The Seahawks' quest for back-to-back Super Bowls could be decided by a four-game stretch in the second half of the season.
The Seattle Seahawks' quest for back-to-back Super Bowls was always going to be a tough thing to accomplish, as few teams ever get close.
But Mike Macdonald's team does have the weaponry on both sides of the ball to give it a good shot in 2026; the NFL schedule-makers have made it tough.
With the league releasing the 2026 schedule, the Seahawks know who they will play and when, and if Macdonald wanted a smooth run-in to the playoffs, well, he isn't going to get it.
Yes, Seattle plays the Los Angeles Chargers, San Francisco 49ers, the Denver Broncos, and the Kansas City Chiefs in consecutive weeks from Week 4 to Week 7, which could either set them up nicely or derail the season.
But there is also a four-game stretch to end the season that could easily leave Seattle firmly entrenched in the playoff picture or out of it altogether.
And CBS Sports' John Breech says that the Seahawks' chances of a repeat as division champs will be on the line.
“The end of the season could be a rough ride for Seattle,” Breech wrote. “Starting in Week 15, the Seahawks will have four straight games against teams that made the playoffs last season and three of them will be on the road: at Eagles, Rams, at Panthers, at Rams.
"This four-game gauntlet will likely decide whether the Seahawks repeat as NFC West champs.”
The fact that the Seahawks play the Rams, their division opponents, twice in the final three games, isn't ideal.
Granted, if you are looking at it as a glass-half-full, it could be an opportunity to knock the Rams out of the playoffs entirely, which would eliminate the one team that many think could easily slay Seattle when the playoffs begin.
Of course, if the Rams come to the party and beat Seattle twice, then where that leaves Macdonald's team both in the division and playoff picture won't be great.
So yes, the early-season gauntlet has a chance to define Seattle's season, but the last four games, against the Eagles, Rams, and Panthers, could either keep the playoff hopes alive or end it all.
