The Seattle Seahawks, still seeking consistency after last season’s Super Bowl run, sit at 5-4 midway through the 2026 campaign and could miss the postseason, according to one national analyst.
John Breech of CBS Sports issued a bold second-half prediction that both the Seahawks and rival Los Angeles Rams will fail to reach the playoffs. His concern centers on quarterback play in Seattle.
“As for the Seahawks, quarterback play has hampered their season, and it doesn’t look like things are going to get much better on that front,” Breech wrote. “Sam Darnold has struggled all year, and to make matters worse, he’s been banged up. Drew Lock has been serviceable during his time on the field, but he doesn’t exactly make you feel good about this offense. It’s hard to see the QB spot improving, and if it doesn’t, the Seahawks could end up missing the playoffs.”
The remaining schedule adds pressure. Seattle still faces the Rams twice in the final weeks of the regular season. The Rams enter at 5-4 after three straight wins.
“If one team sweeps that series, that will pretty much eliminate the other team,” Breech noted. “If they split the series, both teams would have to go at least 5-2 in their seven other games just to get to 10-7. In the NFC this year, there’s no guarantee that 10-7 is going to get in the playoffs.”
Seattle currently ranks second in the NFC West, trailing the 7-1 San Francisco 49ers. The Seahawks are also 5-4 and sit outside the current playoff picture, with several NFC teams holding better records.
Lock has posted solid numbers in limited action. In three appearances, including two starts, he has completed 54 of 76 passes (71.1 percent) for 597 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions, for a 116.0 passer rating.
Starter Sam Darnold has struggled in seven games. He has thrown for 1,478 yards with 10 touchdowns and nine interceptions while completing about 60 percent of his passes.
Darnold will miss Sunday’s game at the Las Vegas Raiders because of a quadriceps injury and cracked ribs. He is expected to return after Seattle’s Week 11 bye. Lock will start despite dealing with an elbow injury and an oblique strain.
Seahawks offensive coordinator Brian Fleury said the team has no concerns about Lock’s availability.
“The oblique thing doesn’t seem to be much of a concern and the elbow has been improving over the course of the last few weeks,” Fleury said. “So, he’s actually taking more reps this week than he was going into last week. So, we have no concerns about his readiness to go.”
Lock described how the oblique issue affects his throwing motion.
“I mean, mechanic wise, you got to use a little bit of the backside, but when you’re rotating and pulling through, it’s all this,” Lock said, pointing to the front of his oblique. “And that’s really when the torque happens. The speed of the arm comes through with that. So allowing it to be back here, mechanically speaking, it is a little better.”
The Seahawks enter the Raiders game averaging 22.4 points per game (18th in the NFL) while allowing 18.0 points (fourth). Their defense ranks first in yards allowed.
Seattle’s next three games after the bye include a road matchup against the 49ers and a home date with the Dallas Cowboys. The two Rams meetings fall later in December.
Analysts note that Lock has managed the game effectively and avoided turnovers when called upon, giving Seattle two wins in his starts this season. Whether that production holds over a longer stretch remains the central question for a team trying to defend its title.
