The Seahawks’ playoff hopes are over, unless…

Admittedly, optimism has its limits

Y’all know that I came into this season with the mantra that pessimism sucks and optimism is better (or however the heck I phrased that line a few months back) but, DAMN, has this season been brutal. B-R-U-T-A-L.

Fear not though, I’m still optimistic that Seattle will make the playoffs.

Next year.

Or maybe the year after that, depending on what happens with Russell Wilson and/or Pete Carroll this offseason.

This season though … Seattle is TOAST.

Yes, technically and mathematically, the Seahawks are still “alive” but …

The Seahawks need to win-out against the Bears, the Lions, and the Cardinals. That’s possible, maybe even probable if the Cardinals don’t have anything to play for in Week 18 and opt to rest their starters.

On top of that though …

The Vikings would have to go 0-3 to finish the season since they’re 2 games ahead of Seattle and hold the tiebreaker. This could happen since their last 3 games are against the Rams (10-4), the Packers (11-3), and the Bears (4-10).

But that’s just the second domino that needs to fall in the Seahawks’ favor.

The Saints would also have to finish the season on a 3-game losing streak … against the Dolphins, Panthers, and Falcons (currently a combined 13-28-1) because, like the Vikings, they’re 2 games ahead of Seattle with the tiebreaker in their pocket.

Oh, and let’s not forget that the generically-named team in Washington D.C. is a game ahead of Seattle and holds the tiebreaker so they would need to lose 2 of their last 3 to open the door for the Seahawks.

Seattle would also need to pass (or at least catch) the 7-7 Eagles.

Plus the 6-8 Falcons.

And, on top of all that, Seattle would need to edge past the Carolina Panthers who, despite an identical 5-9 record, currently hold the tiebreaker based on their having a better winning percentage in conference games (3-6 vs. 2-7).

So … yeah, there’s a chance.

But it’s basically a 1-in-1,000 chance and even the ever-optimistic FTR is gonna say, “No mas.”