Seahawks Predicted to Make Rams' Path to the NFC Title Difficult

The Seattle Seahawks made it back to the top of the football world last season, and the hope is that they can stay there in 2026. The thing is, the Seahawks play in probably the toughest division in football. The Seahawks had to get through the 49ers and Rams in the postseason last season, and they might have to do so again this year. All three teams are expected to compete. Perhaps no team has received more hype than the Rams, though. The team not only kept its core intact but also brought Aaron Donald out of retirement and traded for Myles Garrett. As a result, it's not hard to understand why the Rams are the Super Bowl favorite. However, one recent projection has the Rams failing to pull away from the Seahawks. Vinnie Iyer of Sporting News recently published his 2026 NFL predictions. Iyer predicted the final standings for each division, and his NFC West prediction is interesting. Iyer has the Rams, Seahawks, and 49ers all finishing with 12-5 records. The lowly Cardinals, meanwhile, are predicted to finish with a 4-13 mark, which even that might be too generous. 'The Rams are heavy favorites to win both the NFC and Super Bowl 61 at home in Los Angeles, repeating their feat from five years ago in Super Bowl 56 with Aaron Donald returning to the defense and being joined by Myles Garrett up front,' Iyer said. 'The Seahawks and 49ers will once again make it tough for them to roll to big record in the regular season, however, with their fair share of championship makeup and experience.' As Iyer mentioned, the Rams are heavy favorites after their insane offseason, but you can't count out the Seahawks and 49ers. Especially the Seahawks, who now have Super Bowl experience, and have proven they can perform at the highest level. The Seahawks also bested the Rams in 2025, so the Rams are the team that has to prove itself. These divisional rivals played three times in 2025, and the Seahawks won two, including the NFC Championship Game. There's no denying the Rams have one of the best rosters in the league. But counting out the defending champions would not be smart. This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.