinches the NFC North title and the No. 1 seed in the conference. The loser will be the No. 5 seed.